Life goes on
by rrabbit
Summary: Cassius, Gavin, Lavinia, and Evelyn carry on with their lives as Draco and Ginny's children. It's tough starting your own family outside of the one you already have... This takes place right where When the truth doesn't matter left off.
1. Chapter 1

_A/N -- So, a lot of people left me messages about doing this story and it definitely convinced me to put it up... that and the fact that I love writing these characters. I warn you that the chapters are going to be a little longer than they usually are because I added another voice. I know some people don't want to read something too long so this is me warning you in advance. This picks up right where When the truth doesn't Matter ends, if you haven't read that then you won't understand what's happening here and if you haven't read_ I'm Yours_ then you won't understand what's happening in that story and if you didn't read Hate is such a strong word.... well, you get the idea...I hope you like it._

**_Cassius _**

"I know I deserved that," Byron says softly as I help him off of the ground. His hand immediately goes up to his busted lip that's leaking blood down his chin and onto his bare chest. I refuse to feel bad about it, even though I have to look away when I see his eyes water from the pain. "I thought you were going to go for the eye."

I can't help but smile a little at that despite the situation. Only Byron would let a guy punch him in the face and then talk about it casually. I shrug and disappear into the bathroom to get a wash cloth to help him ease the sting and take off the blood. I take a moment to flex my fingers that ache from hitting my best friend and I flick a glance up at my reflection in the large bathroom mirror. I look utterly disgusted and I doubt that look will go away easily unless I confound myself or take a memory erasing potion. Until then, the vision of my naked little sister clutching a sheet around her body and my half naked best friend who just shagged said sister will always be burned into my mind like a cancer. I wish he would at least fight back when I decide to punch him. That way I wouldn't have to stop myself and feel bad like I do now.

"Black eyes take longer to heal," I say as I wet the cloth and bring it back to him.

He thanks me as he sits down heavily on the mattress, wiping off blood and wincing every time the wash cloth touches his lip. I go to sit down beside him but stop myself as I look at the rumpled blankets and the pink lace knickers on the floor. I turn around and breathe in heavily because I feel the insistent need to hit him again and my knuckles are still sore from that first punch I threw at him not one minute ago.

"What I did was disrespectful," he mumbles behind me as I close my eyes and kick my little sister's panties under the bed so I won't look at them again. It makes me want to throw up knowing she does _that_ with boys now. Not just any boys... my best friend. I hate both of them for putting me in this situation. "I really am sorry to upset you," he says, but I notice he's not sorry for what he did. "I'll leave now if you want."

"You can't leave," I tell him disbelievingly as I turn to him again, looking all pitiful and sad on the bed.... the bed where he violated my little sister. I can't look at him so I walk towards the window with my hands in my pockets to find some peace in the scenery outside but there is none to be found out there. The temper that I have won't allow it. "My parents want us down stairs for breakfast. If you leave they'll want to know why and I'm not good at lying."

"Alright then," he says so softly I barely heard him.

He picks up the blue shirt that he was wearing last night and slinks into it. Looking steadily down at his hands like they were the most fascinating thing in the world as he buttons his shirt, forgetting to put on the longsleeved black shirt that's laying haphazardly by the bed side table. I might be paranoid but I think it smells like sex in here and it makes me scowl and my temper boil so I walk towards the door, ready to get away from it all and try to pretend like this didn't happen, wanting to allow myself to wallow in denial like most people do. I wait for him to slip into his shoes and brush his teeth. I start messing with my ring, twirling it around on my finger as curiosity gets the better of me, that and the fact there's a part of me that doesn't want Lavinia to be hurt. Byron doesn't connect with very many people and as far as I know all the girls he's been with have been one night stands that he ditched before they even woke up.

"Byron," I call to him as he comes back into the room, smoothing down his hair that was messy from sleep... and other things, but I'm trying not to think about it.

"Yes?" He answers uncertainly, like he was waiting for me to yell and scream and throw things at him. He would deserve it of course, the prat.

I look at him very seriously and his eyes flick down nervously before meeting my gaze again. "Was this the first time this happened?"

He nods his head and looks away, putting his wand in his pocket. I don't know if that answer gives me any peace or not.

"I told you before that Lavinia is really sensitive," I tell him and he looks to me again with his bright eyes almost glowing against his dark lashes. This is uncomfortable... but I can't stop myself from saying these things. She's my little sister who has a serious boyfriend and he's my best mate who has emotional issues. I have no idea where I stand on this or what I want to do. "I know you have a thing for redheads..." I trail of and run a hand through my hair to cover the weirdness I'm feeling. It's the truth, though. Any girl I've ever seen him take a look at had some variation of red hair. "And I know that you've kind of always had a thing for Lavinia..." I try not to choke on that sentence because it's so distasteful to me. "So I hope this isn't just some one night stand, because I know my sister and I know she wouldn't have done this if she didn't...if she didn't like you a lot," Or at least I hope she wouldn't. I really don't want my sister to be one of _those _girls.

That was hard to get through and I gulp uncomfortably when I finish. This is why I like traveling around and digging up old wizards and artifacts. Dead people are much less complicated than live ones. I look at Byron again and he stares down at the floor, chewing on his lip like a little boy. I don't think any one ever really grows up. We all just pretend to.

"I really don't want to kill you Bryon, so try not to hurt her." I want to ask him what his intentions are, but that just seems like such a Dad question and he's been like a brother to me so I can't bring myself to. Again, I hate them both for this.

"I understand," he mumbles quietly and I look at the clock on the mantle piece. We have to go or they'll send a search party up for us.

I make a motion with my head to signal we should leave and when we get out into the hallway Byron catches my attention by saying my name. "You're wrong, you know," he says quietly, not looking at me.

"About what?" I ask as I grab onto the railing and start making my way down the stairs.

His eyes go to mine and then back to the floor. "I don't have a things for redheads." What a stupid thing to say. I don't respond, knowing it's a lie as we make our way to the dining hall. "I just have a thing for one redhead, really."

I flick a glance to him we step into the dining hall but I try to seem casual as I take my usual seat by my Father and Byron goes to the designated seats for guests, towards the end with Evelyn who's happily eating her toast and jam with out a care in the world. Dad is sitting in the usual spot at the head of the table and he doesn't even look up as I sit down and fill my glass with water. He's too busy reading the paper and Mom's also preoccupied going through a thick manila folder full of college applications and letters for Lavinia. She is determined that my sister go to a university to expand her education. Evelyn smiles wide at me and Mom finally pulls herself away from her papers to smile me.

"Good morning, Cassius. Did you find your sister?" She asks and my ears start ringing. I tightly nod my head and stare at my plate with the picture of her swollen lips, messed up hair, and the hickey on her neck. I find it in me to glare at Byron who's pale cheeks flush the slightest bit.

"She'll be down soon."

"It's not like her to be late to breakfast, she's usually up before everyone," She says with a smile and then she turns to Byron. "I trust you slept well?" When Byron nods his head Mom tilts her head as she studies his face, that he is trying to hide by looking everywhere but towards her. "Oh, my, what happened to your lip, Byron?" She asks with concern clearly laced in her voice.

Dad takes a second to look up from his paper and he looks at Byron through narrowed eyes. My friend brings a self conscious hand up to his mouth and I mentally scold myself because we both forgot to heal it before we came down. "I bit it," he says quietly as he looks down at his plate, not meeting anyone's gaze.

"That was quite a bite," Dad says flatly as he studies my friend. When he looks to me I look away quickly and pretend to eat my food. He always seems to find out if we're hiding something from him and I don't feel like explaining this because I know with out a doubt that Byron would be killed in the most horrific way.

"He has a high pain tolerance," I cover quickly because I know Byron won't answer. He's officially entered his mute withdrawn state. Dad raises and eyebrow and his silver eyes look sharply at me under his glasses. "Where's Gavin?" I ask to change the subject. He's not down here yet and neither is Lavinia so that just leaves me and Byron, my parents, Evelyn, and Gavin's girlfriend, Addison, who looks terribly uncomfortable as she picks at her food.

"He's still sleeping, of course." Evelyn chimes in as she pours more sugar over her oatmeal. I swear she eats more than any person I've ever met in my entire life, but somehow she stays stick thin and dainty looking. "Gavin must get at least fifteen hours of sleep or he turns into some irritable troll with a bad rash."

I snort and she smirks at me but Mom gives her a stern look so she lets it drop as she goes back to her food. Addison makes a weird noise by her side and Evelyn looks to her with her eyebrows raise and so do I. Gavin's girlfriend takes in a sharp breath and brings her hand up to cover her mouth as she closes her eyes. I know my family intimidates people and this girl has always been kind of timid but she's been around us a while so she should be use to it. When she inhales again I note how pale she looks and I find it very strange, especially if it's her reaction to us complaining about my little brother because we do it so often.

"Do you like Black College, Addison?" My Mother asks and Addison drops her fork and turns her way with sweat gathering on her forehead. She's a weird one. "Do you think Lavinia will enjoy the campus there?"

"Oh," her eyes flick around the table nervously. "Yes, I think she would."

"Splendid..."

"Cassius, where are you going to next?" Dad brings me out of the conversation between them and I look to him as he folds his paper over and sets it beside his plate. It's then that I notice the little green vial by his glass. I know that well, I flick a glance at Mom as she yawns, covering it behind her hand, and her eyes water from drowsiness. That's a hangover relief potion...my parents got drunk last night. "Not too far I hope."

"Oh," I say, looking to Byron who is still stoically looking down at his plate, probably feeling guilty about what he did to my sister. He should. "We haven't decided yet."

"I do hope you two will be taking a break," Mom says hopefully as her dark eyes look into mine. "I really think you boys need it and it would be good to see you more. You could even get a job at one of the museums here and settle down for a while."

I nod my head and take a drink from my glass. "If you do end up staying I hope you rethink your decision to live in that hole in the wall you call a flat," Dad says flatly and I roll my eyes at his Malfoy snobbery. "I know you like it but your Mother was right when she said there are too many health code violations there. That building really should be condemned. Cock roaches are used for potions, they shouldn't be your roommates. You're a Malfoy, Cassius, not a street rat."

"I'll think about it," I tell him, uncomfortable with this topic and still feeling that teenage urge to rebel against his wishes.

He wants to say something else but he stops when Addison makes that weird gulping sound again. This time everyone looks to her as she covers her mouth with a pale hand. "Are you okay?" Evelyn asks with her hand on the girl's shoulder. "Goodness you look pale."

She shakes her head. "I'm...I'm..." is all she gets out before scooting back from the table and bolting upright. The chair slams against the cold floor creating a loud bang noise that echos off the walls and makes everyone jump.

I watch with surprise as she runs towards the door, clearly intending to leave the room as quickly as she can but she doesn't make it past the doorway. She turns her body and drops to her knees, clutching one of the potted plants used for decoration. My eyebrows shoot to the sky when she starts vomiting into the pot and everyone stays frozen to their seats as she heaves and throws up all over the small bonsai tree.

"Ew, what terrible timing," Evelyn states as we all stare at the pitiful girl who is currently puking her little heart out into one of the room decorations.

"Poor girl," Mom whispers before putting her napkin on the table and jogging over to her. She pulls some golden curls out of Addison's eyes and she rubs her back gently. "It's okay, just let it all out," she says warmly in that motherly voice that she has. Addison's body makes a rather foul noise and flinch because of it.

I look around t he table to see every ones reaction to the gross display because none of us seem able to move. Byron is watching the seen blankly with his glass halfway up to his lips, Evelyn's face is screwed up and she flinches when Addison makes a particularly gross noise before throwing up again. Finally my eyes rest on my father who's upper lip is slightly curled back in disgust before Mom shoots a look at him. When her dark eyes look into his he becomes serious. They share a pointed look that I can't begin to understand before my Dad stands up and calls for a house-elf with a flick of his wand. When the ugly creature pops into the room it bows low to the ground before asking what my father needs and with an irritable sigh my dad answers.

"Get a morning sickness potion and make sure this mess is cleaned up after she's finished."

The elf pops away and I look towards my Dad as he stands with his hands on his narrow hips. A morning sickness potion? Isn't that for.... My eyes narrow when I figure it out. Gavin, that stupid bastard. I really don't know what I should do and the others who are sitting down don't know either so we just sit and try not to stare.

"Evelyn," Dad snaps and her wide eyes turn to his in surprise. "Go get your brother and tell him if he doesn't come down here this instant then I will come up and get him myself."

"Yes, Daddy," She says as she puts her napkin on the table.

He looks to me and then to Byron who's eyes flick away under the intensity of my father's gaze. "I'm sorry boys, things aren't going to be very fun at Malfoy Manor today." He sneers a bit at the end and I stand up.

"It's alright, Dad," I tell him as Byron stands as well. "We need to get back anyways," I lie just to get out of here.

"I'll owl you later." he says flatly, sending one more stern look to my sister who flutters out of the room to go get my stupid brother. He walks out as well, pausing only a moment to speak to Mom as she tries to sooth Addison. "I want him in my study after you talk to him," he says and Mom nods her head before turning back to the girl who just puked on her shoes.

"Oh, gross," Mom mutters but she doesn't leave Addison's side until she stops throwing up and slumps against the wall.

"Let's go then," I say to Byron and he doesn't need to be told twice because we practically run out of the room that's serving as a bathroom for Gavin's girl. When we pass by them I can hear her crying softly and apologizing to my Mom.

"This is so embarrassing," She sniffs with a hiccup and Mom gives her a sad smile.

"I use to get sick all the time when I was pregnant with Evelyn..."

I don't hear the rest of that because we make it to the hallway. The Manor is huge but for some reason I think it feels terribly crowded in here and I just need to get out of here before something else bad happens. I hand Byron his cloak as I slip into my own and as I'm clasping it around my neck I hear footsteps on the stairs. Byron and I both look up to Lavinia, dressed in a light blue skirt and white top. She blushes when she sees us and she gives Byron the sweetest smile I've ever seen her give before. In fact it makes me want to throw up how sweet it is and I glare at Byron who's looking at her with this strange warm look on his face and obvious lust in his eyes as he drags his eyes across her body. I want to hit him again so I clench my fists and I'm about ready to tell Lavinia to go put on a baggier shirt but her face changes when she notices we have our cloaks on.

"Are you leaving?" She asks softly, with unsure eyes she looks between us. I nod my head and I can see hurt lingering in her expression. "Oh."

That makes me feel bad. I'm torn between wanting Byron to stay here so she doesn't have that wounded look on her face like she was being abandoned or dragging Byron out of here and getting them as far away from each other as possible. I guess overprotective, temperamental brother wins out and I square my shoulders. "We'll see you later, Lavinia." I say, trying to ignore the questioning look in her eyes.

"Oh," she says again, even though it doesn't make sense but I don't think she was actually really listening. Her eyes linger on Byron's busted lip and her eyebrows knit together the slightest bit but she doesn't ask about it. "Bye, then."

"Bye," I take out my wand and head towards the front door, intending to Apparate away but Byron doesn't move. He's just staring at her and she's just staring at him and I huff before grabbing his arm and stomping with him towards the door way. We're over twenty now, I shouldn't have to drag him around like this anymore. I open the door with more force than I needed and I nearly slam into the guy standing on the other side who has his hand up like he was about to knock.

I take a step back into the house and glare at the bouquet of flowers that are in my face. "Oh, I'm sorry," the voice says as he lowers the flowers and I see him. Darius, Lavinia's boyfriend is standing there with a flushed face as his eyes flick between me and Byron. "Is... is Lavinia home?"

Hmf. I look to Byron who snatches his hand back and narrows his eyes at the nervous looking boy who's standing across from us. I think he might be jealous. Serves him right I think to myself as I look over my shoulder at my sister who's made it to the bottom of the stairs and is looking at the scene before her with wide eyes. Serves her right too. They both deserve to be uncomfortable because of what they did to me.

"There you are," Darius smiles and pushes past Byron and I, making his way over to Lavinia and handing her the roses. "I came to apologize," He tells her with a kind smile as she flicks troubled glances towards us by the door. "I know I was kind of being a prat last night, and I guess I deserved you ditching me like that,"

He bends and kisses her and I swear I heard Byron growl beside me.

She pulls back and gives him a tight smile with a blush staining her cheeks. She sends one more guilty, apologetic look towards Byron before turning to her boyfriend who's she's been with for like a year. What were her and Byron thinking anyways? It makes me angry again so as she tells her brown haired boyfriend thanks for the roses I grab Byron's arm and Apparate us back to our flat. When we land on the moss green carpet of our tiny living room I let go of his arm and walk away from him. Intending to ignore him for a couple of days until I decide how I should feel about this whole situation. He doesn't move at all from his tense position so I reluctantly look over my shoulder. He's just standing there, glaring at the wall as he clenches his fists.

"Why would she do that?" he asks quietly after a few moment of painful silence.

"What do you mean?" I ask even though I know he's hurt right now by what just happened. This is why I hate this. He's my friend and she's my sister, I'll never know what side to take.

"Why would she kiss him like that?" He looks to me and I can see the pain in his eyes and it actually surprises me that he would care so much.

I sigh and take a step closer to him, sympathy wining out. "That's her boyfriend, Byron," I remind him.

He doesn't say anything, he just stares ahead of him and doesn't even jump when an owl taps on our window. I give him one worried glance before going to the window and sliding it open to let the small brown owl in. It hops on the ledge and I smirk when I recognize the handwriting on the letter it's carrying. I untie the letter and give the owl a treat before it flies off. into the sky.

"It's from Sid," I say but I don't expect an answer because he's too busy fuming and pouting behind me.

I turn the envelope over in my hands and open it up, smirking as I read what our friend wrote. Sid plays for a minor league Quidditch team, the Yellowsville Firebirds, and he might get picked up by a bigger team this year. It's pretty exciting.

"He's in town tonight," I say out loud, not really sure if the statue behind me is listening. "He wants us to go out with him." I know Byron doesn't like to drink, and he probably shouldn't do it at all because of the freak that he turns into when he does, but Sid always insists that we go out to pubs and get sloshed whenever he comes to town. "What do you think?" I look over my shoulder again and note that Byron's hurt has officially turned to anger and I raise an eyebrow at it. "You don't have to go--"

"I'm going," he cuts me off solidly with a sharp voice. I'm not going to school him through this because I'm too upset with the both of them to let myself get close to the situation.

I nod my head before heading to regroup in my room before we meet up with Sid. As I move papers off my bed I can hear Byron's angry footsteps coming down the hall, I jump when I hear his door slam.

Tonight's going to be fun.

**_Evelyn _**

Darius Coldwater is terribly terribly dull. I sigh and rest my chin in my hand as I watch Lavinia talk to her boyfriend in the front hallway, hoping something exciting will happen because I've been banished from going anywhere near Gavin and the scolding he's getting right now. I watch as she nods her head and he touches her cheek while she tries to pull away. He's perfect for her really, if you think about it. He's boring and predictable, He's good looking, he's from a good family, and he's smart. He's just like she is, so imagine my surprise when I saw her snogging the day lights out of Byron Flint on the balcony last night at her graduation party.

Now, I've always known that Lavinia was head over heels in love with Byron Flint, that much was obvious by the way she blushed and stuttered whenever he was around, but I always thought she would go with the safe choice. I especially did not expect to glance out a window while I talked to my Mother and see her and Byron dry humping against the stone wall while hundreds of people stood not two feet away from her. I thought she had more sense than that. In fact I think I even like her more because of it. She's always so prime and perfect so to see her act like a normal human being is quite refreshing.

"We should talk," she tells Darius softly but he seems totally oblivious to her sad tone.

"I agree," he says, moving some boring brown hair out of his eyes. He sounds relieved and happily optimistic and I can't imagine why. He takes her hand and leads her to the stairway where he takes a seat on one of the marble stairs and she pauses a moment before sitting beside him with the bunch of roses on her lap. "I know I've been pressuring you these past couple weeks but I'm leaving in another month and I want you to come with me. You were accepted into magical university there in Florida, that's right by me."

I lean over the edge of the railing to see them better and I can tell Lavinia is chewing on her lower lip. "I don't want to go to America," she just about whispers and he nods his head.

"We can deal with that too," Again with the optimism, I almost feel bad for him. Poor old dull Darius. "I mean, we're not muggles... it doesn't take us long to travel so we'll only be a fireplace away from one another."

She pulls her hand back from his and looks steadily away from him. I wonder if she's going to tell him that she cheated on him last night. That would make things so unbelievably interesting. I clutch the railing and lean over a little further, so my hair falls around my face like a curtain. "I don't think you understand and I'm so sorry..."

He grabs her face and kisses her, cutting off the blow she was about to give him and she looks shocked as well as she brings her hands up to push as his chest. "Mr. Coldwater, what are you doing here?" Dad snuck up on all of us and his cold tone made Lavinia's boyfriend jump and stand up with a totally red face. I smirk towards Dad as he glares down at them. "It's rude to show up uninvited and with out warning."

"Dad, please..." Lavinia says softly, obviously embarrassed by how mean Daddy is being to her soon to be ex-boyfriend. She stands up and takes a protective stance in between them. "He just came to apologize," she tells him as she holds up the red roses as evidence.

"Really," he states flatly, crossing his arms and staring at Darius who is staring at his shoes, hoping to blend into the background. My dad can tolerate the boys we hang around but he will never be warm and understanding towards them. In fact he hates my best friend Jeremiah just for that reason, even though Jeremiah is the last boy in the world I would ever think about kissing. "Why did he feel the need to apologize to you? What did you do, Darius?" He asks, in that fake thoughtful tone that he has that makes everyone around him uncomfortable.

Darius coughs into his hand and then messes with the collar of his shirt like it was way too tight. "I, uh, I... I think I have to go home now."

"You think?"

"My mom..." he trails off before spinning around and practically running towards the door. He leaves quicker than I've ever seen a person leave before and I turn back to my dad and sister who are both watching the doorway with matching looks of surprise.

Lavinia's eyes narrow and she turns back to Dad. "That boy is pointless," Daddy mutters and Lavinia's jaw tightens as he looks down at the flowers in her hands. "and you don't even like roses."

"Why do you always do that?" She hisses with a stomp of her foot. "Stop scaring everyone I bring here.... and I thought you liked Darius."

"I found him tolerable." He raises and eyebrow at her scowl. "I just asked him a question, sweetheart. It's not my fault he couldn't handle it." He brings a hand out and puts a strand of hair behind her ear. "Be mad at me if you wish but I'm doing you a favor. You don't even like him that much."

"You don't know," she says hatefully, probably just mad that he's right.

"I know a lot more than you think,"

"Draco, Gavin's waiting for you in your study," that's Mom calling him from another room and he gives Lavinia a pointed look before stuffing his hands in his pockets and walking away.

She watches him go and then she turns towards the stairs and stomps up them, towards me. She sees me standing there when she reaches the landing and she glares. I smile pleasantly.

"How long have you been standing there?"

I shrug my shoulders and bring a hand up to play with one of my curls. "Oh, not long."

"You're so annoying," she sneers as she walks off towards her bed room. I smile at her back as she makes her way down the hall. I know I am annoying sometimes, there really is no insult in that.

Now what am I going to do with myself? Being home is so boring, there is never anything to do. I start humming to myself and I do a little dance spin and curl up on my toes as I make my way back towards my own room. I think I'll go dance for a while to waste time. I love to dance. I think it's one of my most favorite things to do in the world. When I make it to my bed room I stop humming and make my way over to my wardrobe so I can pull out a black leotard and my pink ballet shoes. When I was nine years old Grandma Narcissa showed me her private dance room, hidden behind a wardrobe in the white swan room. She was a great dancer when she was younger, she was even a member of the London Royal Dance Academy of Magic, but she had to quit when she married Grandfather Lucius. She said he had the room built in the first years of their marriage so she wouldn't have to miss the studio so much. When she saw how much I enjoyed all my lessons she thought I would get some use out of it. I even put one of her portraits in there to help coach me when I was dancing.

Of course Lavinia knows of the room too but she was never very much into ballet. When she came back from Hogwarts for the summer after her first year she tried going back but Madam Violet told her that her breasts were getting too big to be practical for dancing unless she wanted to start binding them down. Of course my sister was horrified and never went back to another class. I'm shaped like Grandma so I know I'll never have that problem but I do wish I did. Jeremiah thinks that Lavinia has the best body he's ever seen and every time he's around her he drools like a puppy dog. It's actually quite irritating to be honest. The classes I take are just off of Diagon Alley at Madam Violet's dance studio, it's actually one of the best and most expensive in the wizarding world and I miss it sorely when I'm at Hogwarts, but my parents won't home school me so I'm always behind when I go back for the summer. Something Xavier LesFramboises, the bane of my existence and my mortal enemy, feels the need to point out every time I come back. I really hate that stuck up, French idiot.

I shimmy into the black leotard and pull my hair up in a tight pony tail as I grab my shoes and leave my powder blue room. I do love the color blue. I almost wish I would have been sorted into Ravenclaw so I could color code with every thing that I have. I think I look so much better in blue than green to tell the truth, but the hat said I was much too ambitious to be anywhere else but Slytherin. With light steps I nearly skip towards the swan room, swinging my shoes by their ribbons as I sing to myself some song I heard of the wireless last night but I stop when I see a door ajar. I stop and stare into the room curiously, wondering why it's open and when I see a large stone pensive sitting on the table I smile to myself. Mom and Dad must have been watching memories recently because the far wall is completely empty and cleared of all decorations and paintings so they can be projected and clearly viewed off of it.

I wonder if they left anything in there.

I flit into the room, still singing lightly under my breath, and I peek over the edge to into the stone basin and smirk when I see the swirling white mist in the bowl. I've always hated that saying, curiosity killed the cat. I think if the cat wasn't curious then it must be one of those fat felines that takes twelve hour naps in the sun only to move to a shaded area to sleep some more. What a dreadfully boring cat. I place my shoes down on the ground and put my hands on the edge of the basin so I can carefully dip my face into the mist. I get pulled into the memory and I land with a thump inside some dark and dingy bedroom. I scrunch up my face in disgust as I look at the dirty walls that were probably white at one time, but now look brownish yellow, with the wallpaper peeling at the edges. There is nothing much in here but a filthy looking bed, and a plain looking vanity with a cracked mirror. This isn't one of the memories I'm use to seeing in one of these and even the windows in this room are dirty, making the room seem fuzzy and almost dream like. It's not a warm feeling family memory they usually look at and I watch curiously as the door opens and someone walks inside.

For a second there I thought I was staring at Cassius but I realized it was my Dad. My Dad when he was a lot younger than he is now. I walk closer as he goes over to the vanity and with a determined look on his face he starts pulling things out of the bag he brought in. I watch his face as he takes out a small cauldron and dumps the contents of a flask inside of it, heating it up with his wand. Cass does look a lot like him, that much is true, but Dad's features are a lot sharper than my brother's and his eyes are more narrowed. I smile as Dad pushes some hair of his eyes and unbuttons the black dress shirt he was wearing as his potion sizzles and pops on the wooden table top. He has to be a teenager here in this memory, how interesting.

I watch his reflection in the mirror as he looks up at himself with a serious expression on his face and his lips turned slightly down. He takes a moment to smooth down his hair, that's a lot longer than it is now and he goes back to his unbuttoning his shirt. He's not wearing his glasses either. I'm so use to seeing those sleek silver frames on his face that I almost forgot what he looked like with out them. His right hand reaches into the black bag on the floor and I notice the silver ring with the black stone resting on his ring finger, that's the same one Cassius wears now and I step even closer to him as he sets the glass down on the table surface so I can watch his profile.

"Daddy, you were handsome," I whisper, even though I know this is a memory and he can't hear me. I reach out to touch him but my hand goes right through.

I look at the two little freckles on the side of his face, the same freckles he has now that are so unique to him, as he throws the shirt in his bag and stirs his potion with a wooden spoon. Under his black shirt he was wearing this red and gold stripped t-shirt and I raise my eye brows when I notice he's wearing jeans. My Dad would never wear jeans. A sharp knock on the dingy door makes me jump and step back but my teenage Dad doesn't move, he keeps looking at his potion.

"Come in," he says sharply, in that impatient way that he has when he's working on something. Nice to know that hasen't changed.

I look towards the doorway as the person steps in and I am pleasantly surprised to see a very good looking young man. He might be better looking than my father I muse to myself as I take him in. He's just as tall as my Dad but with dark, slightly curled hair and tanned skin. Just about everything on him seems darker but his eyes, that glow a bright blue underneath his lashes.

"Did you bring it?" Dad asks curtly with out greeting.

The other man smiles and slithers up to my father, leaning against the vanity with his arms crossed. "Of course I did," he says with his eyes lit in amusement. "You surely do owe me one, mate. It took me a while to find Potter's stupid muggle foster family. Horrid people, they are...well... _were_ I suppose is the better word."

"That's wonderful, Zabini, just give the goddamn thing to me." Dad puts out his hand and finally turns towards the dark youth to his side. That Zabini guy smiles again and reaches into his pocket, pulling out a small glass vial and handing it to Dad. I take a step closer to see what's inside and notice a few black hairs. What's going on here? "Are you sure these belong to him?"

Zabini nods his head. "They didn't have anything that belonged to him directly, but there was a brush that they told me Potter used once. I checked, those are human and they do belong to an eighteen year old male who has magic. The only other person in that house that would come close to that description was their fat pig of a son, but his hair was blond so I'm sure these are his."

"If I turn into some dirty filthy muggle I will kill you, Blaise," my dad snaps a glare at the other man and the cold tone he uses sounds vicious even to me so I cross my arms, feeling cold.

Zabini doesn't seem fazed and he smiles charmingly, showing his perfect white teeth. "I promise you won't. What do you need that for anyways?" He asks curiously as he looks around the room while pulling a cigarette out of his pocket. "Is this an assignment or something?"

"None of your business," Dad snaps as he uncorks the vial and carefully takes out a short black hair, he eyes it for a second before dropping it into the potion, making it hiss and glow a golden yellow color.

Zabini walks, well, more like struts I suppose, over to the window and unlocks the latch so he can push it open. He puts the cigarette to his lips and lights the end with his wand as he squints down at the people below. "Guess who I saw on my way here," He says with a sly smile as he blows smoke out the window. Dad doesn't even acknowledge him. "It was quite a pleasant surprise, of course, to see good old Ginny Weasley making her way down the street as I Apparated in."

My eyes snap to my Dad who stills his movements to listen. I can see the dark mark on his forearm and I study it with a tilted head, it's barely visible now that he's older but in this memory it is a deep black, showing out sharply against his pale skin.

"I'm surprised Snape is still letting students have Hogsmeades trips," Zabini says, flicking his ashes on the ledge, oblivious to my Father's tight jaw. "I do wish she was wearing her school uniform, though. You know how sad I was when we graduated last year because I knew I wouldn't be able to see her strutting around in that get up anymore," he looks over his shoulder and smirks at my dad. "I could look beyond her family situation to have her legs wrapped around my hips for one night." What a foul creature that Zabini is. I huff and put my hands on my hips, hoping my dad will do something. Dad snaps his head to the other man's and narrows his eyes. Zabini must have realized his mistake because he coughs and then smiles uneasily, trying to hide his discomfort. "Of course I know she's already claimed territory, Draco. You don't have to look at me like that. I'm just having a little fun at the future Mrs. Malfoy's expense."

Dad doesn't seem satisfied but he turns back towards the potion and puts the cork back on the vial. He throws it at Zabini who catches it with quick reflexes that impresses even me.

"Bring the rest of these to the Dark Lord," Dad says and I look towards him as he crosses his arms over his tight chest. "If they really are Potter's you'll be rewarded for it. I'm sure he'll find it useful."

Zabini pockets the vial and throws his cigarette out the window. "Alright, I need to be leaving anyways. I've got a date tonight with Jade O'Neil... You know I have a soft spot for blondes." A thoughtful expression crosses his handsome face and then a devilish smile returns. "I don't think soft is the right word to use for that either."

Dad doesn't answer him so he rolls his eyes and walks towards the door. "See you around, Malfoy. As always you are a ray of sunshine in my pitifully dull life."

My father nods but doesn't say anything and he watches with sharp eyes as the man leaves and closes the door behind him. He looks down at his watch and then into the mirror one last time before dipping a glass into the potion and breathing out heavily before downing it all in one gulp. With wide eyes I watch as my Dad's tall and slender build slowly morphs into a shorter, dark haired version of Harry Potter. Silver eyes turn to bright green and pale skin turns golden in the dingy light of the room. I am so curious to find out what this is all about. When the switch is totally done he turns back to the mirror and his lip curls back in distaste at the scar on his forehead.

"Stupid, ugly, blind, Potter," He mutters to himself as he takes a pair of glasses out of his pocket and places them on his face.

He blinks a few times getting use to it before looking down and checking out his new form, the shirt and pants seem a little tighter now that he's wearing someone else's body and I back off towards the bed as he starts throwing his potions materials into his bag and then stuffs it out of site. He flexes his hands and cracks his neck a few times before slouching his shoulders a bit and leaning against the wall, with his arms crossed. He stands like that for a while, every so often shifting positions like he was testing them out before he sighs. He shakes his head and then looks down at his watch. Like he just remembered he was wearing it he pulls off the Malfoy ring and puts it in his pocket just in time before someone knocks on the door again.

"Come..." He starts but he stops himself and coughs. "Come in," he repeats in a higher voice not his own.

To my surprise the door opens and a flurry of red hair enters. Mom. Now I'm totally intrigued and I stand up straight as she walks in, looking around the room with the same unease I had. When she spots my Dad, disguised as Harry Potter, her eyes light up and she smiles wide before running over to him and jumping into his arms, showering him with kisses.

"I almost didn't believe it when I got your note yesterday. Where have you been?" she asks breathlessly between kisses, my Dad seems flustered at first before he gets a hold of himself and he pushes her back the slightest bit so he can breathe. "I've been worried sick, Harry. You've been gone for months!"

"I needed to talk to you," He says seriously, taking her hands away from his face. I get the feeling that Mom is getting tricked here and this scene has my attention because of it.

"Are you going to tell me why you left with out even saying goodbye?" she questions and her joy seems cut short, being replaced with hurt. "You just went up and left one night with out even telling me... that hurt my feelings."

"Right," he says uncomfortably, coughing and looking away. "Listen, I told you to meet me here for a reason, Ginny. I have something I need to tell you."

He walks away from her and she watches him with an eyebrow raised. I look her up and down, kind of excited to see my mother this young so close up. I can see why people think Lavinia looks like her, the same long red hair, the same full lips, same curvy body, but Lavinia has more Malfoy in her and Mom's features are more open and trusting with softer tilts of her face and darker eyes. I touch my own face, wondering how much of her is in me. My mom is a beautiful woman now, but seeing her up close like this when she was younger makes me realize how truly lovely she was and I can easily see why my Father fell in love with her. With an amused smile I notice she's wearing denims with a plain white t-shirt and torn up gym shoes. I think this has to be the most casual I've ever seen my parents dress.

"What is it?" she asks softly, like she was preparing herself for something terrible.

"The Death Eaters have taken over Hogwarts now, right?" He says and I can hear my Dad's deep drawl but he's not trying to hide it as he turns back to her. "Snape is in charge and the Carrows are teachers?"

Mom nods her head and an angry scowl crosses her face. "It's terrible. We have to learn how to do all those Dark Art things now and pledge our allegiance to you know who," She rolls her eyes and crosses her arms. "The Carrows are especially bad. You wouldn't believe what they're doing, Harry. They're actually using unforgivables on students. Can you believe that?" I look towards him as he watches her like he was trying to memorize every freckle on her face. He is obviously not surprised by the information and I doubt he's actually listening to anything she's saying because of that dazed look he has in his eyes. "I'm actually surprised we're here. Snape said there would be no field trips anymore at the beginning of the year and...."

"Has any one done anything to you?" He asks sharply and Mom's eyes look to his because of the brisk tone he used. "Have the Carrows used an unforgivable on you?" He asks more forcefully.

"It doesn't really matter," She says with a smile as she goes closer to him and hugs him tightly, with her head against his chest. He doesn't move. "I actually have it much easier than everyone else. I don't know why. Poor Neville gets it the worse I think and just last week they had Luna bonded to a chair for two days straight for not following directions. It was terrible," She inhales deeply and smiles up at him, "You smell wonderful. Are you using new cologne or something?"

"Tell me what they did to you."

She searches his eyes for a few moments, and when his face remains cold and unresponsive she frowns and steps back, letting her arms drop from his body. "When's my birthday?"

"What," he snaps, clearly irritated and sounding so much like Dad that I think she'll figure out that she's not talking to Harry Potter.

"Answer my question," she says a littler harder as she reaches into her pocket, obviously after her wand. Dad notices the movement and his sharp eyes flick back to hers. "When is my birthday, Harry?"

He sighs and turns away, running a frustrated hand through his hair and scowling when he gets it stuck in one of Potters tangles. Harry Potter does have horrific hair. "It's April 14th, of course. Why would you ask me that?"

She breathes out in relief and smile returns to her face as she walks back over to him. "I'm sorry, you just... you just seem different. I guess that's to be expected, right?"

He looks at her over his shoulder. "What have the Carrows done to you?"

She looks down and shrugs. "Nothing too bad, really. Alecto Carrow just got me with a stinging curse once for talking back to her. She really is a horrid frumpy woman..."

She goes on talking about how gross that lady is but I can tell Dad isn't listening. He's too busy glaring and clenching his fists. "They should know better..." he mumbles to himself and Mom looks at him with a raised eyebrow.

"What?" She says with a little laugh, "I'm surprised they don't crucio me everyday because of my family and all." She touches him again, like it was all she wanted to do and he turns to her. She smiles sweetly before tilting her chin up and kissing him softly on the lips.

I notice hesitation on his part but after a few seconds he brings his hands up to her face and deepens the kiss with a vengeance, like he was trying to consume everything about her. He crushes her to his body and she gasps into his mouth before wrapping her arms around him for balance. I shake my head and cross my arms in disappointment that my father is taking advantage of the situation and my poor mother. When they finally pull back from snogging her face is flushed and she keeps her eyes closed as my Dad stares down at her with Potter's green eyes, looking at her like she was something out of a dream.

"I've missed you," she says and then her eyes flutter open as she smiles at him.

"I missed you too," he replies in his deep voice with out missing a beat.

"Where have you been?" She asks earnestly, "and what have you been doing? Please tell me, Harry, I know I can help."

He shakes his head like he was coming out of a daze and he takes her hand, leading her to the bed and sitting down on the filthy mattress. I sit in front of them on the floor with my legs crossed like I was watching some interesting play. I can't believe this is my parents, they usually are so boring. I bring my hands up and and rest my chin on them as I watch.

"Ginny, when you go home for Christmas break, you can't come back to Hogwarts."

"But the people..."

He shushes her with a hand up and she obeys. "Just trust me on this. Things have been bad, but they are about to get a whole lot worse. You must promise me you will not go back to that school."

"Harry..."

"Promise me," he says sharply.

"Fine... fine, I promise," he nods his head, pleased but she turns away. "So what am I suppose to do, then? Wait around at the Burrow while you go off and fight a war by yourself?" She sounds sad and disappointed and Dad catches it so he puts some hair behind her ear, letting them linger on her face. "I could come with you," she turns to him again with her eyes sparkling. "I swear I could help. I'm not so terrible with a wand and I know more spells than Ron and I'm faster than Hermione."

"No," he says seriously and she pouts as tears fill her eyes.

"It's not fair. I'm always being pushed to the sidelines. Do you think I'm so useless, Harry, that I would just get in your way?" She sounds so upset that I even find tears in my own eyes. She's obviously hurt, she obviously loves Harry, and she _obviously_ has no idea that the man she is talking to is not her Harry at all.

"Gin," he says, taking her face in his hands and forcing her to look at him. "My success depends on your survival." I have a feeling he's saying that as Draco Malfoy, not Harry Potter. "You must go home and you must be there when I come for you."

She nods her head in acceptance and tears fall down her face. "Okay."

He smiles a little, the same little smile that plays on my Dad's real face, and he dips his head down to kiss her. She kisses him back with a moan and her hands come up to thread through his hair. I have the urge to close my eyes and cover my ears as he pushes her back and leans over her on the bed, kissing and touching her all over her body. The places that he would kill any boy if they were touching me there. It's kind of strange seeing them kiss because he isn't himself right now so it's kind of like she's cheating on him, but this is in the past so she's actually cheating on Harry. This is confusing. I bring a curl from my pony tail and start twirling it between my fingers as I watch them. His fingers toy with the button on her jeans but when she moans the name Harry he pulls back and sits up, turning away from her.

"Fuck."

"What's wrong?" She asks breathlessly. She sits up and kisses his cheek as he rubs his eyes under the stupid looking glasses that he's wearing. She smiles a little as she wraps her arms around him. "I know I've been kind of a prude... but you know... I'll let you, if you want," she says with a red face against the skin of his neck. "I know I told you I wanted to wait but with things as they are, it just seems so pointless."

"You have no idea how tempting that offer is, little girl."

"Little girl?" She says with a laugh in her voice. "I don't think you've called me that one before," She smiles as she touches his hair and studies his face, the face that really isn't his to begin with. "This place isn't ideal but who knows when I'll see you again."

He turns to her with his sharp eyes narrowed as he studies her face. "You're still a virgin, right?" I blush at that and so does she.

"Dad," I scold to the memory. "You never ask a lady that." I know they won't listen but I say it anyways.

"You know I am," she mumbles, looking down and I see a little triumphant smile on my Dad/Harry's lips. This is way too much information, I look around the room trying to remember how to pull myself out.

"I want to wait too," he says in a false light voice as he tilts her chin up. "Don't let me convince you otherwise if you ever see me again." He kisses her forehead and she closes her eyes. "I want to be the first and only person inside of you, do you understand that?"

She nods her head, and I almost gag. My Dad was gross. He sends an irritated glance down at his watch and then he looks to her. "I don't have much time, Gin. Just remember you must go home when you leave for Christmas. You can't come back."

"I understand," she kisses him one more time and he stands up, pulling her with him. "When will I see you again?" She asks as he walks her towards the door way.

"I won't lie, sweetheart," Again she snorts at that nickname, apparently not use to those terms of endearment coming from Potter's mouth but my Dad says them all the time. "it will be a while."

"And what am I supposed to do all cooped up in the Burrow with nothing to entertain me?" She asks with an eyebrow raised.

"If it's so boring at this Burrow, I doubt you'll mind me coming and taking you away then, would you?" he asks in his deep drawl again as he bends down and tilts her face to the left so he can kiss her neck.

"Away to some little cabin in the middle of no where, where no one can bother us..." she says with a smile as he flutters kisses up and down her neck with his hands around her waist and hers around his arms.

"Not a cabin," He says as he stills himself with his lips against her skin. I walk around them to see his face as he stares straight ahead of him. Shame on you Daddy. "How about something a little bigger."

"I think that would be perfect."

He smirks against her neck and adds a little bite before kissing the area like he was soothing the pain. "We'll see."

"I love you," she whispers and he pulls back again to look into her eyes. I think a part of him wants her to realize it's him but when she smiles again he looks away.

"Is this place you live... is this Burrow well protected?" he asks and again that suspicious worry flickers in her eyes before disappearing.

"Of course it is, silly. It's harder to get into than Griggotts and with our new secret keeper I doubt anyone will find it."

"Who's the new secret keeper?" he asks, with interest flashing in his eyes.

She looks at him and laughs a little again. "Remus Lupin, of course," she says and then she shakes her head. "Honestly, Harry... it was your idea."

He smirks at her, covering his tracks. "That's right. You have to get going now." he says as he opens the door and puts a hand on her face so he can kiss her one more time. "Be careful, Gin."

"That goes for you too, Mr. Potter," she says in response to his kiss. She pulls back with her hand on the door knob as she takes him in with love lost eyes. "You have grown up, you know. I can see it in the way you hold yourself now, your eyes, even your voice seems deeper."

"It was bound to happen," he comments as he puts his hands in his pockets.

"You had better come and get me from my awful parents or I'll never forgive," she jokes with a small smile, tears lingering in her eyes again.

A dark smile crosses Dad's/Potter's lips and his eyes look a deeper shade of green. "I will."

She kisses him one more time, trying to hold on to it as long as she can before leaving and closing the door. Once she's gone my eyes follow Dad's as he sighs and bangs his forehead against the wall. Then, like he remembered he had something to do he stands up straight and goes towards his bag, he pulls out the black dress shirt and pulls off the ugly red and gold shirt he was wearing to replace it with. As he's buttoning the buttons up his chest his body begins to transform back into the tall thin Malfoy that he is. He doesn't seem to care much as his features sharpen and his hair slicks down into blond strands around his face. When he's back to his regular body he takes off the glasses and throws them on the ground as he slings the black bag over his shoulders.

He pauses a moment to touch his lips before shaking his head and storming out of the room with his hand gripped tightly around his wand. I follow and sneer at the occupants of the pub as we make our way down the stairs. They're all seedy and gross looking with missing teeth, hooded blood shot eyes, and warts. This isn't a place I would want to be... ever and I'm surprised my Father would even look at this place considering what a snob he can be. He goes over to the bartender with a vicious look on his face as he slams down a few coins.

"I need to use your private floo line," he snaps and the pudgy man with a comb over puts down the dirty glass he was attempting to clean and nods his head.

"Of course, Mr. Malfoy, this way."

He digs into the pocket of his messy apron and takes out a ring of keys and my Dad impatiently taps his foot as the man unlocks a dark door behind the counter. Dad goes around the bar and into the room, closing it behind him, right in the bartender's face as he looks towards the fireplace. His jaw twitches as he stomps over there and grabs a handful of floo powder. He throws it into the flames and puts his head in the fire.

"I need to speak to Alecto Carrow. Right now," he says hatefully and I can tell he's pissed. Someone says something on the other side but I can't hear it. "I don't fucking care what she's doing right now. I want her over her in five minutes or I will come to her and she does not want that." A few more mumbled words follow and my Dad takes that deep dark tone that scares the living day lights out of me. "You would do well to remind Ms. Carrow that although she may have more years of this kind of life under her belt I most definitely have more tricks up my sleeve. If she wants to be on the receiving end of my wand then I am more than happy to oblige her..."

I don't get to hear the rest of that because a mist floats around my eyes and with a shock I'm pulled out of the memory. I land with a thump on the floor back in regular time at Malfoy Manor and I look around me to see why I was pulled out. No one is in here so I inhale deeply and pick up my ballet shoes, stretching my back because it hurts from being leaning into that pensive. Who was watching that memory and why was it in there? I guess a part of me should feel bad for my Mom because was was being deceived but he was doing it to protect her and in some twisted way I find that utterly romantic.

I look at the pensive once more before humming to myself again and leaving the room, wondering what I should make of what I just saw.

**_Gavin _**

"You have to marry her now."

"I know that," I say with a sigh as I slump in the chair across from my father's desk. He takes a drink from his brandy and turns back to me. "I already gave her a ring."

"Good," he states sharply with his eyes slightly narrowed over my head. "Do you know how far along she is?"

I shrug, "A few months, I think."

"You think," he states flatly as he looks to me. "Has she been to a healer yet?"

"Yeah..." I trail off. I think she has, I don't go to her appointments. "You're acting like this is a surprise. You said you knew last night..."

He shakes his head at me and takes another drink. "The wedding is going to have to be soon. I think weddings with a pregnant bride are terribly tacky but I can't have my first grandchild be born a bastard."

Dad's always been Conservative, but sometimes his views trail right along the line of medieval. "We can wait until the baby's born, Dad. That's really not a big deal."

He looks to me with sharp eyes and I know I'm going to lose this battle. "You're already living with her, what's the difference if you're married?"

I didn't even know he knew that. Sometimes it's freaky how much he catches up on. I slump in my chair again and start messing with my bracelet to avoid his hostile look. He seemed cool and laid back about it last night but now he's acting like a prick.

"Do you know why I called you in here?" he asks, changing directions.

I feel like a small child when he takes that tone with me and I nod my head. "You're going to preach to me about responsibility, aren't you?"

When he doesn't say anything I look up at him as he studies my face. "You're a man now, Gavin, so you have to act like it. You aren't the only one you need to worry about anymore. You are starting a family so you can't keep acting like a child."

"I'm not acting like a child!" I hiss, angry that he thinks I have been.

"Where were you when Addison was vomiting into one of your Mother's bonsai trees?"

"That's not fair... I was sleeping. I didn't know she was getting sick," I almost stand up and start defending myself like it would help, but I know it won't. Not against my Dad.

"You should have been there anyways," he says and I cross my arms and shake my head. "That girl is going to be having your child, Gavin. You need to be the first to wake up and the last to go to bed.... and she shouldn't have to read about you partying it up in the gossip pages every weekend. Do you understand?"

"Do I get to smack her if she talks back to me?" It was a really low blow, and I even regretted saying it but he didn't seem affected.

"This is the childish behavior I'm talking about, son," I roll my eyes. "You also need to decide where you're going to live. A one bedroom flat isn't going to cut it. If you wanted to you could live here after the wedding until you get on your feet and we could help you with the baby because I'm sure Addison wants to finish college."

"God, no." That is the last fucking thing I would want to do.

"Fine," he says sharply, "Then you have two other choices. The Manor in France can be cleaned and reopened or the you can stay at the Villa in Italy."

"You're not going to offer the beach house?" I ask sarcastically as he turns around to fill up his glass again.

"That belongs to your mother," he answers like that was obvious.

"Why can't I just get my own house?" I ask, just to rebel against what he was saying.

"You could do that... but somehow I don't think you will. You like it when things are handed to you."

He's such a fucking bastard sometimes. I sneer at him and stand up, intending to leave his presence all together. "This has been pleasant, but I have to go now."

"I'll see you Monday morning, then," he comments with a raised eyebrow. "Try to be on time for once."

I want to say something back but I stop myself, so instead I glare at him and stomp out of his stupid study with my hands slammed in my pockets so I don't punch something. Fucking bloody prick. I shake my head and storm towards the dining room to collect Addison so we can go home as soon as possible. She's right where I left her, sitting in one of the wooden chairs next to my Mother.

"We're leaving," I say shortly when I enter the room and my Mom snaps a look at me so I try to soften my tone. "Let's go home, baby."

I hold my hand out for her to help her up and she takes it. I notice she's clutching a small purple bottle. "If you need any more of that potion let me know," Mom tells her and Addison nods her head, still looking pale. "I'll have the house elves send some right over."

"Thank you, Mrs. Malfoy," she answers tiredly and I put my hand on her back.

"I'll see you later, Mom," I say, my anger deflating. She smiles and takes a step closer to me, hugging me tightly against her. She doesn't let go right away so I pat her back awkwardly. "Mom?"

When she pulls back I can see water in her eyes and I sigh. I hate it when girls cry but I especially can't stand it when my own Mother does. She kisses my cheek and puts some hair behind my ear, looking at me like I was a little boy that she so sorely wished would never grow up. "Goodbye, Gavin. Be good."

"Always," I say with a smirk before leaving.

When we finally reach our flat my anger at my Father and the way he spoke to me came tumbling back down like an avalanche. I slammed the door shut and started to throw off my shoes cussing about him the whole entire time.

"Stupid, bossy, fucking jerk..." I mumble as I plop down on the black leather couch in our living room.

"What did your father say?" Addison asks, leaning against the wall, watching me closely like if she was to take a step towards me I would bite her head off.

"He's just being a goddamn tyrant like always," I sneer and lean back against the cushions, ready to rant more about him but when the person I'm confiding in doesn't respond I flick a glance over to her. She's just standing there, looking down at the floor. "What's wrong with you?"

"What's wrong with me?" She asks with a little disbelieving laugh in her voice. "Gavin, I'm completely mortified," she shakes her head and sits down on the arm of one of the arm chairs bringing a hand up to her face to hide her embarrassment. "I'll never be able to look at any of your family members again after what I did."

She closes her eyes and crinkles her nose up like she was remembering that particular ghastly memory. "You have nothing to worry about," I say as I rub my eyes. They woke me up too early there. "My Dad sides with you."

"What do you mean he sides with me?" she asks curiously, as I yawn into my arm.

I ignore that question. "We're going to have to get married as soon as possible," I comment flatly, not really thrilled with the idea. I do want to marry her, it's not that. I just didn't expect it to be so fucking soon. "My wonderful dictator of a father will have it no other way because he knows you're with child now." I sigh and open my eyes, sitting forward and resting my elbows on my knees. "I fucking hate shot gun weddings," I mumble to myself and there's a long pause before she replies.

"You... you don't want to marry me?"

I snap an irritated glare up at her and that hurt face she's sporting. "I wouldn't have proposed to you if that was true, you silly girl."

"Did you only ask me because I'm pregnant?" she asks softly and I can tell her feelings are right on the edge right now. Again I sigh and stand up, walking over to her with a small little smile on my face as I tilt her chin up and kiss her pink pouting lips.

"The situation sped up the process," I admit honestly, "but I would have asked you anyways... I vote we go take a nap," She smiles a little and I smirk, "After the morning you had I think you deserve it."

"You're right," she says tiredly, standing up and stretching her back.

I watch as she walks over to our kitchen counter and places the purple bottle on the table. "What is that anyways?" I ask as I start to take off my shirt and she takes the hair tie out of her hair, letting her strawberry blonde hair fall down her back in waves. It's no where near the color of Evelyn's... it's more blonde than red.

"It's a morning sickness potion," she says as she heels out of her shoes. "You're mother said it was really useful. Do you think I should write her a thank you note for being so good to me today? Maybe I should buy her a new tree thing, I'm pretty sure I ruined it.. what was that anyways. God, I can't believe I did that...."

I roll my eyes. "Bed, now," I command as I stalk over to her and she yelps a little when I pick her up, forcing her to wrap her legs around my waist and her arms around my shoulders. She's light like a little bird and I smile at her as she kisses my neck. "I won't be able to carry you like this much longer," I muse out loud as I flick a glance down to her stomach.

"You don't have to remind me I'm going to get fat," she says dejectedly as I walk us towards the bedroom. Before we reach it I push her back up against a wall to regain my balance and kiss her for good measure. I dip down to do just that but then pull back sharply. "Did you brush your teeth?"

She scoffs and rolls her eyes but I think it is a perfectly good question to ask someone who spent the better half of a morning throwing up. "Of course I did," She snaps, as I hike her up, with my hands on her legs so I don't drop her. "Did you?"

It was meant to be sarcastic but I smiled anyways. "Of course not," I told her before kissing her roughly on the mouth as she tries to pull away in disgust. "Not going to happen," I say to her attempts at avoiding my kiss. I lead us into the bedroom and throw her down on the bed, ready to crawl on top of her but I stop when my eyes catch the clock hanging on the wall. "Damnit."

"What is it?" She asks, sitting up on her elbows and looking at the clock as well. "What's wrong?"

"I promised Theo I'd meet him for drinks at one," I answer as I go over to my drawers and pull out a shirt to wear, having discarded my other one in the living room.

"Theo? That old guy who runs that paper?"

"He's not _that_ old," I say as I pull the green t-shirt over my head.

"You're going out for drinks?" She's acting slow right now and I roll my eyes again.

"That's what I said."

"But it's not even night time yet."

I ignore her and start leaving the room.

"Wait, you're leaving right now?" she sounds wounded and I glance at her over my shoulder as she sits up on the bed with a frown on her face.

"It's almost one right now," I say slowly so she understands. She looks extremely disappointed and upset and I can't imagine why. I pause a moment in the doorway before going back to her and kissing her forehead. "Take that nap. I'll be back later."

She shakes her head and lays back, looking up at the ceiling with this blank look on her face. "No, you won't..." she sighs.

"What?"

Her eyes flick to mine. "You won't be home tonight," she tells me and I raise an eyebrow. "It's Saturday, Gavin, you always stay out all night with your friends on Saturday."

I kiss her unresponsive lips before leaving her there without saying goodbye knowing she's right and only feeling slightly guilty about it. I shake my head to rid it of that pitiful look she was giving me as I meet up with Theo Nott to discuss some important business with his paper, ordering myself and firewhisky and smirking at the pretty blonde waitress who hands it to me.

**_Lavinia _**

I wonder what he was thinking when he left. I hope he wasn't mad at me, I mean, I was trying to tell Darius that we needed to take a break, so that was good, right? I sigh as I sit down on my bed and start chewing on my nails. I've been burning a hole into my carpet for the past half hour, thinking over last night events and how they affect today's situations. I really thought my heart was going to break in two when I saw that hurt look on Byron's face after Darius came but how was I suppose to know he would just show up at my door with those roses this morning? I was hoping I'd get at least a couple days to gather myself and try to figure out exactly what to say to him and how to break up with him in the least painful way I could. I mean I do like Darius and all that, but it's nothing in comparison to...

Jesus, I need to stop thinking about it.

I stand up with stiff steps and head towards my bathroom where I take an hour long shower, running my hands over all the places that Byron touched last night and wondering if they look different now that they've been caressed by him. The pleasant ache between my thighs refuses to let me forget what happened but I wouldn't want to anyways. There's just one thing I have to do now, besides dump my loyal boyfriend, and that's to tell the one person that I usually tell everything to. Chloe. I just don't know how to bring that up in a normal day conversation.

_Hey, remember how I had a crush on your brother well... guess what I banged him!_

_So, I cheated on my boyfriend and slept with your older brother last night, could you pass the salt?_

Ugh, I let my head drop to the tiled wall as the water beats down around me, scolding my skin and leaving it red. I did not think this whole thing out very well... not well at all. I turn off the water and step out into the cold bathroom, drying myself off with a towel and wrapping it around my body so I can step out into my bedroom to change. I smile at Cato as he rubs up against my legs and I'm pulling clothes our of my drawers when someone knocks on my door.

"I'm getting dressed," I call to whoever decided to disrupt me and I kick the black and white cat to the side as I drop the towel and slide on my knickers.

"Lavinia, it's me," I roll my eyes at Mom's voice. "Let me know when you're done."

I grumble to myself as I get dressed and when I'm decent I open the door, with one towel up to my hair, drying it out. "What do you want?"

She sits down on my bed and when she doesn't say anything right away I look to her with an eyebrow raised. She has a few papers in her hands and a book as she looks around my room like she never had a chance to look at it before.

"Mom?"

She shakes her head and looks to me, and then down to the papers in her hands. "I came to ask you about school, Lavinia."

"Mom," this time my voice is whining as I drop my towel in my hamper. I don't want to talk about it anymore.

"Sweetheart, it's really important that you further your education. Black University is close to home, and Addison goes there if you're scared..."

"I'm not scared," I snap as I pull my hair up into a bun to get it out of my face. I few shorter strands fall into my eyes anyways and I scowl before blowing them out of the way. "I just don't know what I want to do, alright?"

"You don't have to snap at me," she says flatly and my cheeks turn pink because I know I shouldn't. "The confirmation dates for these schools are starting to pass, Lavinia. You need to make a decision."

"What if I don't want to go to school right away?" I ask as I turn around and start messing with things on my desk to avoid looking at her. She's been all over me all year about this and frankly I'm tired of it. "Gavin didn't have to go and he makes more money than Cassius."

"He's working for your Father, that doesn't really count." I doubt Gavin sees it that way and I let the silence hang in the air for as long as I can before she sighs, "Come here, Liv," she says as she pats the spot beside her on the bed. I hesitate before sitting down beside her, sending sideways glances at the papers in her hands, the papers that will decide my whole furture. "You need to go to college, even if you're there for one semester and drop out, at least you tried," I roll my eyes but she takes my hand, making me look to her again. I'm a Slytherin, I want to succeed... I just don't know what it is I want to do just yet. "Barely anyone I knew went to school because of the war and I was in hiding for my last semester of Hogwarts."

Her dark eyes are looking into mine earnestly and I know she's trying to convince me.

"I married your Dad and then I got pregnant with Cassius not long after that and I never had the opportunity to go... but I wish I did. I don't want you to miss out of that opportunity. Lavinia, please, just try it. It will be better than hanging around the Manor for the rest of your life working some boring job."

She's looking so deeply into my eyes and I can feel the honesty in her words so I really can't do anything but nod my head. She smiles and hands the papers to me, which I take with slack fingers. I stand up and place the papers on my white writing desk, promising myself I will actually look at them and face the future.

"There's something else I wanted to talk to you about," she says softly, putting the familiar looking brown book beside her on the bed. I look at her again as she stands up and faces me.

"Okay, what is it?" I ask softly, almost wishing she would leave so I could go back to worrying about boys.

"The house-elves cleaned the guest rooms after breakfast this morning," I nod my head, not understanding why she's telling me. "They found some of your clothes in the red bedroom where Byron Flint was," my heart starts beating in my ears and I can feel my pulse racing. I just stare at her like an idiot, as she looks at me with unease. "Were you in there?"

My first instinct is to lie so I do just that. "No."

She nods her head and looks down, I know she knows I'm lying. "You can tell me, you know. I won't be upset with you." I don't want to tell her anything of the sort because it is much too embarrassing so I turn around and bite my lower lip. "I noticed that he had a busted lip this morning," she says and I close my eyes. Cassius must have done that to him, I was surprised when I saw it before he left. She takes a step closer to me and I hold my breath. "and the elves said there was also some blood on his sheets. He didn't hurt you, did he? Did he force himself..." she trails off uneasily and I realize how hard this is for her.

I turn around horrified that she would think that. "Oh, no, no, no, Mom." I shake my head, not really able to form a good sentence. "He didn't... No, he wouldn't hurt me like that at all."

She looks at me closely, trying to judge if I was telling the truth. "Are you sure?" She asks seriously. "You need to tell me what happened."

I gulp and close my eyes again, about ready to admit the very last thing you ever want to say to your parents. "He didn't, Mom. I went to him..." I inhale deeply and look down, feeling my face flame and for some unknown reason my eyes start to water. I think it's a curse that whole crying easily thing. "It was my idea. He was so nice to me and he even tried to... Mom, Byron didn't do anything bad. I swear it."

I look into her eyes so she knows I'm telling the truth and when she sees that I'm crying her face warms considerably.

"I didn't want you to find out." I whisper and that's pretty obvious. "I just..."

"It's okay," she whispers, pulling me into her arms as I cry against her shoulder. I have no idea why the hell I'm crying. I'm supposed to be a woman now, I shouldn't be this weak. She starts rubbing my back and I sniff into the material of her dress. "So, you still really like this Byron kid?" shes asks against my hair and I nod my head, unable to say anything because of those annoying stupid tears I'm crying.

"Don't cry, honey," she says against my ear. "I know you probably hate that I found out but I have to ask you another terribly uncomfortable thing."

"What?" I sniff again, sounding so much like a little girl that it makes me cringe.

"Were you safe?"

Oh, Jesus Christ. This day just keeps on getting worse and worse but as mortification from the question turns my insides my whole body tenses when I realize we weren't. I'm so stupid. "Thought so," she whispers as she pulls away from me and reaches into the pocket of her cardigan. She pulls out a small blue pill. I watch it uneasily as she hands it to me.

"What is this?" I ask, wiping away tears as I look at it.

"It will make sure you don't have any surprises," she says and my own idiotic actions slam right into me as I nod my head and swallow the pill. I wish she didn't look so disappointed in me right now so I turn my body away and cross my arms to avoid it.

"You can always talk to me about anything, you know," she says and I nod my head.

"Thanks, Mom," I say just above a whisper and she nods her head. "And I'm sorry."

"You all have to grow up sometime," she says softly as she makes her way back towards the bed. "I just wish it didn't have to be so soon." I can't bring myself to look at her, I hate that she knows I did that. I'll never be able to look her in the eyes again and right now I feel so unclean. I feel her walk back towards me but I can't find it in me to turn. "Here, you probably want this." I flick a glance down at the thing she's holding and my eyes widen the slightest bit when I see Byron's worn looking leather journal. I realize that's the book she was carrying the whole time. I look up to Mom with my eyebrows knitted together and she smiles. "He left this in the room as well. I figure you'll want to be the one to return it."

I take it and cradle it to my chest, remembering how mysterious I once thought it was and how it gave me a glimpse into his mind so many years ago. "Thank you."

She looks me over and sighs before kissing my forehead. I close my eyes and welcome the affection, happy with the fact that she still wants to touch me after what I did. "Is there anything else you want to talk about?"

I shake my head. "I just kind of want to be alone right now," I answer truthfully. If anything else comes out I might die of embarrassment.

"Alright then, see you later, Lavinia."

She goes to my door and opens it so she can leave. I think of my father and a chill of fear goes down my spine. "Mom?"

She stops with her hand on the doorknob and turns to me. "Yes?"

"Please, don't tell Dad."

I am generally worried for every ones welfare knowing how he might act if he knew what happened but my Mom just laughs like what I said was funny. "Honestly, Lavinia. Like this is something I would tell your father," she rolls her eyes at me and I sigh in relief. "Draco has his limits."

She leaves me then and I fall face down onto my bed, smothering myself with my pillows, kind of hoping that the lack of oxygen would kill me but I abandon my half hearted attempt at suicide as the journal digs into my chest. I roll over on my back and hold it in front of me so I can run my fingers along the old grooves in the leather. I could read this right now, but I choose not to. There's a part of me that wants him to reveal his secrets to me himself. I don't want to have to steal them by reading them in this old book. I fall asleep like that, tired from the long night I had yesterday and I wake up to one of the house-elves handing me a letter. It's from Chloe and she wanted me to meet her at Diagon Alley to go out to eat. I responded with an affirmative and bounded down the stairs to ask my parents permission.

Unable to face Mom because I was still uncomfortable that she knew I was no longer a V card holder I went to my Dad who was working away in his study. He looked up when I came in and smiled at me behind his silver glasses.

"What do you need, princess?"

"Can I go to Diagon Alley tonight?" I went straight to the point and he put his quill down and sat back.

"What time?"

I look down at my watch and then nervously back to him. "Right now."

"Why?"

"Chloe wants to meet up for dinner."

"What restaurant?"

I shrug, "Polo's probably," I answer.

"Who else is going to be there?"

"Just Chloe."

I always let myself forget that Dad likes to interrogate all of us in situations like these.

"Are you planning on doing anything else?"

I sigh and let my hands drop at my sides. "Dad, please?"

He watches me closely and then he scoots back in his chair to open one of his drawers. I watch with my arms crossed as he takes out a small pouch of coins and throws it towards me. Of course my coordination is not the best and I don't catch them, instead they fall to the ground at my feet and I have to bend down to pick it up.

"Be back at ten."

"Thanks," I sincerely as I stand up straight with the money in my hands. One would think that since I am officially done with school and I am of age my curfew would be extended just the slightest bit, but that will never happen. Not with Draco Malfoy as my Father.

"Have fun, sweetheart," he says as he picks up his quill and goes back to his work.

I find Chloe waiting outside of our usual restaurant and we get seated not long after wards. I can't seem to tell her about my relationship with her brother because I'm a coward so I let her do most of the talking as I pick at my salad.

"I had to babysit that horrid child all day," she says as she picks up a piece of shrimp and bites into it. The lamps hang low in this restaurant and we're sitting in one of the green leather boothes towards the back of the darkly lit restaurant. "They don't even pay me for it."

"He's your little brother," I say softly before taking a drink from my glass. "And he's not a horrid child, he's just a baby."

"That's easy for you to say, you don't have to watch him all the time." I smile at her as she messes with her black hair, twirling it between her fingers as she glares at the thought of James Albus Potter, her one year old half brother. Her mother and Harry Potter decided they wanted to have more kids and poor Chloe is the only older child still home, so she gets to deal with it. "You know what he did today?"

"What?" I asked amused by the excitement flashing in her eyes. It makes me feel normal and it helps that the attention is away from me so I don't have to dwell with all my thoughts.

The waiter comes back and hands us our checks and she pauses a moment before leaning closer to me. "I had to do laundry and he walked right over to the basket where I had put all of my folded clean clothes and he puked all over them."

I snort at her anger. "Poor James."

"You would say that, wouldn't you?" she fake sneers at me. "Feeling bad for Potter's little spawn and not your best friend who you've only known for years."

"I think James is a cute little boy," I tell her, just to see her riled up. I smirk as she rolls her eyes.

"Are you done?" She ask as she takes out her money and lays it on the table, I copy her movements and also leave a tip. "I want to walk around for a bit. There are a few shops I want to look at."

I nod my head and follow her out into the cold night air of Diagon Alley as people move in groups around us. I look at Chloe from the corner of my eyes as we walk down the cobble stone roads. She really has busted out of her shy girl shell since we've been friends. I wish I could say the same. She catches me looking at her and smiles.

"We should go to a pub and get sloshed tonight, to celebrate the first official night of our summer and your freedom from Hogwarts."

"You won't be allowed to drink." I remind her and she shrugs her shoulders.

"What do you think you're for?" she asks as we push our way through the crowd. "What do you say? I think it will be fun to get totally wasted for once."

I smile but shake my head. "I have to be home at ten and you know how my Dad is. He'll come and find me if I'm even five minutes late so getting sloshed is out of the question."

She hooks her arm with mine and gives me a sympathetic pat on the hand. "I guess your father's so strict because he loves you so much."

I don't say anything to that, I just look forward as we turn the corner to walk down a new street and a commotion from one of the buildings makes us both stop. It's obviously a fight because there's a crowd of people, jeering and yelling at whatever or whoever it is they're circled around. Blasts from a wand light up the night and illuminate the people watching in strange colors and wild noises hiss from the curses. Chloe's hold on my arm gets tighter as we get closer.

"Let's watch," she whispers as she creeps up even closer to the crowd. Personally I think this is a terrible idea, what if we get hit with a curse? We push through a few drunk men and women to see the duel first hand and everything is moving so quickly that it's giving me a headache.

I shake my head and look around at the faces watching. I see someone familiar and I do a double take when I see Cassius' friend Sid standing off to the side with his wand gripped in his hands and his mouth slightly open, looking pale and shocked at the fight before him.

I turn to the two fighters with my heart skipping a beat when I realize who it is. I bring my hand up to my mouth to cover my gasp as I watch Byron, looking all disheveled a blurry eyed, throw down his wand and tackle my brother to the ground. Cassius hooks him in jaw before his back cracks against the street with Byron falling on top of him, bashing punches down on him like a common muggle. It's horrifying and they both are all bloodied up. I realize this fight is most likely my fault so I run over to them, ignoring Chloe who's trying to hold me back.

"Hey, girlie, let them fight it out!" One drunk idiot in the crowd yells as I make it over to the two animals who are rolling around in the dirt, kicking and punching at each other.

I glare at the moron before grabbing Byron's arm and attempting to pull him off. "Stop this," I say sternly, he rips his arm away from me with out even bothering to look. They're determined to kill one another it looks like. Cassius knees him in the stomach and Byron spits blood on his face. I try again. "I said stop."

"Leave me the fuck alone," Byron slurs before punching Cass in the ribs.

I shake my head in anger and take out my wand intending to stun both of them. "You aren't barbarians," I say as I point my wand.

I'm about ready to mutter the spell but Cassius pushes Byron off of him, causing Byron to fling backwards... right towards me. I don't even have time to think as his arm flies back and his fist connects with my face. I fall to the ground with a thump and tears immediately spring to my eyes as the pain starts to redden my cheek. That really hurt... I bring a hand up to my face and a small sob escapes my throat from the painful stinging.

"Lavinia!" Chloe runs over to me and kneels at my side. "Oh, are you okay?"

I sniff and sit up while nodding my head, still gripping my wand. I open and close my jaw a few times to see if I still can, it feels like my whole face is broken. The crowd has died down and a few guys decide it's time to end the fight and they pull Cassius and Byron apart from one another, finding it not as amusing when a girl gets punched in the face. Chloe pushes some hair out of my face and I watch as she flinches when she looks at me. More hot tears fall because it must look bad and I'm almost dreading to see it for myself.

"Lavinia?" I look up as Cassius walks over, wiping blood from his nose and mouth. His eyes take me in and then they narrow towards Byron who Sid is helping off the ground. "You hit my sister in the face, you bloody lunatic," he says fiercely.

"It was an accident," I mumble as Chloe helps me up and it hurts to talk because of the sharpness on my cheek bone. I start crying again as most of the spectators go back into the pub. The street we're one is dimly lit by tall street lamps and it smells like beer and whiskey out here.

"She probably deserved it," I snap my head to Byron's in surprise as he sneers at me. Why would he say that?

Cassius looks to me and shakes his head, "He's really drunk, Liv, don't pay attention to him."

I look at Cass' bloodied up face and his left hand that he's holding like it was broken. "You obviously did." I say and my brother looks away.

"We should go," Chloe whispers, sending a death glare to Byron who's jerking his arm away from Sid who tried to help him as he fell against the brick wall of the pub.

"How was Darius Coldwater anyways, Lavinia?" Byron says drunkenly as he stumbles his way closer to me. His eyes narrow as he takes me in and Cassius tells me to go home.... but I don't move. "Hm, is he a good kisser?" I blush, but you probably couldn't tell because of the throbbing on my face. His hair is all wild and there are scratches all over his face, I think he might have gotten those from Cassius' ring. "Did you use him like you used me?"

He is obviously drunk but I don't care. That shouldn't give him an excuse to talk to me like that. "I didn't use you," I tell him seriously as Cassius picks up both their wands and pockets them.

"Take her home, Chloe," he commands but Byron shakes his head and takes another step closer to me. Sid comes up to push him back but he jerks away again.

"No, she's not going anywhere, she's going to tell me why she acts like such a fucking slut."

"Byron Flint!" Chloe stomps her foot but her brother is too busy staring a hole into me to care.

"You were just acting like some scared little virgin to fuck with me, weren't you? It was all an act wasn't it?" Her eyes flash dangerously and I take a step back. "Wasn't it!?"

My mouth falls open in surprise and my heart feels heavy in my chest. Where is my sweet, shy, Byron that I'm so use to? "Sid, I suggest you take Byron home and make sure he sobers up," Cass hisses as he storms towards me and takes my arm. "Come on, I'll take you home. Chloe you can handle yourself, right?"

She nods her head and I look over my shoulder with tear blurred eyes as Byron says more hateful things about me while Sid tries to pacify him.

"He was really drunk, Lavinia," Cassius repeats again as we reach a Apparation point. "He turns into a real beast when he's drunk."

"Does he do that often?" I ask with a sob in my voice as he puts his arms around me and lifts his wand.

He sighs and looks down at me, his face has to look ten times worse than my does. "Only when he's upset."

I nod my head even though I don't think that's a good enough reason to act the way he just did and when we land outside of the Manor Cassius says goodbye to me so he can go to his flat to heal his own wounds.

"I'm sorry about that," he says, touching my sore cheek and wincing for me. "The house-elves should heal it. Byron's going to feel like a real jackass tomorrow."

Again I nod my head but I can't speak because I can't believe my perfect Byron just said those things to me. When I get inside I run to my room, relieved when I don't meet any of my other family members as I slam my door shut and fall on my bed. I curl into a ball and cry into my pillows... I'm not sure if it's because my face hurts or my heart does. I crack my eyes open during my sob session and see the cover of Byron's leather journal laying on the corner of my bed. How could he say those things to me after what we did last night? Suddenly angry I sit up and grip his journal in my hands, tempted to tear out every page and throw them in the fire just to hurt him like he just hurt me.


	2. Chapter 2

**_Gavin _**

"I can't believe Malfoy here is going to be a daddy soon," I smirk at Kip as I line up my shot and jerk my pool stick forward. The solid red six ball I was aiming for falls into the pocket and I smile.

"It was bound to happen some time," Another guy comments as I walk around the billiards table, analyzing my next shot as I put blue chalk on the end of my stick. "I'm surprised it took this long."

"Very funny," I comment as I take another shot, this time I miss and I sigh as I step back from the table, picking up my drink in the process. We're at one of the pubs in Knocktern Alley, wasting the night away with cheap alcohol and pool. Just my kind of night, really. The interior of the building is dark with crumbling brick walls that have tin posters of all different kinds of drinks and a few famous dark wizards sneering and scowling at everyone in the room. It really is a gross little hole in the wall but I find things more interesting here than at the cleanest pub in Diagon Alley.

I salute Ingrad the terrible with my drink before I lean back against one of the bar stools with my pool stick in my hand. Terrance takes his turn and I watch his large body move around the smoke filled room like a giant. Over to the right I spot and attractive brunette and she smiles at me slyly with flushed cheeks. "I see he hasn't lost his appetite despite being tied down," Kip says to everyone jokingly and they all laugh and look towards the group of girls I was staring at.

I shrug and take a swig from my beer bottle. "I'm allowed to look."

"Addison's not," Terrance mumbles down at his chest and I roll my eyes.

"She wouldn't want to anyways," I say as I stand up straight. Out of the corner of my eye I see the brunette approaching, wearing a blue tube top and leather mini skirt, and I can't help but feel smug. "She's already with the best looking man in England. She has no reason."

"Arrogant bastard," Nick, a friend from work says with a laugh and I have to agree with him.

I lean against the bar as the brunette slithers up beside me and she orders a drink from the bartender while sending side way glances to me. I ignore her. One thing I've found out about girls is that if you ignore them they go out of their way to get your attention. They start courting you instead of the other way around, making things much easier and letting the guy set the pace. She coughs and flips her hair over her shoulder as she pays for her girlie cosmo drink but I still act like she's not there. She takes a step closer to me and I almost smirk when she nudges my arm as she grabs a napkin that's right behind me.

"Oh, sorry," She says and then she waits for me to look at her. I barely glance at her before walking back to the pool table to take my turn.

She watches me the whole time as I joke with my mates and play the game. I can practically feel her dark eyes burning into my body as I do this and I can't help the arrogant smirk that stays plastered to my face. I don't care who you are, when someone looks at you like that it makes you feel good no matter what your situation is. I guess I am grateful that my parents are both so good looking. Even now my Dad has the same fit body that he had when he was in his twenties and the only sign of his true age is the white at his temples and the slight wrinkles around his eyes... which he probably got from glaring at people the entirety of his life.

Mom fairs even better than him and her hair is still as bright as it was when she was younger. The thing about wizards and witches is that we age better and live longer than non-magical folk. It must suck to be a muggle. Anyways, I'm glad they passed their good genes on to me because looks definitely get you places no matter what ugly people try to say. Character Smaracter. I finish my beer and order another, intending to get drunk because tomorrow is my day of rest and then it's off to work for my Dad who acts like the King of Malfoy Enterprises, put there by God like it was his divine right.

He's annoying.

I shake my head to forget about him and when a small hand touches my shoulder I smile before turning around and facing my admirer. "You're Gavin Malfoy, right?" she asks in a low voice as she flicks more hair over her shoulder, showing off her cleavage and the sweat beading on her skin.

"Last time I checked."

She smiles wide and touches my arm as she speaks to me as Kip sinks the eight ball in the corner pocket. "I saw you in the paper last week," I nod my head. "You were coming out of the Wizard Times offices."

"I was," I'm not being very supportive in this conversation but that's not stopping her from stepping closer to me. It's true, I was there last week. Besides the piece he wants to write about my Dad I've been in talks with him about the Daily Prophet. We want to partner up and buy it.

"My friends and I are going to do some shots," She points to the other scantly clad women by the bar who giggle and smile when I turn their way. "Do you want to do some with us?"

I look back to my guy friends who are discussing which broom is the best at flying and I turn back to the slutty looking girls who are doing shots at the bar. I find women much more interesting than men if I was being honest. I don't speak while I'm debating it and she threads her fingers through mine to pull me towards them but I pull my hand back.

"We're buying," she says to tempt me over and I smirk. I'm from one of the richest families and yet she offers to buy.

"I suppose it couldn't hurt," I say and then I turn to my drunken friends. I guess I could do a good deed as well. "But my friends have to come too." She pouts and I wink at her. "Don't worry, if you work your cards right they'll pick up the tab."

She takes that as a flirtatious move and I call my mates over to me as we walk towards the bar. They all seem excited by the half naked girls and I get sly looks from them in gratitude as they each pick one to stand by. The girls are taking tequila shots and I nod my head in agreement when they ask if that's okay. Somehow I get sandwiched in between the brunette who I have yet to learn the name of and some skinny blonde girl who's the size of my leg. I ignore the way she's feeling up my back as I lick my hand and pour a bit of salt on it as the bartender cuts up lemons to hand to each of us.

"We'll all go together," says the brunette who I think might be the leader of their little clique. If not, she is most definitely the bravest by approaching me. I pick up my shot of golden tequila and wait for the others. "Ready... go."

I lick the salt on the back of my hand and throw back the shot with a flick of my head. The alcohol burns my throat as I bring the lime up and chomp it in between my teeth so I can suck out all the juice to deaden the sting of the liquid I just consumed. We do three more of those and by the end of it I am completely trashed.

"Let's go to McCoy's tonight," one of the drunken girls says with a slur as she trips over Terrance's shoe. He helps her up and she kisses him.

"They do have the best music!" the brunette tells me as her hand curls around my waist.

What could it hurt?

I end up paying the tab because it just makes sense that I would, money is really not a big deal to me, and we stumble out of the bar. I put my arm around the brunette for balance and I start laughing at nothing as we walk down Knockturn Alley, headed towards another pub that's off a side street off of Diagon.

"Do you like to dance, Mr. Malfoy?" the girl at my side asks with her breath hot on my neck.

"Only in bed," it was lame but my drunk mind didn't care. I also didn't care when she giggled and kissed my cheek.

When we make it to the brick building I stop walking when I see a large stocky body trying to help up a clearly drunken man with black hair. I start laughing again. "Someone got pissed drunk tonight," I comment as the figure falls down again and pushes the larger man away.

I feel small fingers come up and run through my hair and I look down at the parasite by my side. "You have awesome hair," she says as she looks into my eyes which are blurry from drink. She's trying to have a 'moment' with me but it's not going to work. "Do you use gell?"

I snort and turn back to the drunk idiots before us. "It just grows in all perfect like that," I tell her and she giggles again, it hurts my ears so I disentangle myself from her to go help the two men in front of us. I get very charitable when I'm drunk.

"Do you want some help?" I ask the back of the large man. He turns around and I notice who it is with surprise. "Porter?"

"Gavin," he nods his head and turns back to the drunkard on the ground, I do too and smirk when I see Byron Flint.

"Holy fuck," I say in amusement. "Flint, you crazy mother fucker," I say with a smile as I take in all the blood on his face. "You took quite a beating, eh?" He probably deserved it, the fucking weirdo.

The group I came with tonight tell me they're going inside and I wave them on with out me as I reach down to help Flint up but he snaps his eyes open and glares at me, which really is quite ridiculous with all the blood that's coating his face. He stands up and leans against the wall, shaking his head at me.

"You fucking Malfoy's are everywhere," he snaps hatefully and I turn to that Sid Porter guy with my eye brow raised because I definitely did not expect that from him.

"Don't listen to him," Sid says seriously as he takes out his wand. "Come on, Byron. I've got to get you home."

He nods his head, seeming to admit defeat and he pushes himself off the wall. As he's walking by me I start laughing at this funny situation. "Is Porter your babysitter now? Giving my brother a break?"

It was just a joke, and Flint's usually a passive lunatic but when I said that he turned around with fire burning in his drunk eyes. He eyes me up and down as Sid groans and mutters something about tonight being a fucking bad idea.

"Where's your girlfriend tonight, Malfoy?" He asks me and I roll my eyes. "She's definitely not the chick I saw you feeling up on your way here," I'm surprised he was conscious enough to witness me walking up here, good for him. I cross my arms and shift my weight to one of my feet, getting bored. "You're cheating, that's all your family knows how to do."

"Right," I say with a shake of my head, not affected at all. "Have a good nap, little Byron."

This weird dark smiles comes on his face and again I raise an eyebrow at his dramatics. "Guess what I did last night," he says in a deep voice, Sid grabs his arm but Byron pulls back again like a small child throwing a tantrum. Sid says something about Apparation points and how they shouldn't be so far away as he looks between us with unease. His size is really pointless right now.

"What did you do, Flint?" I ask to humor him but what he says makes my blood boil and my feelings towards Cassius' strange friend turn murderous.

"I fucked your little sister."

My arms drop to my sides and I narrow my eyes at him. He laughs.

"I fucked her in your families house while all of you slept," I casually take out my wand as he keeps talking. The tick in my jaw might betray my feelings but I'm staying calm, just like my Dad when he's beyond pissed. "You wouldn't believe how tight she was..."

I blast a curse at his chest and he goes flying backwards, hitting the ground with a smack. Sid's eyes widen when he looks at me.

"You didn't kill him, did you?"

He would have deserved it I think as I pocket my wand. "I think you'll find he's easier to get home now," I say before walking past them towards one of the Apparation points myself. I forget about about the people I left at the pub as I make my way home, too angry to drink, and too tired to break things.

Addison is already asleep when I get there and I strip out of my clothes as I climb into bed beside her. With a sigh I kiss her shoulder and pull her to me, thinking of multiple ways to kill Byron Flint for saying those things but knowing they can't possibly be true. Lavinia should have better taste than that and he was bloody drunk. I fall into a deep drunken sleep and when I wake up a headache slams into my skull at full force, spinning my insides and making it feel like my brain is bleeding on my spinal chord. My attempts at going back to sleep are disturbed by Addison who is stomping around the room, making so much fucking noise that it sounds like a troop of elephants are in here.

"Goddamnit, Addison. What the fuck are you doing?" I ask as the glare at the clock. It's eight o'clock in the morning. This is my sleep in day.

"You know I have a doctors appointment today," she states seriously as she peels out of her night dress to put on some regular clothes. I watch her body as she gets dressed, noting that despite what I said, her stomach is starting to grow.

"It's Sunday," I tell her as with a groan as I turn around and bury my head in the pillow so I can go back to sleep.

"That doesn't matter."

I glare at her but she doesn't notice because she's too busy stomping around like a mad woman. She throws on shoes and ties them quickly, glancing at the clock worriedly like she was late and once she's all put together she stands over the bed with her hands on her hips. "What?" I ask sharply as she stares at me.

"Aren't you coming?"

I never come to them, she should know that. "It's too fucking early, Addison," I tell her as I turn onto my stomach and prop my head up with the pillow. I close my eyes and try to shut down my brain.

"You said you would come this time," She sounds sad so I pretend not to hear her. "It's not my fault you went out drinking again last night."

"What do you want me to do?" I snap, with my eyes still closed to block out the sun. "I'm still young. I'm not going to waste my youth just because of what we got ourselves into."

I jump when a magazine collides with my bare back. She threw something at me. She actually _threw_ something at me. I sit up then and glare at her but she's not backing down as she narrows her eyes and plants her hands on her hips.

"I'm young too, you know," she says, sounding upset. Walking the line of anger and sadness quite well. "And I like to go out too, just like you do. You could have asked me to go with you last night."

I snort and stand up, ready to head to the bathroom to avoid her. "It was just with the guys and you can't even drink," I tell her harshly, flicking a glance down to her stomach.

Tears spring to her eyes and I cuss to myself. "It's not fair that I have to do this all by myself when it's mostly your fault!"

"It takes two to make a baby, darling," I sneer at her and walk towards the restroom. She follows me out into the hallway, not letting up.

"I told you, I told you that I wasn't on the potion that month but you just kept on doing that thing you do. You just kept on trying to seduce me and now we're here and we're going to have a baby so grow up, will you?"

I snort at her little rant and shut the door in her face as I walk over to the sink. _Seduce _her, honestly. "I hate you Gavin Malfoy!" She yells and she kicks the door for good measure as I brush my teeth.

After I take my shower and get dressed to an empty apartment guilt over takes me and the genuine love I feel for Addison makes me feel terrible about our fight. That's the stupid annoying thing about feelings and caring for someone. They make you wimpy. With a sigh I stand up and get my wand, Apparating to the doctors office with the annoying sun shining into my eyes so I pull out a pair of sunglasses and keep them on my face as I approach the building. I walk into the waiting room and look over towards Addison who doesn't even look up from the book she's reading as I take a seat beside her on one of the wooden chairs.

Her eyes flick to my face in surprise when I pull the glasses on top of my head, pulling most of my hair away from my eyes. "I thought you were going to go back to sleep," She says, her anger with me melting by me showing up to this thing.

I turn towards her and kiss her lips, resting my forehead against hers. "I'm a real jerk sometimes, I know that," I tell her seriously. She smiles a little and brings her hand up to cover mine that's resting on her cheek. She's crying again and I resist the urge to roll my eyes because she cries all the fucking time now, must be the baby. "I want to be here," I tell her. I'm not really sure if it's a lie or not. This whole baby thing has been pushed into the back of my brain so I don't have to deal with it directly. I think of it was a coping mechanism.

When I pull back and rest my head against the wall, staring at all the other pregnant woman in the room she smiles softly and puts her hand on my thigh. "I want you here too. Thank you, Gavin," she tells me sweetly and I smirk at her before the nurse calls her name.

**_Lavinia_**

I was standing by the fireplace with my cheek throbbing as I twirled Byron's journal in between my hands. Of course I was crying like always so everything looked watery and unfocused but I could clearly see the page I turned to in his book and it sounded like a tree falling to the ground as I tore it out. Who is he to call me a slut anyways? Just because he was drunk? That's no excuse. The worst thing about it was that a part of me deep down thought that he was telling the truth, that despite what Cassius said he did mean what he was saying and he did think those things about me because I was the one who went to him, I was the one who threw myself at him like a harlot. More painful tears fell as I thought about it and I thought the page I was clutching in my fingers would soon be embedded into my bones because of how tight I was holding it.

I looked down at the torn out page and then at the journal. As far as I knew this was the only thing that Byron really cared about besides Cassius and his family. Some people talk to their friends about their problems, some people wore their emotions on their sleeves but Byron wrote them down in this book. It would hurt him to destroy this but as soon as that thought crossed my mind I knew I could never do it. I had looked down at the page I had torn out and even felt guilty that I did that much. I wanted to go sit down on my bed but I tripped and ended up slumping to the floor. I realized I was being pathetic and that I should handle this new painful situation like the adult that I am now, so I opened his journal and placed the page back where it originally was, where the tear line still was visible and stood out from the other pages.

A name caught my eye before I had a chance to close it and curiosity got the better of me. I knew I wanted him to tell me these things, I didn't want to have to read it, but after knowing what he truly thought of me I knew that would never happen. I hate when reality gets in the way of dreams. I brought the page closer to my tear filled eyes and had to squint to read it by the fire light.

_Selene._

That name was written in his beautiful handwriting and my heart started thumping. I don't know why. Since I had a taste of it I couldn't stop reading or wondering who this Selene woman was. He wrote of her many times and it was quite clear that he loved her. It made my throat dry and I felt as though I was standing on the edge of a cliff and if I kept reading it would make me jump. But I did anyways. He never really wrote about how he met her, I just figured she must have been some exotic beauty from his travels and she was obviously a perfect woman. He wrote about missing her and how beautiful he thought she was but she was too modest to realize it. When he wrote about a dream he had about her, a very sexual dream I blushed and I couldn't help but feel bitter. She was nice and sweet... and everything someone should be.

I decided right then and there that I hated this Selene woman more than I had ever hated anyone in my entire life.

I went through his journal that night with a vengeance and every time Selene was mentioned I was tempted to take my own quill and scratch her name out like that would make her not exist at all. It would make Byron forget about her and how sparkling her eyes were or how she made him feel. When I got to the entry about his trip to Africa I held the book close to me like it was a treasured artifact that was giving me knowledge about something magical but in reality it was really a torture devise that was breaking my heart with more force with every word I took in. He was talking about how he and Cassius were there to check out some temple that was deep in the jungle. In the small village he saw a girl with red hair and for a stupid second he thought it was this Selene woman and was disappointed when it wasn't, even though he knew she wouldn't be there.

I threw the book across the room when I read that. She had red hair. A horrifying thought entered my mind at that moment. When he was sleeping with me, when he kissed me, did he pretend I was this Selene Goddess he kept writing about? When he touched me and looked at me was me imaging I was someone else?

I hated this Selene but I hated Byron more. I couldn't have imagined the way he looked at me or the way his hands felt, could I? In my love hazed mind I guess I could have made it all up, all of those perfect things probably never really happened. He never actually told me anything that would hint towards him caring for me... perhaps I was delusional in thinking he wanted me when it is so obvious he wants this _Selene_ woman. I thought about how he left in the morning with out saying one world to me and the jealousy and hurt I thought I saw in his eyes when Darius came was all just fabricated from my mind... my pitiful, pathetic, little girl mind. Now I know he just thought I was an easy lay.

I had clenched my eyes shut to block out the pain but it didn't work, of course it didn't work. I hated being dramatic and I especially found the girls at Hogwarts who acted this way over a boy irritating, but now I can totally sympathize with them. After sitting on my floor, staring at everything and nothing at all I thought of my graduation party and with new anger I stomped over to my bed side table where the elves had placed that rock he gave me and my mood manipulator. I held the red jagged rock in my hand and analyzed every groove and texture of it, hoping it would open up and give me answers but of course it didn't. I took one year of runes in school but the symbol etched into the side was unfamiliar to me. He said it was a positive energy rune but even I knew he was lying about it.

With a huff I thought it probably meant something stupid like goat cheese and he picked it up on the way here from side walk because he felt obligated to get me something for my graduation. Who gives a rock as a present anyways? I bet he would give Selene beautiful things that would make her love him more. With that thought lingering in my head I went to the window and opened it up, pausing only a moment to let the crisp night air cool my face and the wind to dry my tears before I wound my arm back and threw the stupid stone out into the back yard. I didn't even care where it landed and I even toyed with the idea of throwing his stupid journal into the pool but I was too exhausted to do much else.

Crying always takes a lot of energy out of me and my face was still jabbing with so much pain that I felt for sure my zygomatic bone was crushed. My mood manipulator was laying still on my bed just tempting me to use to so after glaring at the journal on the floor I crawled into bed and tapped the small glass ball a few times until it glowed pink in my hands, washing a feeling of warmth and calmness through my body. I feel asleep like that and by the time I woke up the ball had dimmed down to where I didn't feel it's affects at all. That's why I'm laying on my bed in the clothes and shoes I wore last night with my eyes slammed shut trying to not wake up and face the day.

My mouth feels dry like I swallowed a chunk of cotton during the night and the intense pain in my face makes any chance of going back to sleep practically impossible. My face started to throb so badly that I thought someone had cut part of it off while I slept so I sat up with a groan and brought a hand up to my cheek to feel the knot forming there. My eyes cracked open against the sun and I jumped a little in surprise when I saw my father sitting in one of the white chairs by my open window. He didn't look up as I stared at him, trying to decide if he was real or not because the hit to my face could have messed up my brain.

He had his legs crossed and he was leaning back in the chair like he had been there a while and was comfortable. On his lap was a book and he had one hand holding the page down so it wouldn't turn and the other was resting against his temple with his elbow on the arm rest. When he turned the page and started reading again I swallowed the lump that was in my throat and sat up a little straighter.

"Dad?"

His eyes flicked up to mine as he closed the book and took off his glasses. I watched as he put them in his right hand and twirled the end around as he let both of his arms rest at his sides. He was looking right at me so I looked at his lap, at the book he was reading. I took a sharp intake of breath when I realized it was Byron's.

"What happened to your face?" he asks flatly with his eyes serious as they study me.

I bring a hand up to my face while mentally cursing myself for leaving it there. I don't answer as his eyes travel over my clothes that I slept in and then they find mine again.

"I fell."

It was a bad lie and we both knew it.

There was a long silence that felt like an eternity. "You fell?" he questions finally.

I nod my head and turn away from him. "What are you doing in my room?" I can easily turn this around on him as a privacy issue but he will be having none of that right now, I can tell from his tone.

He uncrosses his legs and sits forward on the chair with his elbows on his knees. In response to his body language I scoot back against my head board and cross my arms.

"It's past one." he tells me and I'm actually surprised that I slept that late. "The Lavinia I know wakes up at the crack of dawn. I thought you might have been sick so I came up to check on you," He sits back and puts his glasses back on before looking me square in the eyes. "I'm going to ask you again, and I want an honest answer. What happened to your face?"

"I told you I fell," I whisper like a weakling. I know how my Dad is and I know how my Dad will respond if I tell him the truth. Even though what Byron said to me was cruel and I still was so upset with him... he really didn't mean to hit me like that.

"Did you fall into a fist?" My eyes shoot to his in surprise and he sits up straight with his eyes narrowed. "Who hit you?"

I shake my head as those annoying tears find their way back into my eyes. "No one hit me, Dad," _I__intentionally _I want to add but I know that won't matter to him.

"Where were you last night?" he asks coldly.

I gulp. "I was eating dinner with Chloe at Polo's."

"And after that?"

"I came home," I lie as I stare at my wall, finding the flower pattern immensely fascinating.

"Lavinia," he says gently in a warmer tone so I'll look at him. "You don't have to lie to me."

Again I shake my head. "I'm not lying," I say even though the shakiness in my voice says other wise.

With that he sighs and stands up, with Byron's journal still in his hands. "Then you're grounded until you tell me what really happened."

What? My jaw dropped as he walked past my bed so I sat up on my knees. How was that fair? "You can't ground me," I told him in a disbelieving voice. "I'm of age now."

He makes it to my door and then glances at me over his shoulder with one hand on the door knob. "You say that like it would matter to me," he replies.

Anger jets through me and I stand up because of the injustice of this. I ignore the irritating pain in my face as I glare at him. "You can't ground me anymore," I say bravely and I glance down at the brown journal in his hands. "And that doesn't belong to you."

He looks down at the book and then back to me.

"I'm well aware of that, sweetheart, and it doesn't belong to you either." He opens the door and I look around the room for something to throw at him... even though I know I won't. "I''ll send an elf up to heal you," he says before leaving.

I stare at the door with my mouth slightly open before I decide he can't treat me like this anymore. I am not a child. I just graduated from school and I'm eighteen for Christ sakes... plus, I didn't even do anything wrong! I refuse to be punished like this so I stomp over to my vanity to grab my wand. I take one moment to glance at my reflection and what I see makes me drop my wand, causing it to clatter to the ground. The right side of my face is slightly swollen and there is a reddish purple bruise forming on my cheek. I touch it and wince. It looks just as bad as it feels. He did hit me so hard.

I shake my head with a sniff and pick up my wand. Intending to prove to my father that he can't treat me like a little girl anymore I quickly leave my room and bound down the front staircase with my wand gripped so tightly in my hand that I think I might break it. With a sneering thought about all the stupid men in my life I make it to the front door and turn the knob. It doesn't open so I turn it again.... and again... and again.... I check the locks and do a quick unlocking charm but nothing works.

He wouldn't dare.

I run to the windows and attempt to open them but they're sealed shut and I even try the back door that leads to the gardens with no avail. My anger is reaching knew heights as I stomp towards the front doorway again and lift my wand, intending to blast the freaking thing open.

"That will do no good," I lower my wand and turn to glare at my father who is standing casually on the stairs with his hands in his pockets. "You're not leaving until I say so."

"You can't keep me prisoner here!" I yell with a stomp of my foot and he rolls his eyes.

"Don't be dramatic."

I huff and cross my arms as Mom and Evelyn enter the hallway through the back way. Evelyn is wearing her usual dance outfit and her hair is pulled back into a tight bun as she messes with the bag slung over her shoulders. I know she's going to ballet practice and she stops walking all together when she sees me. Mom's too busy going through her purse for her wand and I send one more hateful glare to my father before walking towards her.

"Mom, please tell Dad that he can't ground me like this. I'm a grown witch now so make him unseal the doors."

She looks up to me and then her face turns to alarm as she takes me in.

"What happened to you?" She asks as she walks closer to me in a panic and sweeps some hair out of my face to take in my injury. She touches it and I wince.

"You look like you get hit in the face with a blundger," Evelyn says as she studies me like a was a circus freak.

Mom's eyes go up to Dad who starts making his way down the stairs. "I told her she was grounded until she told me what happened to her face," he tells her when he reaches the bottom. He looks directly at me and I look away. "Maybe you can get the truth out of her since she won't tell me."

"You can't put me on house arrest for not telling you something," I snap and he raises his eyebrows at me. It probably wasn't the best way to talk to the person who controls your freedom.

Mom gets my attention as she finds her wand and brings it up to my face. "What did happen, Lavinia?" she asks softly as she heals my wound, replacing the pain with a warm tingle.

"I--"

Dad cuts me off and I glare again. "You did not fall and get a bruise like that so don't even try to say it." Mom snaps him a look but he ignores it. "You won't be leaving this house until we know the truth, young lady."

Mom tells him she'll talk to me and he leaves with another pointed look towards me that I scowl at. My attention goes back to my mother and I try to ignore Evelyn as she takes a seat on one of the stairs to watch and listen like the annoying little thing that she is.

"It was an accident," I admit as Mom looks into my eyes and I feel more comfortable talking to her because he's not as cold as my Dad. "He didn't mean it."

"He?" she asks, and then suddenly her face changes. Realization dawns in her eyes and she narrows them the slightest bit. "Byron Flint hit you?"

"No, well..." I start nervously because of the harsh way she's looking right now. "It was an accident. He didn't mean to," I say quickly but she's looking away from me, shaking her head as she puts the pieces together in her mind.

Her conclusion after viewing Byron's busted lip and my clothes in his room with the bloody sheet was unpleasant but she believed me when I told her it wasn't anything bad. I can tell she won't believe me again because the circumstances seem so suspicious.

"Go to your room," she says, using the same flat tone that Dad has.

She actually believes that Byron would hurt me and that I would cover for him!

"But, Mom..."

"Your room, now, Lavinia."

I search her eyes for some understanding but I find none and with a slump of my shoulders I turn towards the stairs and stomp up them, ignoring the way Evie is staring at me as I go back to my room and fall on my bed with my eyes closed. This has to be the worst two days of my entire life I think before I bury my face in my pillows to block out my scream.

**_Evelyn _**

Poor Lavinia.

I suspect she will be stuck in the house for a while judging by the looks my parents had on their faces. I wish I knew the story behind the bruise, though. I can't believe Byron would do that to her... I wonder...

"Miss Malfoy," I stop stretching and look towards the owner of that stern voice. Madam Violet is glaring at me with her hands on her thin hips as she stands by the record player.

"Yes, Madam?" I ask innocently as I put my leg up on the barre and reach for my toes to stretch my muscles.

"There is no gum chewing in my studio," she states coldly in her harsh old woman voice.

I had forgotten I still had it in my mouth. I smile at her and she scowls as I prance to the trash bin to throw it away. I resume my spot back by Kendra and smile at the irritated look on Madam Violet's face. At one time I suppose she was beautiful but now her face has been pulled back tightly against her bones because of an obviously bad cosmetic spell that makes her face look frozen in a constant state of surprise. Her thick eyebrows, that she pencils in with black liner, really don't help the expression and her dyed black hair makes her look utterly ridiculous in the sunlight because it looks almost purple. She was once a great dancer when she was younger, so I guess her looks don't matter so much next to her talent.

"Forgive me, Madam," I tell her with a sweet smile as her coal eyes snap back to me. I always talk back and she hates it. "But Xavier gave it to me and he said that you wouldn't mind today," I lie with a little pout on my face as Xavier sits up straight from the position he was in to make an annoyed noise. "He said you okayed it."

Madam has no time for things like this so she snaps a look to the french moron at the front of the class who's too busy glaring at me to notice.

"You know my rules," she says with her chin tilted up. "Shame on your Mr. LesFramboises."

He sputters for a few moments as I smile and take off my warm up pants, making sure that my ballet slippers stay secured on my feet.

"Madam Violette," he says with his stupid French accent. "Eveleen ez lying like ez usual," he says, pronouncing my name in an annoyingly french way.

He sputters on, saying something else but Madam cuts him off. "Don't talk so fast when you are upset, Xavier. No one can understand you."

"Yes, Xavier," I say from my spot by the free standing barre. He glares at me again with his eyes narrowed. The hazel eyes that Kendra finds so charming but I liken them to the color of rotten pickles. "_No one_ can understand you."

He mutters a french insult under his breath and I smirk again as Madam makes us all take our places. He always calls me bad names in french thinking I won't be able to understand him but I do. He calls me a rich spoiled brat all the time, so he should know that as a rich spoiled brat I would have a wonderful primary education which would include mastering multiple languages. One of them being French.

"Pay attention, please,"Madam claps her hands as we settle into our spots. Her skin is so papery thin that I'd bet you could get a paper cut from touching one of her veins that stick out from her skin. I snort at the thought and Kendra looks over her shoulder at me. Madam has to be like eighty years old now...

The music starts up and she stands to the side telling us what to do as we start our regular warm up routine and I welcome it. I enjoy the repetitiveness of it. I love the plies, tendu's, and the degage's, ronde de jambe and grand battemant. All those small movements that add up to one fluid motion as my body moves and my legs and arms gracefully go through the motions. I watch the mirror as we move and the Madam walks around the class, correcting and criticizing posture and positions. The irritating curl that always pops out onto my forehead appears once again and I blow it out as I move to do a grand plie and I get yelled at for hunching my shoulders.

"Back straight, Miss Malfoy," she says, tapping the barre by my fingers. "You have gotten lazy."

A blush slowly creeps onto my cheeks as I start to get warm and I blame that totally on my Mother. I don't think my Father has ever blushed no matter what the situation is. When our warm up is completed I look over to Xavier, which I do often because he is one of the only boys in our class so it was bound to happen. Of course his body is terribly fit and in shape considering he's been dancing since he was three and he goes to Beauxbatons which offers ballet as an elective class. Hogwarts doesn't, so me and a handful of others have to take classes in the room of requirement with some old ghost they found who knows how to dance... but it's not very good to be honest and every summer Madam Violet scolds me for my bad habits.

I sigh and look around the room as Madam moves the barre's towards the wall. This room his huge, with tall white walls that reach the heavens and a polished blond wood floor that you can see yourself in. Along one of the walls is a large mirror that all dance studios need and the windows rest right along the ceiling, letting the sun come in in a checkered pattern along the shinny floor. Xavier bumps into me as we take our places for our floor work and I shake my head as he walks off and runs a hand through his light brown hair. It reminds me of mud on a rainy day. I know I sound mean and very harsh on him, but he once told me that he thought my hair looked like the color of sick cat pee... so he started all of this, really.

We start our second half of practice, concentrating on balance and strength building turns, eventually working on our pointe work as Xavier stands to the side glaring at me. He hates me because my family has money and his is so poor. There are plenty of studios in France but Madam's is supposed to be the best in the wizarding world. The payments were so steep that he couldn't afford to attend so Madam Violet offered him a deal because he was such a good dancer. He accepted, of course. No one turns down Violet Tani... Only he has to work for her to pay for his classes, filing papers and doing other things around the studio. Unfortunate things like polishing the floors and cleaning the bathrooms during the summer. That's why he can't stand me, because my parents can pay for tuition and then some... and I hate him... that's not true, I don't _hate _him. I don't hate anyone, I just find him terribly unpleasant and unlikable and I don't enjoy being around him because... well... because he's better at dancing than I am.

When practice is over my temples are damp from sweat and I say goodbye to my ballet friends with a smile as I meet Mom in the front hallway, sucking away on my water bottle because I'm so thirsty.

"How was practice?" Mom asks as she takes my bag from my shoulders to hold.

"It was fabulous," I tell her with a smile as we walk towards the Apparation point together. I watch her as she takes out her wand and smiles at me nervously when she notices me staring at her. "Mom?"

"Yes?" she asks as she takes my hand to Apparate with me because I don't have my license yet.

"How much do you love Dad?" I ask, remembering that memory in the pensive.

She looks at me in a strange way as she tilts her head to the side. "I love him a great deal. Why?"

I shrug my shoulder and take another drink of water. "Just asking."

We Apparate home and I go to my room to shower and change. I look at my feet in the shower and sigh sadly at them. Dancers were not meant to have pretty feet and I fear mine will always look this abused and battered. I get dressed and bound down the stairs to talk to Daddy because I was suppose to go over to Jeremiah's tonight to play exploding snaps. I slide in front of his study door and I am about ready to knock but I hear him talking to Mom so of course I decide to listen. It's really the only way to get information from anyone around here. I even drop down to my knees to look through the key hole with my hands on the wood of the door. I'm nosy, I can't help it. I was just born that way.

"We really can't lock her up here, Draco," That's Mom and she sighs as she sits on top of his desk. "She is a full grown witch now."

"No, she isn't," Dad says like Mom was stupid. "A full grown witch wouldn't be so stupid as to protect the boy who hit her in the face."

"Really?" Mom says flatly as Dad falls into his desk chair, with his glass of brandy in his hand. He drinks an awful lot, I hope he doesn't get liver disease.

They look at each other and he rolls his eyes. "That's not the same, Ginny. Don't look at me like that."

"Think what you will," she says, hopping off his desk so her back is facing me... or the door that I'm peeking through. "What ever the case may be it's still her decision to make. Not ours."

"But what if she forgives that moron and wants to start hanging around him? Would you just let that happen and do nothing?"

Mom walks over to him and runs a hand through his hair. "I forgave you," she mumbles as she bends down to kiss his cheek, "and what you did wasn't an accident."

He stands up and glares at her. "You always spin things around on me," he snaps and she raises her eyebrows.

"You're one to talk."

"Whatever," he says and I can't believe he would say that word considering he hates it when any of us use it against him. "She's still grounded. End of discussion."

He starts walking towards the door and I stand up straight and smooth down my clothes. "She didn't do anything wrong," Mom says softly.

Dad opens the door but he doesn't see me because he turns his body slightly back towards Mom. "She lied to me."

"Draco, you can't control everything."

"Watch me..." he says and then he turns. When he sees me standing there smiling up at him he sighs. "What is it?"

"I'm supposed to go to Jeremiah's now," I tell him. I have to use his floo line because those are the rules when I leave the house so he knows where I'm going.

He looks down to me and then over his shoulder at Mom. "You're not going tonight," he tells me and I narrow my eyes.

"But you already said I could go!" I say with a stomp of my foot. I can throw a fit like no one else and being the youngest Malfoy really has sharpened my whining skills.

"I changed my mind. You can owl that boy and tell him you aren't coming."

"Draco..." Mom warns from behind but he ignores her.

"I'm going." I say defiantly and he glares at me.

"I said no. You shouldn't be going to boys houses anyways. You're too young."

"It's Jeremiah! He's not a boy, he's... he's Jeremiah!" I say with another stomp because I'm not getting my way. "Why do I have to be punished because you're mad at Lavinia?"

"Go to your room."

"No."

"Go."

"No!"

He tightens his jaw and jerks his head in a shake because he's angry with me but I don't care. "Evelyn," I look over Dad's shoulder at Mom as she walks closer to us. I know she'll side with me. "Go to your room," I stomp my foot again, totally angry at her for that comment. When she reaches us she stands by my sour looking Dad and tries to smile reassuringly. "I'll try to talk some sense into your father, alright?"

"Fine, but I'm still going," I say before walking back towards my room, hoping that Mom can work her magic and calm Daddy down.

They start arguing again but I ignore it as I make my way towards my room, on the way there I hear Lavinia throwing things around so I open her door with out knocking to see her storming around her room, pulling out clothes and throwing them on her bed.

"What are you doing?" I ask as I step in and close the door behind me.

She looks to me and scoffs. "Don't you ever knock?"

"No," I say honestly, "I hope you know that Daddy is being terribly unreasonable because of what you did. He's making me stay home when he already said I could go out."I don't get out much so I really do enjoy it when I get to.

Her eyes soften as she looks to me and she drops the shoes she was holding. "I'm sorry, Evie. He can be unfair."

"Yes, he can be," I tell her as I walk into her room and fall down on her bed, landing on my stomach and propping my head up on my arms as I survey the mess she created. She's usually such a neat freak. "What is all this?"

She sighs and walks over to me, slumping to the floor and resting her back against the bed so our faces are close to each others. I study her profile as she looks at the wall. "I'm going to run away."

I snort out loud and she glares at me. "What a silly idea," I tell her and her glare gets darker. "You're of age now. I think if you leave with all your things that officially would be called 'moving out'."

A reluctant smile tilts her lips and she looks at the wall again as she picks at her dress. "I didn't even do anything wrong," she mumbles and I tilt my head to watch her better as I let my feet dangle off the other edge of the bed.

"If it makes you feel better, Mom is down stairs right now fighting for our freedom."

She nods her head and looks at her lap, putting some red hair behind her ear. "I guess I know how Mom felt when they were first married being locked up like this."

I know those stories. Dad locked her up just like he did with Lavinia today but she was stuck here for a lot longer than the few hours that my sister has had to endure. "He was never this way with Cassius and Gavin..." I start as I take a curl and twirl it in between my fingers. "Why do you suppose he's so strict with us?"

Lavinia rests her head in her hands and I watch her closely as she bites her lower lip. Jeremiah is right, she is very pretty. I hope that when I get older people will be able to tell we're sisters.

"It's because we're girls," she says as she twists her neck to look up at me on the bed. "I bet he doesn't want anyone to do to us what he did to Mom."

"I bet not," I muse as I look off into space.

Someone knocks on the door and we both turn towards the noise as Mom sticks her head in. "Evie, if you still want to go you better go now," she says tiredly and I smile as I jump off the bed. "but you have to be back in one hour or your father will have a heart attack."

"Of course, Mom." I say brightly as I nearly skip out of the room.

I look over my shoulder once to see Mom looking sadly in at Lavinia as she shakes her head.

**_Cassius_**

Byron spent most of the morning puking his guts out in our bathroom and I was glad that he wasn't around for me to look at because I just might have killed him. I was so extremely angry with him last night that I couldn't even bring myself to look at him when he came stumbling in this morning all covered in blood. The bastard had chipped my front tooth and broke my nose so I had to call for a healer to fix both things before I went to bed... I can't even begin to think about what he did to Lavinia because I'd be tempted to curse the living day lights out of him for it. At least I can fight back. Lavinia is just a small girl.

Freaking drunk bastard.

Things were going so smoothly too. We were having a good time drinking at McCoy's pub as Sid told us stories about his Quidditch travels. I knew Byron was upset the whole night but he wasn't really showing it at the beginning of the night so I eventually ignored it. It wasn't until Sid asked about my family I saw the flash in his eyes and I noticed that he was on his forth firewhisky.

"Do you want to hear a story, Sid?" Byron had slurred, leaning across the high table we were sitting at. Sid thinks it's amusing when Byron gets drunk but he's never really seen the crazy drunk beast he can turn in to.

"Sure," he had said with a laugh, "I'd love to."

Byron sent one look to me and I knew that whatever was going to come out of his mouth next would be something terrible.

"Last night I stayed the night at Malfoy Manor," Sid sent a sideways glance to me and I shook my head. "And I was minding my own business, just sitting in my room and guess what happened next."

"I think you're done," I told him, taking the drink away from him but he pulled it back.

"Let me tell my story," he hissed at me like a drunken idiot before turning back to Sid who was starting to look uncomfortable. "Cassius's little sister came in dressed in this unbelievably short little number and she wanted me to..."

"That's enough," I said more sternly and Byron snapped his drunk eyes to mine.

"What? Don't want Sid to know about your whorish sister,"

"Whoa," Sid said with his hands up, surprised by what was said but I wasn't. In fact I had my wand gripped in my hands since he started telling his story. "Calm down, Byron."

"I will not calm down," he stated as he stood up and spilled his glass all over the table. The move made Sid and I stand up as well as firewhisky soaked our pants. "She was practically begging for it and then the next day she was snogging the hell out of some other guy right in front of me. Loose morals you Malfoy's have."

That's how we ended up outside dueling in the street. I couldn't help myself and now my body aches because of it.

I was uneasy with the idea of them being together before... but now I know I'm totally against it after the drunken night Byron had and the way he treated her.

I shake my head to rid it of the memory and get ready for the day in khaki slacks and a green polo shirt. I know it's a Dad outfit, but I have a meeting today so I have to look semi-presentable. I Apprate to the University around noon, running my tongue over my front tooth because it was broken last night and I half expect it to be that way again but luckily the healer was good with teeth. I make my way to Dr. Bailey's office with my hands stuffed in my pockets, trying not to think about last night.

"Ah, Mr. Malfoy, come in."

I smile at the professor as I take off my shoes and walk into his office. He's all about positive energy and new wave living so instead of a regular chair to sit in I have to take a seat on one of the large green pillows on the floor. Dr. Bailey is the main professor of Archeology at the university I went to and he has to be as old as some of the wizards we dig up. He goes to make me some tea and I watch his back as he hums softly to himself. He's a short man, in fact, he's so short that it's uncomfortable to stand beside him because it's like you're talking to a small child who can't hear you very well. He has no hair but a few sparse gray ones horseshoed around his head and he wears large glasses that magnify his eyes like he was a giant bug. He turns to me and smiles, showing a face so deeply lined with wrinkles that he looks like a road map.

"Where is Mr. Flint today?" He ask as he takes a seat on the pillow across from me. The room is tinted red because all of the lights are draped in red cloth... that has to be a fire hazard. "Mr. Malfoy?"

"Oh," I say as he hands me the small glass of tea and I take it with a lopsided smile. "He wasn't feeling very well."

"That's a shame, poor boy," he says and I roll my eyes into my cup. Byron deserves to puke out his whole stomach after the way he acted last night. "He's not the most stable person, is he?"

That much is obvious. I don't answer, choosing instead to ask him why I'm here. "Why did you ask to meet me?"

We don't work through him anymore. We mostly work out on our own and the things we find go to the London Museum of Magic Findings. I put the tea on the coaster he sat out for me, right in front of my pillow. I'm uncomfortable, so I try to shift my body but it doesn't work so I just sit there with my back perfectly straight feeling like an idiot because I'm sitting on a pillow.

"We think we've found something off the island of Crete," he says, pulling out a folder from under his pillow and flipping through it after licking his fingers. I cringe and look away. "It will be a very interesting find if there's anything there and the University is funding a team to go and check it out," he says handing a paper to me that has a map of the Island and when I realize what it is my eyes snap to his and he smiles. "I thought you would like it."

"What did you find?" I ask as I look at the other papers he's handing me, detailing the legends and Myths that surround that area of water.

"A few artifacts were discovered by some muggle fishermen a few weeks ago," he says as he drinks his own tea. "They thought they were from Aliens but obviously they were magic."

"Can I see them?" I ask eagerly, the archeological nerd in me floating to the surface.

"They're being processed right now but if you agree to tag along with my team then I'll make sure you have a first hand look at everything we find."

I smile, there is no way I could turn this down. In the ancient world, especially in Greece and Egypt, wizards and muggles lived side by side as equals with out hiding anything from each other. If you could do magic then you were set up as a mystic or a healer, a priest of the gods or an oracle. Even the older legends from muggle mythology about Gods and Goddess have some basis in our magical ancestry. There wasn't the secrecy that there is now until a new religion took over and magic was seen as bad and evil. I find that when you don't understand something you either hold it up so it's above you or you hold it down wanting to kill it, making it terriable.

Supposedly most of the magical people migrated to an island off of the Greek Isles and created the first all magical society in the world. It was where the first wand was made to harness their powers and where all the spells that we learn today were created and perfected. Basically it's the birthd place place of modern thought in the magical community, but it disappeared and no one is really sure what happened to it. There has been speculation for centuries as to what was the cause but nothing concrete. If this is really it I think I could die happy.

"Well, what do you say?"

"I'm in," I say with out hesitation. I've also never done a dig under water before so that will be interesting.

"I hope Mr. Flint is in as well. I could use another Anthropologist just in case."

I don't even want to acknowledge my best friend right now so I dismissively nod my head as I stare down at the papers in my hands like I was a child on Christmas morning.

"On Tuesday we'll be meeting up in the history lab and flooing to the offices in Crete. Make sure you're there."

I nod my head and stand up, giving him a hand shake when he does as well. "Thank you, Professor."

I leave there, feeling much better than I did in the morning and when I come home Byron is sitting on one of the chairs, looking all sickly and pale with his journal on his lap. I look him up and down as I come in but he doesn't move, he just stares out at the the air in front of him and I notice that he's all healed now so that's a good thing.... or not... I go to the small kitchen we have and take out a butterbeer for the mini celebration I'm intending to have but just knowing Byron's in the other room irritates me.

"It wouldn't be enough to apologize, would it?" Byron asks and I turn to the door way to see him standing there with a tense body and unease in his eyes. He has his journal clutched in his fingers so tightly that his knuckles are turning white.

"It's a start," I tell him as I turn around and take another drink from the bottle. "But the person you really should be apologizing to is my sister."

I can practically feel him wince in shame but I don't care.

"I'll never--"

He doesn't finish that because an owl swoops in and I glare at it as it falls over on the table before hooting and turning upright as it ruffles it's feathers. It must be one of those simple barn owls because it hoots a few more times, stumbling around the counter before Byron saves it from doing whatever the hell it was doing. As he unties the letter from it's legs I remind myself that wizards should always close their windows because owls are freaking annoying. I go to walk out of the room as Byron reads the letter but that damn bird runs into me as it tries to fly out of the room so I pick it up off the ground and go towards the window to throw it out.

I watch it fly off and shake my head before turning around to go back to my room to shut Byron out of my life but the look on his face as he reads the letter makes me stay.

"Who's that from?" I ask, because the owl was obviously brain damaged.

"My Mom..." he says as he knits his eyebrows together as his eyes scan the page.

Who cares.

I go towards my room again but he says my name. "What do you want?" I ask meanly as he stares at me.

"I don't know if you would care to know this," he says seriously, looking down at the letter and then into my eyes. "But Arthur Weasley died this morning."

"What?"

He looks down at at the ground and I look at the wall.


	3. Chapter 3

_**Evelyn **_

"Are you sure you want to play again?" I ask Jeremiah with a smirk as he shuffles the cards with a frown creasing his brow line. "We both know I'm just going to beat you. I'm terribly good at winning games."

He looks up to me as he puts the cards back down on the table and I can't help but giggle at him. Jeremiah has been my closest friend since I first boarded the Hogwarts Express when I was eleven. He was very small and skinny then and most of the boys were making fun of him for it, so I yelled at them until they backed off. It really was a friendship made in heaven, he's all cowardly and quiet and I have a loud mouth and am daring. We balance each other.

"I have a feeling you won't be winning this time," he says as we both take out our wands to tap the cards as they shuffle around the coffee table.

"Brave words for a bunny rabbit," I tell him as I tap the end of my wand on the first matching pair of wizards. The cards explode and my point card gains a point.

He glares and I smile. He hates it when I call him that but I do think he looks like the furry creature. He has large blue eyes with long dark lashes surrounding them, making him look so innocent and wide eyed. He has a few freckles sprinkled across his nose and his hair is sandy blond and tightly curled. He is utterly adorable and I suspect he was probably the cutest little child, but now he's stuck in between being a child and a man… and the little boy look doesn't fit him quite so well any more.

I tap another match, gaining another point, and he cusses. "Jeremiah Michael McCabe, there is no cussing in my house."

Jeremiah turns red at his mother's scolding and I try to hide my smirk as Mrs. McCabe goes back to her knitting. She's sitting only a few feet away from us on one of the couches in their floral patterned living room. We're not to be left alone in any room and I suspect those were my father's wishes. He really can be tiresome.

"So, is your Dad going to hold you hostage like he is Lavinia after this?" He asks, trying to distract me but I know better. I tap another match from the fast moving cards and he shakes his head as yet another point etches into my card.

"I hope not," I say as he gets close to the table like it would help him see better. I tap another match and they explode in his face. I laugh as he jumps back and rubs his eyes. "I'm not even sure why Lavinia is in trouble."

Another tap, another explosion, another point for me.

"Your Dad can be so mental sometimes," he mutters under his breath and I do have to agree with him. Poor Jeremiah has been on the receiving end of many of my Father's stern talks because of his association with me. He looks me in the eyes and I smile. "Is he going to cancel your birthday too?"

"He had better not, I only get one a year," I tell him. When I find another match from the quickly moving and changing cards he throws his wand down. "Do you give up?"

"I know you cheat," he comments dryly as he pouts and crosses his arms. "I just haven't figured out how you do it."

"I guess I win again," I say with a smirk as I sit back in my chair and tuck my legs underneath me.

"So how was your dance thing today?" he asks and I want to laugh at him. I know he really doesn't care about my _dance thing_. "Did Zavi-a the Raspberry give you a hard time?"

"Nothing I couldn't handle," I tell him as I put some hair behind my ear and he starts chewing on his thumb nail. "I got him scolded today and he was all in a tizzy, '_Eveleen _ez lying!'" I repeat in a deep French accent to make fun of him and Jeremiah snorts. "He's dreadfully annoying but Kendra is deeply in love with him."

"Who's Kendra?" he asks and I roll my eyes. I've mentioned her a million times but he never listens.

"She's my ballet friend," I say with a sigh. I have many designated friends for the different parts of my life. I have Jeremiah as my best friend, I have my Hogwarts friends, and my ballet friends… and so on and so forth. "Honestly Jeremiah, I've told you about her a million times."

"Is she the one with the mole?"

I laugh out loud and he raises his eyebrows. "No, you fool. She's… oh never mind you won't remember anyways," I tell him with a wave of my hand. "Anyways, I don't know why but she is head over heels in love with Xavier, but I doubt he even has a heart so I think…" I stop mid sentence and look off into space, maybe if Xavier and Kendra were together he would stop being such a bother to me.

"Hello, Earth to Evelyn," Jeremiah shakes his hand in front of my face and I snap out of my daze as he smiles at me. "Where did you just go?"

"I've just had the most brilliant idea,"

"I've known you long enough to know that your brilliant ideas are usually a danger to my health,"

"Oh, don't be a…"

"Evelyn," I stop what I was about to say to look at Mrs. McCabe as she stands up, putting her knitting sticks down as she looks at the clock on the wall. "It's been an hour. I think your parents are expecting you home."

"Oh," I say with a sigh as I stand up and smooth out my clothes. "I should get going then," I say out loud. I don't want Daddy to have a heart attack and god only knows what Mom had to do so he would let me leave. "I'll owl you later, Jay." I tell him as he walks me towards the fireplace.

Before I grab the floo powder I hug him tightly and kiss his cheek, which makes him blush an alarming red color and I stifle a laugh.

"Until next time," I tell him as he looks down, trying to hide his blush. I don't know why he does that. It's not the first time I've kissed him. "Ta Ta for now," I wave with a smile as I throw the powder into the fire and say my destination.

When I arrive at my father's study Mom's there waiting for me and she taps my head to get the soot off of me.

"How was Jeremiah?" she asks and I look around the room for Dad, surprised that he wasn't right there to grill me.

"He was dull and boring like always," I say and she shakes her head with a smile. "Where's Dad?"

"It's getting late, you should go to bed," she says instead of answering my question and I study her face for a few moments before deciding it's not worth it to question so I go to my room.

I lay in my bed for hours trying to decide how I would get Xavier and Kendra together… he never talks to anyone in the class unless he's insulting me and during our water breaks he always hangs back to discuss dance movements with Madam Violet. Like a light goes off in my head I decide a way to make him social would be to invite him and Kendra over to the Manor at the same time… but he wouldn't come because he hates me.

I start chewing on my lip, a habit I picked up from my sister, as I think of various ways to make Xavier fall in love with Kendra so he'll leave me alone. I bet he'd like to see my Grandma's dance room and talk to her portrait… she was a famous dancer at one time so I'm sure Xavier would like it.

I could invite the whole ballet class over for it so he would have to come… but Daddy wouldn't like that unless…. My birthday! It's next week and we were going to go to Japan because I've never been there and I really wanted to see what it was like, but I could tell them I wanted to have a party here instead. I would invite my ballet class next practice and they'd all want to come because, well… because Malfoy Manor is awesome and Jeremiah would come, of course.

Kendra is also a really good swimmer so I could make it a pool party to show off her talent and Xavier would fall in madly love with her at my careful urging and then he would be happy and not such a sour puss all the time. It seems like such a good idea and I jump from my bed to tell my parents. I enter their bedroom with out knocking and it takes a second for my eyes to adjust to the darkness but when they do I carefully walk over to their bed.

They both are so pale that they just about glow in the moonlight and with a blush I realize they're both naked with the covers pulled up just above their hips to cover their lower half. Mom is partially lying on top of Dad with her chest pressed into his and her head on his shoulder as he lies on his back. One of her hands is curled around his neck while his holds her against him. I should leave, but I want to tell him my idea, so I slowly creep over to them and pull the covers up a little bit more so when I do wake them I don't see my mothers… well… you know.

Dad turns his head when I do this and a small moan escapes Mom's throat as Dad brings a hand up to her hair.

"Daddy," I whisper when they're sufficiently covered by their blankets. He doesn't move so I poke his arm. "Dad, Mom."

Mom breathes out heavily and turns around on her side, letting her back rest along Dad's torso as she brings the covers up to her shoulder to tuck in better. She buries her head in the pillow and makes another soft moaning noise. Dad moves his arm because she's no longer laying on it and when I push his shoulder and call to him again he sits bolt upright as his eyes snap open.

"What…" he says and then he sees me standing there he sighs and lies back against the head board as he rubs his eyes. "What is it, Evelyn?" he asks tiredly with a yawn.

"I don't want to go to Japan anymore," I tell him as he squints his eyes and looks down at his watch, pushing the side so it will glow. "I want to have a pool party here at the Manor."

"Goddamnit, it's two in the morning. What were you thinking, Evelyn Grace?" he snaps, saying my middle name to show his displeasure. Like he just realized where he was he pulls the covers up and looks over to Mom who's still sleeping, facing away from us.

"Don't worry. I didn't see anything," I tell him and he glares.

"Go back to bed," he says in a low voice so we don't wake her up.

"Can I have a party here, though? For my birthday on Saturday?"

"Yes, fine," he says harshly. "Now leave."

"You don't have to be so short with me," I tell him as I stand up straight. "I just wanted you to know."

"Don't enter our bedroom with out knocking again." He says as he lies back down and closes his eyes.

"You should lock your door if you're doing something you don't want anyone to see," I mutter as he turns towards Mom and wraps his arms around her as he goes back to sleep. That's what he always said to Gavin when he was hauled up in the bathroom for weeks while he was going through puberty.

I shake my head before returning to my own room where it takes me two more hours before I fall asleep. When I wake up in the morning I skip down the stairs two at a time, excited about my party idea and anxious to talk to Mom about it so we can plan it together, but I stop half way down when I see my parents talking to Cassius in the front hallway. Every one looks so serious and morose that they don't notice me on the stairs.

"I'm sorry, Mom," Cassius says solemnly as Dad places his hand around her waist. "They're going to have the funeral on Tuesday."

Mom has this strange blank look on her face and she turns to dad before turning back to my brother. "I guess they were just waiting for me to read it in the paper, right?" she says, sounding a bit bitter and I have to wonder who they're talking about.

"Gin…" Dad says but she shakes her head.

"I'm going to go lay down for a bit," she says in a strange tight voice as she turns towards the stairs and with heavy steps she begins to climb them with her hand clutching the railing. She doesn't even look at me.

"How did he die?" Dad asks with his hands in his pockets and Cassius matches his pose. I have to wonder if they feel like they're looking in a mirror when they see one another.

"Byron said it was a stroke… I guess he's had a few of them."

Dad sighs and shakes his head. "I hate those fucking Weasleys."

Cassius doesn't say anything and then they both look up to me on the stairs. I smile uneasily. I just about have a smile for every emotion no matter what that may be.

_**Gavin **_

I still can't get over it.

I don't know what I was expecting when I went with Addison to the medi-wizard. I just did it because she was pouting and would probably spend the next week crying and yelling at me so I went. Like I said before I kind of pushed this whole baby and pregnancy thing to the back of my mind so I wouldn't have to deal with it directly. It probably wasn't the fairest thing to do because Addison couldn't do that so easily since it was her body that was changing, giving a constant reminder of what was happening.

I didn't say much as I was introduced to her Indian Doctor who was excited to tell me that he was my Mother's medi-wizard when she was pregnant with all four of us. That he even did check ups on us in our first few years of life. He smiled wide when he told me he didn't get a chance to deliver me, but he was there for the birth of my brother and sisters… he told me what a champ my Mother was through out the labor and what beautiful babies we all were.

"Of course you were so big I felt bad for your Mommy," he joked, nudging me in the arm. "I'm glad you thinned out but I think you just about broke your Mother's vagina on the way out."

Addison laughed at that but I felt disgusted and horrified at the thought. That is the last area on my Mom I want to think about. I tried to ignore him and I sat in the swivel seat as he checked Addison over. She looked nervous the whole way through and I did feel bad that I was making her do it alone all this time.

I thought we were going to be in and out of there in half an hour but he made us watch a memory of a birth and by the end of it I was pale and sick over the disturbing images. I am glad I am not a woman and just seeing blood makes me queasy, even seeing Byron Flint all covered in blood the other night would have probably made me gag had I not been drunk. Addison had to ask Dr. Landwear to stop the memory so I could step outside to get water and fresh air.

She's always been a better person than me. Even as I stood in the hallway with my head spinning I couldn't help but feel like a total asshole. She is the one that was going to go through that pain and I was the one in the hallway getting made over by all the nurses so I wouldn't throw up on the brightly tiled floor. I tried to gather my self together then and I went back in the room as Dr. Landwear made Addison swallow a yellow potion. He took his wand and pointed it to her stomach and then towards the wall.

I saw a blurry, twitching image that looked like nothing but a garbled bunch of fuzzy shapes but when Dr. Landwear said that was the baby Addison started crying and then looked to me like she was expecting me to have a profound feeling towards the shapeless blob on the wall. I look her hand and kissed her knuckles just out of habit and she turned back to the image.

"Do you want to know the gender?" he asked, looking back to us and blinking his big eyes under his ugly glasses.

I looked down to Addison who eagerly nodded her head. To me that thing on the wall didn't look even look human, let alone be defined as male or female. Addison squeezed my hand in anticipation as the Doctor told us it was a girl.

And then the weight of the world fell on me like a tone of bricks.

A girl.

Suddenly I had an image of some cute little blonde, brown eyed girl in a blue dress who called me Daddy in a sweet little voice and it made me pull my hand away from Addison. She was too busy talking to Dr. Landwear to notice me as I leaned against the wall with my arms crossed. To be honest I just assumed it would be a boy… because, well, I just did. I figured that would have been an easier thing to handle. I could relate to a boy, but a little girl... That was something totally different. I knew women well, I could handle them like a man handles a woman, but I was lost how to father a little girl. I'm way too young and after we left that office I realized I was absolutely and totally terrified of the idea.

"Gavin," I shake my head to remove that memory as I lift my head from Addison's stomach to look at her. She smiles at me as she runs her fingers through my hair. "You won't be able to hear her like that," she says amused at the way I had my head on her stomach as I rested in between her legs.

Her. The little girl that was growing inside the womb underneath me. I kiss her stomach for the hell of it and she smiles again. A part of me could understand my Father now. Suddenly, like all of this was finally real, I wanted Addison to have my last name as soon as possible so the little girl inside of her would be a Malfoy with out a doubt.

I was turning into some sappy idiot so I closed my eyes, trying to regain myself. Her stomach growls and when I open my eyes as she blushes, I find it in me to laugh.

"Hungry?" I ask playfully, trying to hide my unease about the whole thing and she nods her head.

"Famished."

She goes to get up but I push her down and get off the bed, pulling up a pair of pants as she covers her nakedness with the blanket. "I'll make you something," I tell her and that sweet little smile gets on her face that makes my heart thump in the most annoying way.

I throw her the paper on my way out of the room so she has something to look at while I make my way towards the kitchen. I really don't know why I volunteered to do that, I don't know how to cook and my culinary skills fall right along the lines of dreadful. I look in the cabinets and the fridge for something ready made and easy and when I see the cardboard boxes above the stove I smirk. Cereal it is.

I fill the bowl with cereal and milk and pour her a tall glass of water that I put on a tray and lift my wand to carry it out of the room. I even grab a muffin from the table on my way out and when I reach the bedroom again and set the tray in front of her she laughs.

"Cereal for lunch?" She asks as I bite into the muffin I brought for her and lay horizontally at the edge of the bed.

"It's my most famous dish," I tell her with a smirk, handing back the muffin.

I watch her as she eats, sending shy little glances at me and until finally she puts her spoon down and sighs. "What do you think we should name her?"

"Who?" I tease and she throws the rest of the muffin at me. I pick it up and start eating it, dusting the crumbs off of my bare chest.

"You know perfectly well who."

I shrug my shoulder. "Gavinia."

She snorts and rolls her eyes. "Be serious."

I sigh and look down at the bedspread, the blue one that Addison picked out three months ago. "I don't know. What do you think?"

She looks nervous suddenly as she hikes the blanket up to make sure they cover her breast. Just because I was nervous about having the baby doesn't mean the process of making babies was going to be taboo for me.

"Do you remember when I told you about my sister," she says softly, staring down at her soggy cereal.

Yes, I do remember that quite well. It was a tearful confession she made to me when we were in our seventh year of Hogwarts and all I could manage to do was pat her back awkwardly. Too much emotions displayed make me nervous.

"Emma?" I ask and she nods her head.

Emma was two years younger than her and drowned in the lake behind their house when Addison was ten. What kind of parents leaves a ten year old to baby sit an eight year old anyways?

"I think Emma is a good name," she says softly, like she thinks I would disagree. When I grab her leg and kiss the top of her foot her eyes look into mine.

"I think Emma is a wonderful name."

We stare at each other for a while until finally she remembers something and picks up the paper. "Have you read this yet?" she asks as she flips towards a page.

I shake my head as she finds it and turns the paper over to me. "They say Arthur Weasley died," she says, watching my reaction as I take the paper. I glance at the small article about him. There's a picture of the Wealsey patriarch with his wiry glasses and long nose, smiling out at all the people who want to view him. I throw the paper over my shoulder, barely even fluttering an eyelash when it lands on the floor with a thump. "Are you okay?"

"Why wouldn't I be?" I ask as I finish up my muffin.

"Well," she starts nervously until I look at her. "He was your Grandpa."

I hold her gaze very steadily and shake my head. "No, he wasn't," I tell her and this pitying look enters her eyes that pisses me off. "He was just my Mother's father… he's of no relation to me."

_**Cassius**_

It's hard when you know you should feel bad about someone's death, but you never really knew them enough to be upset about it. Isn't that terrible? I tried to feel bad… I really did try but I couldn't bring myself to. I know when I told Mom she was shaken up by the whole thing but I've only talked to Arthur Weasley a handful of times and his family… my family… was always at odds with my parents that it made any kind of relationship impossible.

Byron was obviously affected by it. Arthur was more a grandparent to my friend than he ever was to me. He used to take Byron fishing all of the time and he taught him all about the muggle things he loved… all the things sometimes I wished he would do with me but I knew it was a pointless wish. Now both of my Grandfathers were dead and I never got a chance to know either of them.

I asked Dad if we should go to the funeral and he said the choice was up to me but he knew he wouldn't be welcomed. I don't think I will. I hate funerals. I remember how depressing Grandma Malfoy's was, as one of funeral directors gave a eulogy about her grace and good soul and then she was entombed in the Malfoy Mausoleum that's right at the heart of the DeVaows Cemetery, where most of the wizard and witches in the area are buried, hidden from muggle view.

When I first saw the Mausoleum I was very young and I remembered being in awe of it as we said goodbye to Grandpa Malfoy, who is a stranger to me now. It's a giant white marble structure, the size of a house, with Corinthian columns holding up the front of it. The Malfoy coat of arms is etched into the front with a giant M sculpted into the brass doors.

Gavin was just a baby and he could barely walk when we went inside of it for the first time so Dad had been holding him against his hip as Mom held my hand. It was just us and Grandma that went to the funeral for Lucius Malfoy… and none of us had very good things to say about the man. The only person who cried was Grandma and I didn't even notice until she asked Dad for a tissue.

The main thing I remember about that day was that it was sunny and I was very hot in the dress up outfit I was made to wear. I wanted to go off and play in the grass but the death grip my mother had on my hand held me back.

The inside felt cooler and the air was musty as we walked our way towards the place where Grandpa was put to rest. I remember looking around the place in awe because it was so big and the ceiling was made of stained glass configured in an abstract design, casting everything inside in an array of strange colors that held me in fascination. Along the walls were tombs of other Malfoy's from the past with their names etched into brass plates and a likeness of them was set in relief against the metal.

When we reached Lucius Abraxas Malfoy towards the end of the hall I felt uneasy as Grandma placed a flower in the slot by his name.

"What is this?" My Mom said with concern and I looked at the brass plates underneath my Grandfathers.

I couldn't read so the other names were lost to me but I could recognize my own name and when I saw it on one of the brass plates I panicked.

"Am I dead?" I asked worriedly. Thinking I must be dead if my name was already on a tomb. "I don't want to be dead. Mommy, I don't want to be dead!"

Dad shook his head and put his hand on my shoulder as I started to tear up. "No, you're not dead, Cass," he said softly to pacify me but I was too scared and I started to cry in earnest so Mom picked me up and I buried my head in her shoulder because I didn't want to be dead and have to stay here in this terrible tomb.

"Why are our names on those plates, Draco?" Mom asked and now I know her name, Dad's name, Gavin's name, Lavinia's name, and even Evelyn's are there. All with our birthdates and a blank space for our time of death already there. I even bet as soon as Gavin and Addison have their baby it will be written in that tomb.

"When we got married and you signed that contract, Gin, you're name was placed in here," he told her like it was the most normal thing in the world. I was too busy crying about being dead that I didn't care. "Every time we have a child they'll be in here too. All Malfoy's are buried here."

"I don't like it," Mom said uneasily as she rubbed my back. Dad shrugged his shoulders as Grandma whispered things to Grandpa's name. "What about if we have a girl and she gets married?" she asked and I looked up with tear streaked eyes at my father as Gavin slept against his shoulder with a pacifier in his mouth.

"Then she decides whether or not to be with him or stay here," he answered softly.

"I don't want to be here," Mom said and I wasn't sure if she meant she didn't want to be buried here, or if she just wanted to leave at that moment.

It gave me the creeps then and it still does, especially to see my name right there, just waiting for me to die. The days up to the funeral I had barely seen Byron because he had locked himself up in his room, probably feeling terrible about the things he's done recently. He can put himself on a guilt trip like it's no ones business. I finally saw him when Tuesday morning came around, stepping out of his room and tying a black tie around his neck.

"You're not going, then." It wasn't a question so I didn't have to answer him. I had my bag packed ready to go to Crete with Bailey's team.

"Are you going to met up with us?" I ask.

He shrugs. "I don't know if I'm up for deep sea diving," he says, not looking me in the eyes. In fact he hasn't been able to do that since our drunken fight.

"I think you should," I tell him and his eyes finally shoot to mine in surprise. I sigh and crack my neck before continuing. "You know you're a real idiot sometimes," I tell him and he nods his head. "but I also know that when you're sober you're not such a huge dick."

That was me telling him I forgive him and a barely there smile tilts his lip as he slips into his suit jacket.

"Thanks Cass."

"Right," I say as I sling my bag over my shoulders. "Just because I forgive doesn't mean my sister should. You did a terrible thing to her and I hope you realize your chances at her ever trusting you… or me when you're with her for that matter, are close to if not below zero at this point."

"I realize that," he mumbles as he looks at his watch. "I better go."

"Me too," I tell him as we walk towards the living room. "I'll see you under the Mediterranean."

He nods his head and I floo away before he Apperates. I'm one of the last to arrive at the history lab and I look around at the people standing there before Bailey sees me.

"Ah, Mr. Malfoy has finally arrived," he says, walking over to me and barely even coming up to my chest. "I see Mr. Flint is not with you?"

"He may come later," I say honestly and he nods his head.

Bailey introduces me to the team with an enthusiastic bounce in this step as he tells them all about me as student. Most of the men are middle aged, silver haired, seasoned archeologist and there's only one woman towards the back who looks closer to my age. I shake all their hands until he finally turns to the full figured girl with chestnut hair who's wearing thick rimmed glasses and a pair of torn up jeans.

"And this is Paige Montgomery," he introduces and I shake her hand as her eyes look into mine. "She's smarter than you are," he says and I snort out loud.

"Unlikely," I tell him jokingly as I take my hand back.

That Paige woman lifts an eyebrow but doesn't say anything. We all get on a boat with our equipment in hand as Bailey hands me a wet suit while most of the others stand by communication devices on the deck. It really is beautiful out here and the day is clear, making the blue sky look almost surreal. It even smells crisper out here and I take a moment to enjoy the scenery, noting how hazy the horizon line looks in the distance as the sea meets the sky. When Bailey starts checking his compass for the coordinates I go into the cabin to change into the skin tight black wet suit.

I look out of the porthole as I zip it up, encasing my body in the hot material and I sigh. I love doing this kind of thing. Back on deck I'm handed flippers to put on my feet and I do so feeling ridiculously stupid, like a retarded duck. Some old man with a comb over hands me a handful of slimy, wormy looking Gillyweed and a pair of goggles so I'll be able to see under the water. I thank him and he gruffs in reply.

That Paige girl comes out of the cabin not long after me and I survey her body in the tight as hell wet suit, just because it's instinct to do so, and I figure it won't be so bad being stuck with her under water. She ties up her hair and I watch her neck, finding it fascinating. It's been too long, I decide as I look away.

She gets the same equipment I do and they hand us both cameras as she takes her place beside me, by the railing of the boat. None of those other old men have suits on and I realize they probably asked me here… and this Paige girl beside me… because we're young and can handle being under water better than they can.

"Alright," Bailey says as he rubs his childish hands together with a smile on his face. "If you think anything is of interest, just snap a picture of it and it will show up on here." He points to a screen one of the old men is sitting in front of. "Wear these."

He hands us both flesh colored, bean looking things and tells us to put them in our ears. When we do he brings his wand up to his mouth and coughs before he talks into it.

"Can you hear me?" he asks into his wand and it's so loud in my ears that I jump backwards and Paige catches me before I fall off the boat completely. "I guess you can then," He says amused as I regain my balance.

"Thank you," I mutter as I stand up on my own to feet.

"I'm starting to see how smart that big fat brain of yours is, Mr. Malfoy," she says with a smirk as she shows me I'm wearing ear pieces wrong. She is quite pretty I note as she takes off her glasses and sets them on one of the benches.

"This is just a preliminary search. So we're not expecting to find much," he goes on talking about other boring things but I zone out because it's sleep inducing, just like his class was. This is why it's not as fun to work with a team, there's always someone trying to make it boring and unbearable. "Ready to go in?"

I nod my head and Paige agrees as we both put on the goggles and swallow the Gilly weed, which is quite disgusting to be honest.

"You have two hours before you need to resurface," he says but I can already feel the affects of the plant changing my body so I dive into the sea when breathing in the air gets to be too hard because of the gills my body is developing.

I wade in the water for a second, waiting for Paige and when she splashes down beside me I make a hand signal and we start swimming deeper into the water. That old thrill of finding something awesome bolts through me as we swim deeper and deeper into the murky sea, passing fish and other creatures. I almost feel bad that I'm having such a good time when they're in England right now, burying my Grandpa.

I try to feel bad about it. I really try… but I can't.

_**Lavinia **_

Mom pulls some hair out of her eyes and secures the strands back in a tight pony tail at the base of her neck so they won't fall into her face again. I watch her as she gets ready to go to her father's funeral with robotic movements and a blank face. I lean against her door frame as she sits down on the edge of her bed to put on a pair of black high heels.

"Do you want me to go with you?" I ask when she stands up and sees me in the vanity mirrors reflection.

"You don't have to," she says softly as she goes back towards the mirror and takes out a tube of lipstick. "I don't even know if I should go," she mumbles before twisting the bottom of the make up and then applying it to her lips. Going threw this motion like a Zombie. "Will you zip me up?" she asks as I walk into the room.

I nod my head and reach for her zipper, pulling it up so her back is no longer exposed. "Is Dad going to go with you?" I ask as she throws her make up back down on the table with a sigh.

"No," she says like that was obvious. "He said he would, but I know it would just cause more problems."

She looks to me out of the corner of her eyes and I can see the emotion swimming in her dark irises.

"I did love my father," she says like she was trying to convince me, like I didn't believe her. "I know I haven't spoke to him in a while but I did love him… I loved all of them at one time, you know."

"I know, Mom," I say and I rub her back when I see her eyes water. She turns away from me and takes in a very deep breath.

"Maybe I shouldn't go," she whispers to herself as she plays with her necklace. "They didn't even tell me themselves… they probably don't want me there."

I decide right then that I'll go with her. "Mom," she looks to me over her shoulder with her face getting blotchier by the second. "He was your Dad. No matter what happened they can't take that away from you."

She nods her head and squares her shoulders. "You're right. I'll go."

"I'll go too." I tell her and she nods her head before I leave the room to put on a better outfit for such an occasion.

I settle on the deep burgundy dress hanging in the back of my closet and I pair it with a black cardigan and heels. I leave my hair down as I go back to Mom who's in the same position where I left her.

"Are you ready to go?" I ask softly. Right now the tables seem to be turned and I'm the one comforting… it's kind of weird.

"Yeah," she says but she doesn't move. When I cough she jumps a little and then grabs her purse as we leave her room.

Along with death always comes guilt and I know Mom must be feeling a bunch of that right now.

"You couldn't have staid with your family forever," I tell her, trying to sound wise but failing. "You chose Dad because you could have a future with him, you know." I say, trying to get her to understand my meaning so she doesn't feel so bad for turning her back on her family so she could stay with Dad. "You couldn't start a family or have children with your family like that…" That sounded weak but she nodded her head as we went down the stairs.

Dad was waiting by the front door with his hands in his pockets. When he saw me beside her and all dressed up he raised his eyebrow.

"Lavinia's coming too, Draco," Mom said tiredly. "So you have to put down the wards."

He lifts his wand and mutters a counter charm to the one that had been keeping me prisoner here for the past couple of days. I'm not even mad about it now.

He pockets his wand and steps over to her, cupping her face in his hands and giving her a sweet kiss on the lips. "Are you sure you don't want me to go with you?" he asks softly and I really didn't think my father could be so understanding and sweet.

She shakes her head as she looks up to him. "I'm sure."

"Don't let them bully you and make you feel bad," he tells her seriously and again she nods her head. He flicks a glance to me and then back at her as she takes out her wand. "Do you know where you're going?" he asks.

"It's where Narcissa was buried, right?" she asks and a pain goes through my heart at the mention of the Grandma that I loved.

Dad nods his head. "Be careful." With another kiss he opens the door and we both walk through it so we can get to the Apparation point. "I love you," he says and we both stop to look at him over our shoulders because he rarely says that.

Mom gives him a sad smile. "I love you too."

With that we leave, landing right outside the wrought iron gates of the DeVaow's Cemetery. They slowly open when Mom shows the gate keeper her wand and we walk the black paved road towards the grave that's crowded around with people. For some reason I become nervous as we approach the white wooden chairs that rest around Arthur Weasley's coffin and I start fiddling with the buttons on my cardigan because of it.

Mom takes my arm and intertwines it with her own, and a part of me is thankful for the connection because I hate funerals. I don't know anyone who does. It seems so unfair that such a sad event should have such beautiful weather and my eyes scan the other grave stones as we make our way towards the crowd of people.

Some of them are obviously new, with fresh flowers placed in front of their names, other's look wind torn from the weather and are crumbling, so much so that you can't even read the names. I would hate to be forgotten like those poor souls. When we pass a small head stone that has a sleeping angle on the top and scattered children's toys at the base I quickly face forward and decide that this place is too depressing. I refuse to look around again.

We take a seat in the very back row as one red haired fellow in a tan suit talks about Arthur Weasley and as he speaks of what a charitable soul Arthur was, and how he loved all his children I realize that must be my Uncle Bill. My eyes scan the crowd, because I'm trying not to look at the casket, because it would probably make me cry. Immediate family is sitting right at the front, right by the body and I look them over wondering if any of them think there's a spot missing there where my Mother should be.

A beautiful woman with golden hair has her arms around Julie Weasley, who's strawberry locks so closely resemble my little sisters that I had to look at her twice to make sure it wasn't Evelyn, beside them is a stockier built man with orange hair who's looking darkly down at the grave, he must be my Uncle Fred. Molly is wailing into a yellow handkerchief, almost screaming with grief as Ron Weasley holds onto her shoulders. Then Hermione and Rose look teary eyed before them with the same straight backs and puffy hair.

There was so much red and orange hair in that line that it wasn't hard to spot Harry Potter and Beatrice with their jet black locks. I didn't really put together that Chloe and Byron would be here as well, with Samantha standing stoically in between with her face turned down as she bounced baby James in her arms. My eyes flicked to Mom as she squints against the sun and looked down at her lap. I could tell she wanted to cry but she was trying like hell not too.

I would hate to be separated from my family, no matter how terrible and unfair they can be at times. I really don't know how she did it.

"Thank you, Bill, that was wonderful," Some old man with dark skin relieves the other red head from the podium who sits down by his perfect wife and puts his arms around her shoulders. "I worked with Arthur for forty years…"

He starts telling stories and painting a wonderful picture of this man that I never really got to know. When the service is done they lower the casket into the ground and the relief that I feel when it's over should probably be embarrassing. The family members take turns throwing dirt onto the coffin and I watch Byron's perfect body as he takes a handful from the pile and looks down at the coffin in the ground before tossing it in. He looks handsome in his dark suit and I find myself wishing he didn't think so lowly of me. Wishing that he loved me like he loved Selene. I shake my head to forget about it but it doesn't work. People in the chairs start to go up to greet the family but when Mom stands up she turns a totally different way.

I don't ask her where we're going, I just follow her until we're standing in front of two small head stones. Charlie Samuel Weasley's grave has a small dragon etched below his name and George Edger Weasley's is right beside his, with two wands crossed and jetting out light under his date of birth and death. I know these are my Mother's brothers and I take a step back to give her space as she stares down at them.

"Lavinia?" I turn to the owner of the shaky voice as Chloe gives me a watery smile.

I look towards my Mother, who's standing like a statue with her purse clutched in front of her, before walking towards my friend and giving her a hug.

"I'm sorry for your loss," I say into her ear, like the person who died was a stranger to me, and she pulls back with her eyebrows knitted together.

"He was your family too," she says, like it was strange I wasn't crying as well. I do cry a lot, I can see why she's confused. "I'm surprised to see you here, though."

I look over to Mom again, she hasn't moved. "Yeah, me too."

We stand there in silence and my eyes catch Molly Weasley as she comes walking towards us. Alarms go off in my head and I send a panicked look to Mom who has yet to look up from the tomb stones.

"Oh, no," I whisper as I watch the old woman, my Grandma, walk right past me towards my Mother. I really don't know what I should do and someone calls Chloe's name so she gives me another quick hug before leaving me there, standing all by myself.

I step closer to my Mom as Grandma Weasley approaches her and I start chewing on my lip because I have no idea what to do.

"You killed you're father. You know that, right?" Molly says and Mom turns around with watery eyes as my fists clench. What an awful thing to say.

"I knew you would say that," Mom answered quietly as she looked at her mother whose once vibrant hair is now a sandy white.

"All he wanted to do was talk to you again but you made it so damn difficult," she says and my Mom flinches. I stay rooted to my spot like some useless pointless statue, hoping that Mom would remember what Dad told her. "I know those Death Eaters messed with my mind," She makes a motion with her pudgy arm around her head and Mom watches her blankly with silent tears falling. "I know… I know that it's not true that you wanted Charlie dead, alright?" she says sharply and Mom nods her head while looking away.

"But your husband is the reason why I have those memories that say you did," I gulp and so does Mom. "I just don't understand you, Ginevra. I just don't know you at all."

Mom wipes tears away and sighs before answering. She stops mid sentence when she sees me watching and I feel like she doesn't want me to hear what she's about to say.

"I'm just," I say and Molly snaps her head towards mine and she looks me over. It makes me nervous. "I'm just going to go… over here," I say stupidly, pointing behind me like a moron.

Mom nods her head and Molly looks back to her as I walk off, feeling foolish. I bet Dad expected me to protect Mom or something along those lines because she was obviously upset by the situation and couldn't ward off the attacks her family would pull at her. I look over my shoulder once to see her talking seriously with Molly and I sigh and start walking away further. I'm getting sideways glances from everyone here because I have obvious red hair like the Weasley's so to get away from it I walk even faster up the small hill.

Once I get to the top I see the Malfoy Mausoleum off towards the center, practically blocking out the sun because it's so big. It just seems like such a waste of money to be honest and with quick steps I start walking towards it to visit Grandma, at least I know her. The sun beats down on me as the grass bends down under my feet and I try to step around the tomb stones so I don't step on anyone's body, for some reason that just seems disrespectful and I have this horrifying fear that some dead body will reach up through the ground to grab my ankle.

When I get to the giant mansion of a tomb I place my hand on the door and it glows softly before creaking open. Only someone with Malfoy blood in their veins can open it and I step into the cool air of the Mausoleum with my skin tinted colors of red and blue because of the stain glass ceiling.

I look around me for a moment, taking in the rows and rows of ancestors that are all lost to me now, people I would never know, and who would never know me or what happened to their blood line. I make it towards the end, stopping when I see Narcissa Rosalind Mafloy's name on the brass plate. I touch it with my fingers, running them along the grooves and tilts of her name before sighing and stepping back to view the rest of the plaques.

_Draconis Lucius Malfoy, Ginevra Molly Malfoy, Cassius Draconis Malfoy, Gavin Scorpious Malfoy, Lavinia Rosalind Malfoy, Evelyn Grace Malfoy_…. All our names with empty slots. It seems kind of morbid, really. To see your own name on a grave like this.

I look back to Grandma's plaque, taking in the small relief of her profile that's to the side. She once told me that she envied my Mom because she was born into a lower class family. She said that my dad had given my mother a freedom that she never knew, something her social standing and Lucius would never have allowed. She was there when Cassius was born and she said that she had picked out the wet nurse to feed him, the nurses to look after him, and the nannies to watch him like she had when she gave birth to my father.

It had surprised her when my mom dismissed all of them and took on the job of raising all of us herself. She was even more surprised when _her Draco_ sided with mom after she brought it up to him in private. She told me that when dad was born she had to hand him off to a bunch of strangers so they could care for him. Her upbringing trained her that way and Grandpa thought crying babies were annoying so her son, my father, was a stranger to her until he was four and old enough to understand table manners and to take care of himself mostly on his own.

That was something she regretted and she was almost jealous when Dad allowed Cassius' cradle to stay in their bedroom for the first month of his life, and every time she saw Mom breast feeding or playing with one of us she couldn't help but feel envious. I guess everyone has their private struggles.

With a sigh I stand up straight and say a silent goodbye to Grandma, touching her plaque one more time.

"Hey,"

I close my eyes and build up my courage as I turn to face Byron. "What?" I ask, trying to hide the quiver in my voice.

He's standing in the open door way and I just wish he would go away. He always shows up at the most annoying times.

"I saw you walk this way… so I followed."

"I see that," I state flatly, looking to the side to avoid him. Almost wishing that all my ancestors would wake up and crawl out of their tombs to protect me from this conversation. God, where did that come from? Cemeteries make me mental.

"Lavinia," he says my name in his deep voice like we were close and it makes me angry. "You have no idea how bad I feel about what I said to you… and what I did."

"Why?" I ask with a shrug, looking him bravely in the eyes. He doesn't love me and he never will. I know that. "It's what you truly think, isn't it?"

He shakes his head and steps inside the Mausoleum, casting red and blue light onto his skin. "I was just…" he says but he clenches his jaw shut and turns his head.

"You were just what?" I ask harshly, ready to hear his lame explanation. "You wouldn't have slept with me to begin with if you knew I was such a _slut_." He winced and acted like that word hurt him more than it hurt me and that made me mad too. "And then, you hit me," he opens his mouth to defend that but I cut him off. "I know it was an accident but now my Dad never lets me leave the house because I had to lie to him about the knot on my face so he wouldn't kill you."

"He already knows," he answers softly and my eyes shoot to his. He takes another step closer and I cross my arms.

"What do you mean 'he already knows'?" I snap as he takes his hands out of his pockets.

"He knows I was the one who hit you. I told him."

I studied him, trying to see if he was lying because I know he wouldn't be here right now if that was the truth.

"When did you tell him?" I ask sharply. He takes another step closer and when he notices me take a step back he looks down and sighs.

"He came to me the other day to return my journal," he says casually and my cheeks blush because I had forgotten he had taken it from me and that I had read most of it. "He asked me if I knew what happened to you… and I told him the truth."

"The truth?" I repeat as I knit my eyebrows together. This doesn't make sense. "Why didn't he kill you, then?

I muttered that part to myself but he answered anyways. "I told him it was an accident… I told him that I…" he trails off and searches my eyes. "Anyways, he believed me."

"He did?" I still don't get any of this.

He nods his head and I allow myself to be mystified by that for one second before realizing that I hate Byron with a passion. "I need to leave."

I went to walk past him but he grabbed my arm and I jerked away from him so hard that I rammed into the wall.

"Are you okay?" He asks in alarm as I grab my shoulder and glare at the flower holder that I hit. My eyes snap back to his and he shakes his head. "See this is… I told you… I told you the night of your party that I hurt everyone around me. I warned you."

"Yes, you did, and forgive me for actually wanting to be with you. You've done a very sufficient job of hurting me. Now I have to go." My eyes were threatening to cry again. I hate crying.

He makes a frustrated voice and chases after me as I storm out of the Mausoleum. "You can't possibly understand how sorry I am, Lavinia. If you wanted me to kill myself for what I've done I would."

I roll my eyes at his dramatic statement and keep walking.

"I don't care if you never talk to me again," he says as I weave my way through the tombstones that litter the cemetery. "but I don't want you to hate me. So please tell what I can do so you won't."

I stop walking and face him, he takes three steps back because he didn't anticipate that move on my part. Like he realized he was being ridiculous by chasing me through a cemetery and declaring he would commit suicide on my behalf he coughed and messed with his hair as he stood up straight.

"I'll never be your Selene," I tell him and his eyebrows shoot up. "I'm not like her at all so don't even try to pretend that I am," I tell him and it pains me to say it but I won't have him replacing Selene with me, some second rate version, that he'll never truly love.

"Selene," he repeats and then his face falls. "You read my journal too?" he says and then he turns around and rubs his face. "I know I should have put a privacy lock on that thing."

"Didn't you hear me?" I state with my hands on my hips as he mutters to himself with his back towards me.

"Yes," he says softly. "You don't want to be my Selene. I heard that quite well."

"I never will be," I tell him harshly and he nods his head with his hands going into his pockets, still with his irritating back to me. "I have a boyfriend now, you know. A boyfriend who loves me and wants to be with me…"

"Fine, now I get it," he says softly. "I'll leave you alone. I just wanted you to know how sorry I was."

"I'm sorry too," I don't know why I said that and I was sad when he started walking away. I watched his back the whole way before finally realizing I was just standing on some person's grave. I look down at the name Abigail James and I sigh. "I'm sorry Abigail," I mutter because my high heels are digging into her resting place.

"Lavinia?" I look up at Mom as she walks towards me. She looks at the Malfoy Mausoleum and then back to me. "Are you ready to go?" she asks with tears still in her eyes and her face blotchy from crying.

"Yeah, I'm ready," I mumble as we walk towards the iron gates. "Are you okay?" I ask her as we walk and she turns to me and nods her head.

"I'm fine," she answers and then she looks me over, probably noticing the wetness in my eyes. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine," I lie with a straight face.


	4. Chapter 4

_A/N: So, after being impatient and stupidly stubborn for a while I finally gave in and now I officially have a beta. So if you see any mistakes or typos you can blame LovingEmerald. Ha, just kidding.. I wouldn't totally throw her under the bus, but I really appreciate her taking the time to read and correct the things that I wrote.. so thanks for that._

_I also have to thank prim-a-prim and DiagonAlleyParis for helping me with my french. I guess two years of high school French really didn't get me very far... but at least I know that fromage means cheese... that will come in handy one day, I hope. _

_P.S. if you were confused about what a relief was, it's a type of sculpture where the subject is slightly raised or sunken from a plane- like stone or metal. _

_So, now you know.  
_

_**______________________________________________________________________________________________________  
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_**Cassius**_

As we make our way down to the bottom of the sea, I can't help but take a moment to look around at all the marvelous things that surround me, still in awe because I'm not jaded by the ocean yet. Fish weave in and out of the coral that's living and thriving on the rocks, and sea plants sway back forth with each movement. I look up at the shadow of the boat that is casting down on us, thinking about how funny the sea surface looks from down here, like a glass ceiling.

Paige punches me in the arm and I glare at her as she points over at a larger mass of rock, covered in moss and encrusted with other sea life that I can't even begin to know the names of. She takes out her wand and I see her lips mouth a spell, making it light up as she starts swimming towards the mass. I didn't even think to bring my own wand… I guess she _is_ smarter than me.

The colors down here seem to be at their most chromatic and some of them don't even seem real to me. I pick up the camera that was tied around my neck and snap a picture as Paige places her hands on one of the protruding areas on the stone. She does another spell with her wand, and the sea plants scoot out of the way to open up some room for viewing. She motions to me with her hand and I snap one more picture before swimming towards her.

She looks to me and then points down at the uncovered area, and I tilt my head as I look down on it. There's obviously a manmade statue under all of these plants because we're both looking down at a carved human eye. It has to be as large as my body and I take another picture of it so the old men up on the boat can see. Finds are usually never this easy.

"Mr. Malfoy," I hear Dr. Bailey's wheezy voice in my ear. "Get all of those plants off of it so we can determine if it is muggle or magical."

Paige must have heard that too because she gets to work, casting spells that will make the plant life leach off of the stone. She's taking forever and only doing one little area at a time, so I roll my eyes under my goggles and grab her wand from her. She looks pissed as she glares at me, but I just shake my head and cast a better, more efficient spell. Taking plants off of old ruins is my forte, actually; I'm quite good at it.

I do wordless magic with her wand and with a flash of light the plants and sea-life are gone, so we're looking right at the giant statue head. The eyes are blank and carved without irises, and the nose is wide set and partially crumbling. The lips are slightly curved down and the brow line in bold and thick, making it obviously male. Beside me, Paige snaps a picture as I swim closer to inspect it. It's turned on its side and cut off by the neck so that half of it is buried in the sand. I swim around it, taking pictures of its sculpted hair that's tightly braided in small rows and then curled by the nap of the neck.

I snap a picture of the ear when I notice a large pearl looking object set in like an earring, but I know better than to touch that. If wizards did make this, I can bet there's a curse on it.

"Cass?" I'm surprised to hear Byron's voice in my ear and I vaguely wonder how he got on the boat before he starts talking again. "Try to get a closer look at the earring to see if there's a rune on it."

Paige beats me to it and starts snapping pictures. I swim up beside her to try and get as close as I can without touching it; I smile when I see rune symbols set around the perimeter of the white stone. As I'm taking a picture of it for Byron to see up on the boat, I see Paige reach her hand towards it out of the corner of my eye.

I try to tell her to stop, but nothing comes out because we're under water. When her fingers touch the pearl-looking stone, everything flashes white and I slam my eyes shut as a force jets me backward.

I wake up two hours later in a nice warm bed.

"What happened?" I ask groggily as I sit up and rub my head. My entire body hurts, and when I open my eyes, I see Byron sitting beside my bed. Dr. Bailey is hovering around the other bed in the room with pictures in his hands and under him I see Paige lying down, listening to whatever Bailey is telling her. I fall back against the pillows with a sigh.

"There was a pretty bad curse on the pearl," he says and I nod my head. "But you're alive."

"Obviously."

"That's actually good news though," he says and when I look to him he smiles. "That means it's a magical object," he sits forward with his elbows on his knees. "The way the thing was carved suggests something from the Hellenistic period, and the runes are very ancient. I'd have to view it myself to really read them"

"Would that be before or after the break from the muggles?" I ask as I rub my temples. My head still hurts badly, and my bones feel like they've been bruised.

Byron shrugs and sits back. "We don't know exactly when that happened, but the way the hair was braided is a throwback to the Archaic period in Greece, which is pretty unusual. It's sporting two signatures from two eras."

"Do you think that suggests something significant?" I ask, but Byron doesn't get a chance to respond because Bailey finally noticed I'm awake.

"Oh, Mr. Malfoy, good work!" he says as he waddles over to me and touches my shoulder. It makes me flinch because it hurts. We're lucky that curse didn't kill us. "We'll have to go back again in a couple days to get that head out of the water… We don't want those fools from Madrid beating us to it… after you're all rested, of course. We're not exactly sure what that cursed stone did, but you're alive, so nothing too terrible!"

"Of course," I mutter and out of the corner of my eye I can see Paige getting up and putting on her shoes. It makes me feel like a wimp for lying in bed like this, so I sit up as well.

"I must go show these pictures to the University, but you stay here as long as you need!" he runs off with the photos in his hand and I turn my body so that my feet are resting on the floor.

Paige approaches my bed, wearing the torn up jeans and a hoodie that I remember her in before we got on the boat.

"Look," she says sharply as she puts her glasses on, and I raise an eyebrow at her brisk tone. "I shouldn't have touched that thing. It was stupid, and it could have gotten us killed. So, I'm sorry."

The whole time she said that she was looking at the wall behind me and I smiled a little.

"I forgive you," I tell her with amusement in my voice because of how uncomfortable she looks right now. "On one condition," I say as I stand up and her eyes shoot to mine in surprise. I realize now that the clothes I wore before I put on the wet suit are back on my body, and I snort at the thought of someone having to dress me while I was unconscious. "I'm hungry and you have to buy me dinner."

I'm even surprised I said that, but as my stomach growled I ignored how bold I was being. She nods her head and goes to fetch her bag, while I turn around and get mine from Byron who's looking at me strangely with a suspicious tilt of his eyebrow.

"I don't need your comments," I tell him as I sling my bag over my shoulder.

"I wasn't going to say anything," he says softly.

We Floo back to England, landing at the University's History lab and I look down at my watch as Paige goes through her bag and takes out a small money pouch so she can count her coins.

"You really don't have to pay," I tell her as she starts counting things on her fingers. "I'm more than capable."

"I'm well aware of that, Mr. _Malfoy._" The way she said that let me know that she was well acquainted with my last name. "But I nearly killed you today so I think I can at least buy you a sandwich." Her dark eyes turn towards Byron who's cleaning himself of the soot that covered his body. "Are you coming too, Brian?"

"Byron," he corrects her, but she doesn't seem to care as she throws things around in her bag some more. He looks at me and then to her and shakes his head. "I don't think so."

"Oh, don't be stupid, you're coming. We might as well get to know each other better because this job is going to take a while. You know, we're going to be doing all the hard work because those rusty old men can't take it."

Byron and I both raise our eyebrows to that and I find myself smiling again despite the ache that's still present in my body. We decide on a cheap restaurant in Diagon Alley to have our meal, and once we're seated, an awkward silence falls over us. To fill it, I turn to Byron who's messing with his silverware.

"How was the funeral?" I ask and his eyes look up to mine.

"Who's funeral?" Paige asks and we both look to her. "Who died?"

Byron coughs before looking at me and I know he doesn't want to talk so I go ahead and answer. "Arthur Weasley… he's my mother's dad."

"Your Grandpa?" she asks and I nod my head. "Why didn't you go?" the way she said that made me sound like a jerk, and I felt the urge to explain to her my whole family history so she would understand.

I settle on: "We're not close with that side of the family," instead, as I roll up my sleeves. I'm starting to feel really hot and I can't figure out why, so I look around the room to see if I'm the only one affected.

"Then are you two related?" she asks, looking in between me and Byron. We both shake our heads. "Then why did you go, Brian?"

"Byron," he mumbles as he runs a hand through his hair. He looks up to her and then away. "My family was close with him," is all he says and I'm thankful when the waitress comes to take our order.

Throughout the rest of the meal we learned that Paige Montgomery did indeed go to Hogwarts, and she was two years older than us, in Ravenclaw. She told us how she got involved with Archeology and why she settled on it for a career. The whole time, she kept calling me Mr. Malfoy and ignored me when I told her to call me Cassius… but, at least, she was saying it right. Poor Byron was 'Brian' throughout the whole meal. I felt like I was getting a fever and my head started aching again, so I didn't get a chance to talk very much... not that that would have mattered because Paige talked so much no one would notice.

I kept on sending glances at Byron out of the corner of my eye because he wasn't eating anything, and I realized he must have taken Arthur Weasley's death harder than I thought. When I asked him if he was okay, while Paige was in the bathroom, he nodded his head and said he was fine, but I knew better than to believe that.

"You can go home if you want," I told him but Paige sat back down and dominated the conversation once again.

"So do you think that statue was a part of the missing island?" she asks after telling us about her other finds from around the world.

I shrug. The first rule of this type of job is to never get your hopes up because ninety five percent of the time it's going to disappoint you.

"If not, it's still a nice find," I tell her and she nods her head.

Byron picks up a stake knife and I watch him as he starts messing with it, pushing the sharp end against his skin and then running it along the lines of his palm. I start squinting my eyes because the lights in the restaurant are making my eyes burn, I don't know why.

"I wonder how much more is down there," Paige says as she stares off into space. "There must be all kinds of wonders at the bottom of the ocean, just waiting to be found."

I nod my head, but I'm not really listening because I'm too busy watching my friend as he dances the knife over his skin with a blank look on his face. When he pushes down hard on his hand with the sharp tip of the knife, blood starts to bead against his palm. I kick him under the table so he'll stop, and I flick a glance to Paige to make sure she didn't notice. She didn't. Like he was coming out of a daze he shakes his head and looks to me.

"I'm getting pretty full," I say and he nods his head.

"Me too."

"What do you mean you're full?" Paige asks as she looks at Byron's full plate. "You didn't even eat anything."

He shrugs and I stand up, pulling money out of my pocket as the waitress comes over to give us our bill.

"Is this all together?" she asks with the quill hovering over her little paper pad.

"Yes," Paige says as she takes her own money out of the bag but Byron and I both say no as the waitress looks uneasily between us.

"Here's mine," Byron says softly as he hands his money to the waitress, and he starts walking away with his hands in his pockets without even waiting on me.

"This should cover both of ours," I say, nodding to Paige as I hand the waitress a stack of coins.

"You're not paying for my food," Paige says, actually sounding angry. "I'm supposed to pay for you. You know, I am very capable of handling this by myself."

She turns to the waitress and takes the coins that I handed her out of her hands and replaces them with her own. I raise an eyebrow as the waitress looks at me nervously.

We're both standing up and I'm about ready to fight back, but I realize we've caused enough of a scene, so I sigh.

"Fine," I almost sulk like a child and I can't imagine why. "Pay if you like."

"I do like," she says snootily and the waitress finally feels safe enough to leave.

We walk out together and find Byron leaning against the front of the building, seemingly stuck in his own thoughts.

"Well, I guess I'll see you two in a couple of days," she says, and out here in the sun her dark eyes look almost auburn.

"Thank you for dinner," I tell her honestly and she rolls her eyes.

"Goodbye, Mr. Malfoy," she says curtly and I shake my head by how stupid that sounds coming from her.

"Goodbye, Miss Montgomery," I say to mock her but she doesn't seem to get it as she turns to Byron who has yet to acknowledge us.

"It was nice meeting you, Brian Lint," she says and neither of us even bothers to correct her.

She turns to leave and I watch her walk away with a tilted head, having no idea what to think.

"She's kind of pretty," Byron mumbles beside me and I look to him.

"Yeah," I say, turning back to her as she becomes smaller in the distance. "In a weird, bitchy kind of way."

Byron snorts beside me but doesn't say another thing as we Apparate home. When I get there, I fall down into my bed as a sweat breaks out on my body. I don't leave my room for days because of the painful headache that's beating into my brain like a sledge hammer.

_**Gavin**_

"Mr. Malfoy, your Father would like to see you in his office."

I roll my eyes as I throw the quaffle up and down in my hands with my feet propped up on my desk.

"Tell him I'll be there in a minute," I say, annoyed with the thought of having to face my Father again. Rodger nervously plays with his tie, and when he coughs to clear his throat, I lift an eyebrow. "Why are you still here?"

"Well…" he says, looking everywhere but at me. "He said that if you weren't in his office within the next five minutes that he will fire you."

He said all of that quickly and he took a big breath at the end and looked to me with unease. When I start laughing, he seems surprised.

"Honestly, my father can be such a pounce sometimes," I say as I stand up and throw the quaffle in between the three metal hoops that I have placed at the end of my office. When it goes through one of them, I smirk. "I suppose I should go then," I say as I walk past my secretary, headed towards the main office on the top floor.

I take the stairs instead of the elevator and of course when I get there I have to sit in his waiting room while he finishes something up with a client. I pick up a magazine and start reading it as I wait, thinking he must have threatened me with five minutes because he knows I always show up late. I love that my parents are doing that to me now. They'll say something is starting at noon when it really starts at one so they know I'll show up on time. It's actually quite funny.

His male secretary keeps giving me side ways glances as I wait and when the office door opens up, I don't even lift my head from the article I'm reading.

"I hope this arrangement works out for both of us," I hear my father say flatly as he shakes the pudgy man's hand.

"Of course, Mr. Malfoy. Thank you so much again. Thank you so much."

Dad nods and the man leaves, and then his shadow falls on me as he pivots on his feet and looks down with his hands on his hips.

"Come on in, Gavin," he says seriously and it makes me feel like I was a little boy again, when he would summon me to his study for serious talks about behavior and time outs.

"Sure, Father," I mumble as I follow him in and sit down across from his desk. If I must work for my dad, I think 'father' sounds more professional in the workplace.

I look around his office with my arms crossed, noting how much larger it is than mine and how boring it seems to me. Everything in here is gray, dark, and depressing… at least, that's my opinion.

"Your mother's contacted Addison's parents to discuss the wedding," he tells me and I nod my head, already knowing that. Addison has been talking non stop about it for three days straight. He pauses for a moment, waiting for a reply, and when I don't say anything, he opens his desk drawer and pulls out a paper. "Explain this to me," he says coldly, his expression changing in a blink of an eye as he throws the paper on my lap.

I look down and frown at the picture of me, stumbling out of a pub in Knockturn Alley, with my arm around that brown haired leach from last Saturday. _Malfoy heir steps out again _is the headline, and I throw it back on his desk.

"I don't think I need to explain that," I comment dryly and he stands up, walking around his desk and leaning his back against it with his arms crossed, trying to intimidate me with his size.

"I'm going to remind you again that you have a fiancée now, Gavin, a fiancée who is carrying your child. There are always going to be cameras following you around and you can't do stupid things like this anymore."

I sigh and rub my face. "It was just a little fun," I say as I slump back in my chair. "It's not fair that I can't just go and have fun with my friends without getting in trouble for it."

Dad glares at me and he picks the paper up, pointing to the girl in the shot with me. "What's the name of this friend of yours?"

I shrug, "Just some girl I met," I shake my head and sit up straight, trying not to be upset. "It's my life, Dad. I don't need you monitoring every move I make."

"It's not very fitting for a Malfoy to so publicly cheat on the woman that he claims he loves," he snaps and fire burns in my eyes at those words. "Your carelessness makes the whole family look bad."

"I didn't cheat on Addison," I hiss, angry that he would think that but knowing the evidence would draw that conclusion. "I've never done that to her," I say and that's the truth.

"If that's the case than I shouldn't open the paper to find a picture like this in it again, right?"

"Right," I mumble. I sit back in the chair and rub my eyes again. We're silent for a while as his sharp eyes cut into me. After a while of silence, he sits back down behind his desk.

"You can leave now," he says but I don't move right away as he sits down and readjusts his glasses so he can read from the parchment in front of him.

"Dad?"

He looks up to me and raises an eyebrow as he studies my face. "Yes?"

"When…" I stop myself because I feel like an idiot and out of my element. I sit up straight, and try to regain some of my confidence. "When Mom was first pregnant with Cassius, what did you think?"

"What did I think?" he repeats and I nod my head.

"Yeah," I say uncomfortably. "Were you, you know, happy about it?"

He takes off his glasses and sits back in his chair as he looks me over. I feel very unsure right now, and that makes me uneasy.

"Yes, I was happy about it," he tells me as he looks into my eyes like he was trying to read me. "I wanted to start a family with your mother, so naturally, I was pleased," There's another long pause and I look away from him. "What are you feeling?"

I shrug my shoulders and start messing with my hair. I'm really not used to feeling this way… So out of control.

"Gavin," he says to get me to look at him and when I do, I note that his face is much warmer than before. "You can tell me what's bothering you."

I debate whether I actually should or not. I'm not very good at handling feelings or organizing my thoughts around them. Everything was so much simpler before all this happened.

"I don't know if I'm happy about it," I tell him and he nods his head. "I don't know if I want to… have a kid just now and that makes me feel terrible." I said that quietly, like admitting I was unsure was something unsatisfactory. "Sometimes, I just feel like this whole situation is chaining me down."

"That's because it is, Gavin," he says and I snap him a look because that really doesn't help me at all. "The question you need to ask yourself is: do you love the girl you're going to marry?"

I nod my head and start messing with my bracelet. It seems like such a stupid thing to admit.

"Then you'll be happy, and even if you didn't I promise you that, as soon as you see the baby you two made together, all your doubts about the whole thing will vanish."

"You make it sound easy, but it's not," I tell him stiffly and he sighs.

"Yes, it is. You're just over thinking it."

"So, that Dr. Landwear guy," Dad rolls his eyes at the name and I have to agree with him. "He made us watch that… birthing thing…"I cringe at the memory. "And, that baby looked so small and gross."

"They clean them off, Gavin," Dad says like I was an idiot.

"I know that," I snap as I continue. "It's just so small and all defenseless. What if they make me hold her and I drop her and she dies?"

"Her?" he asks with an eyebrow raised and I nod my head.

"It's a girl."

He laughs at me and I glare again. "Good luck with that," he says and I don't find this situation as hilarious as he does. "Girls are harder to raise than boys. There's a lot of crying and feelings involved."

"That really doesn't help me at all. Thanks a lot," I tell him dryly.

He smiles at me. "They're awfully sweet, though," he says tenderly like he was remembering something nice. "Little girls break my heart."

"Right, that's nice," I say, not really sure if this talk helped me at all. "Thanks for talking to me," I say honestly as I stand up and smooth down my waist coat just so I have something to do with my hands. He watches me as I do this and then I remember another thing Dr. Landwear said. "Dad, was I really a big baby?" I ask, I don't know why, I guess I'll feel even worse for Addison if that's true because what if the baby is just like me?

He snorts and nods his head. "You were huge and your Mother delivered you with out a pain potion," I wince for her. "Speaking of your mother, you should visit her sometime soon. I'm sure she'd like to hear from you and you should thank her for giving you life."

I nod my head, but don't reply.

"Take the rest of the day off," he tells me and my eyes shoot to his in surprise. "What time is Addison done with classes?"

I look at the clock on his wall. "She has a two hour break right now and then she goes until four."

He nods his head and picks up his quill to sign some of the papers in front of him. "Go home, Gavin... and drop your brother a line. I haven't heard from him in a few days."

"I have a couple meetings set up today with..."

"I'll take your accounts for the day," he cuts me off, and again I'm surprised. He looks up to me as he puts his glasses back on. "Now hurry up before I change my mind."

I smile at him before I leave and I go back to my office to grab my wand and briefcase. I decide to Apparate because the Floo network does nothing but piss me off, and as I walk through the building, I note that Terrance's desk is empty; he must be taking an early lunch. I debate tattling on him, but resist the urge as I Apparate in front of my Flat complex and take out the key from my pocket. Addison chose my outfit this morning, she says she likes seeing me all dressed up like this, especially in green dress shirts with black, silver buttoned, waist coats. I don't know what it is... girls are weird about things.

I'm not the type of person one would expect to fall in love. I'm narcissistic, selfish, and a little on the mean side, but I think the reason why I'm so attracted to Addison is because she's the opposite of all those things. It's not only that's she pretty, because she is, but beauty is something many girls possess. I think a major reason why I'm still with her is because she doesn't think I'm bad like most people do. Most girls I've been with knew my personality, they heard about the way I treated people; they expected me to be a dick, but Addison didn't. She always acted surprised when I did something mean… it was like she had never heard of my reputation before, and even now that we've been together for years, she still acts like I'm a good person.

I place my key in the lock and turn it until it pops. With a little smile on my face, I open the door, intending to have some afternoon fun if Addison is home, but what I see when I step into the living room makes any chance of happiness I had for the day vanish.

"Gavin, why are you home?" Addison asks in alarm, probably because of the look on my face.

"What the fuck are you doing here, Terrance?" I ask and the both jump up from the couch as I slam my brief case down and take out my wand.

"Gavin, it's not what it looks like," Addison mumbles nervously as she looks at my wand that is now gripped in my hand.

"Shut your fucking mouth," I snap and she flinches. I zero my glare in one my ex-friend who's looking at me with wide guilty eyes. "Well?" I ask coldly and he gulps.

My mind is making up horrid images, and I want to kill them both. I was being honest with my father when I told him I had never cheated on Addison. Even though I had been in situations that would have made it easy... It would almost be funny if she cheated on me considering who we are. No one would believe it.

"What the hell are you doing at my flat?"

"It's now what it looks like," he repeats.

I find that when people say _'it's not what it looks like'_, then it is always exactly what it looks like, and sometimes worse. I shake my head and lift my wand.

"Wrong answer."

_**Lavinia**_

Mom really hasn't had much time to grieve over her father because as soon as we got home she dived into her other responsibilities - like planning Evelyn's last minute pool party, and meeting up with Addison's parents to talk about Gavin's upcoming wedding. In fact, I haven't really seen her very much the last couple of days, and when I have been around her, she's been really short with everyone....especially Dad. I can't imagine why, though.

Since we've come back from the funeral I haven't been locked up in the house, but whenever I asked to go somewhere or do something, he always says no... So, in a sense, I'm still grounded. Most of my time is spent outside in the garden by myself because I find the flowers relaxing and the beauty of the scenery helps me not feel so bad when I read letters from Darius and write him back, acting like nothing is wrong.

He wants to see me tonight.

I know I'll have to ask my parents but they'll probably say no, and for once that doesn't bother me so much. He says he has some tickets for a show tonight, some musical, and he asked me to go with him... I look at the letter before deciding I probably should ask. I fold his letter over and start heading back towards the Manor from my concrete bench in the garden. I'll go with him tonight and try to be normal with him. I hope it will get my mind off of stupid handsome Byron Flint.

I have been with Darius for over a year and I think I could fall in love with him if I give it enough time. I might even tell my parents that I want to go to that school in Florida, so I can take a break from England for a while. I find Mom and Dad in his study, obviously fighting about something, and I cough loudly and knock on the door frame to get their attention. Dad turns to me with a fierce look on his face, but Mom doesn't even turn from her spot as she glares at Dad.

"Um," I start but I can't quite get it out, figuring I should just leave and let them have this out by themselves.

"What is it?" he snaps at me and I pale at his tone.

"Well," I continue as I mess with my watch. "Darius wants to take me to some musical tonight in Seville and I was wondering if I could, you know, go with him."

Mom finally turns to me as Dad plants his hands on his hips. "No," he says sharply and I'm not really surprised by that answer because that's all he ever says to me now.

Mom's eyes flash and she glares at him before totally facing me with her cheeks flushed in anger. "Yes, you can go, Lavinia."

"Gin," dad warns but she doesn't back down, so dad's top lip curls back in disgust. "I already told her no. She's not going."

"I say yes. She's my child too, and you're being unfair. For goodness sake, Draco, stop acting like a bloody tyrant for once." Mom looks into my eyes and tries to smile but it looks painful because she's so obviously upset. "Have fun, honey."

"Goddamnit, Ginny. I said no, don't override me."

"You can go," Mom ignores him, looking directly at me.

"No, she can't."

"Draco!" Mom stomps her foot and I decide that now would be a good time to leave before I get caught up in their cross fires.

"You know what," I say and they both look to me with tense frames and scowls on their face. "I didn't really want to go anyways," I mumble softly just so I don't cause anymore friction between them. "I wanted to finish reading this one book anyways..."

Dad turns around and runs a hand through his hair as he lightly cusses to himself.

"I'm just... I'll just go to my room," I say but he tells me to stop.

"You can go," he says darkly and I raise my eyebrows and flick a look to Mom, but she's too busy staring at Dad to notice. "Alright?" He looks to me over his shoulder and I nod my head. "What time will you be leaving?"

"The play starts at eight," I answer as I chew on my bottom lip. I catch myself doing it and try to stop.

"What time will you be home?"

"It will probably be a few hours... so eleven maybe."

"Make it ten thirty."

"Draco..." Mom tries to scold him but he puts up his hand.

"Ten thirty."

"Ten thirty it is," I mutter before lightly stepping out of the room and closing the door behind me so they can finish whatever it was they started in there.

"I really hate you sometimes," Mom snaps and I raise my eyebrows, deciding to stay and listen. I turn around and put my ear to the door, feeling so much like Evelyn that I'm almost annoyed with myself.

"That's lovely, Ginevra," Dad says sarcastically. Footsteps tap against the floor and shadows move under the door. "I told you not to let those bloody idiots make you feel bad, but you didn't listen to me."

"I'm sure if you had to stand there and listen to your mother rant at you for killing your father, then you would be in a sour mood too."

"You knew it would be like that," he tells her harshly and there's a long pause before she answers.

"That doesn't mean it doesn't hurt," she mumbles.

More movements and more shadows move under the door. When Dad talks again his voice is much softer. "They don't matter anymore, remember?" She must have nodded or something because he takes the conversation in a totally different direction. "Ginny, we agreed a long time ago not to override each other in front of the kids. I didn't want Lavinia to go."

"Honestly, you don't have a reason for her not to. You're just being a jerk about it."

"I have my reasons," he says narrowly and I wonder what those reasons might be.

"She's eighteen... she should go out with her friends and have fun," Mom says, and even her voice isn't as harsh anymore. "I don't want her to hate us and I don't want to be like my parents."

"We're not going to be," he says in a deep voice and I can just picture him holding her and kissing her cheek. "Maybe you're right," he says softly, "Maybe, I'm being too strict."

"Maybe?" she says and then she snorts making him laugh. "I want to always be close to all of them, Draco," she says so softly I had to strain my ears against the wood to hear it. "My Mom didn't always hate me, and I couldn't imagine saying the things she said to me to Lavinia or Evelyn, no matter what they've done or what I believe."

There's another long pause and the noises that I'm hearing makes me think they might be kissing. That will never stop being disgusting.

"You're going to have your work cut out for you this weekend," I hear her mutter breathlessly. "Evie's having her first boy-girl party."

"I'm already dreading it," he says and I smirk.

"What are you doing?" I spin around and face Evelyn who has her hands on her hips and an amused look on her face. "Are you spying?" she asks with a smile as she looks at the door over my shoulder.

"Of course not," I say haughtily. "What are you doing?" I ask, eyeing the blue two piece swim suit that she's wearing. "Getting a little practice in for Saturday?"

She nods her head and smiles. She pulls out an empty butterbeer bottle from behind her back, and I raise an eyebrow. "I need your help," she says as I eye the trash she's holding her hands. "Please?"

"What do you need help with?"

"Well, come on," she grabs my hand and pulls me outside towards the pool house where she's been decorating everything with pink and blue streamers and balloons. I look around the place and sigh. It really is totally Evie, to be honest. There are sparkles everywhere and cut out stars are hanging down from the ceiling with white strings of yarn.

She sets the bottle down in the middle of the blue carpeted floor and spins it. I look at her like she's crazy. "What do you need help with?" I ask as I watch the brown bottle spin.

"I need you to help me rig this bottle."

She said that so matter of fact that it's almost funny. "Why?" I ask as I bend down and pick it up. "Did you clean this out?" I ask suspiciously as I inspect it.

"Stop being such a fuddy duddy," she says with a roll of her eyes as she takes the bottle back. "I need to make it so that when Xavier spins it, it will land on my friend Kendra."

"You want to cheat at spin the bottle?" I say in a flat voice, and I almost laugh at her as she tilts her head to the side to look at me.

"Of course I do, silly. I wouldn't ask you to help rig it if I didn't."

"Are you sure you don't want it to land on Jeremiah for you?" I tease and she scowls.

"Oh, please," she says with a roll of her eyes. "Kissing Jay on the lips would be like kissing Gavin or Cassius."

"You say that now," I tell her knowingly but she looks annoyed so I laugh. "There are two things wrong with your plan, Evelyn." I tell her as I take the bottle back and throw it in the trash bin, ignoring the indignant squeak she makes. "I don't think there is such a spell for that, and Dad's not going to let you play spin-the-bottle no matter how much you whine."

"I'll figure that one out," she says, digging into the trash to get the butterbeer bottle. "And, what Daddy doesn't know won't hurt him."

"Dad knows everything," I tell her seriously.

"We'll see," she says with her chin tilted up in the air as she blows on the bottle and stomps over to one of the wooden air quidditch tables. "If you won't help me with that, then will you at least use your wand and put a little spell on these for me, please?" she asks sweetly, holding up a stack of invites.

"What spell?" I ask as I walk over to them and pick up one of the cards that give people the information about her party.

"Could you make it so their skin turns neon pink if they don't attend," she asks hopefully and I snort.

"No, I won't do that for you," she starts pouting and I roll my eyes. "What if someone doesn't want to come to your stupid party?"

"Everyone wants to come, of course," she says arrogantly as she flips a few reddish gold curls over her shoulder. "But I just think it would be a laugh if someone was late and they turned pink. It's just for fun," She grabs my hand and blinks her big slate eyes at me. "Oh, please, Lavinia. It will be really fun and it's for my birthday. Don't be such an old lady."

"What did mom say about it?"

She looks to the side for a few seconds and I know what that look means. Mom already told her no to that idea. "Well, Mom and Dad have been so on edge lately. Lavinia, please, please, please, please..." I start walking away but she follows while tugging on the back of my dress. "Pretty please with a cherry on top? Please, please, please... "

God, she's annoying.

"Fine," I snap as I grab the invites and I take out my wand. "But if anyone turns pink it's not my fault."

"Oh, thank you!" she hugs me as I do the spell and I hand them back to her.

"Just make sure you put the counter charm on the back," I tell her as I let her know what the spell is. "Or else they'll stay pink forever. Gavin was the one who made up that curse, so no one else will know what to do."

She smiles and nods her head as she skips back into the pool house. I watch her go with a little smile on my face before heading back to my room and getting dressed for the night. I'm actually kind of nervous... not the good nervous you get before a date, but that terrible kind of nervous that rests at the pit of your stomach when you know you've done something wrong, and someone is about to find out. I put on just a simple black dress and I barely even take the time to do my hair or makeup. For some reason, it feels wrong to dress up for him when I would rather... ugh... I promised myself I wouldn't think about it.

When Darius gets to the Manor, he smiles at me and I feel a pang of guilt pierce my heart.

"I almost put out a missing persons report on you," he tells me and I can't quite look him in the eyes. Everything seems watered down about him. His eyes aren't as intense and his skin even seems grayer than a certain someone. I have to stop thinking about it.

We Apparate to the theatre and when we take our seats, Darius takes my hand in his own. I almost cringe when he does this and I resist the urge to grab my hand back. It's such a sweet and simple thing that a boyfriend should do to his girlfriend, but I can't help but feel dirty as his fingers intertwine with my own. The show starts, and of course, it's a musical all about the power of love. I caught myself scowling more than once at the sappy dialogue and lovey-dovey lyrics and I looked down at my watch more than ten times which caused Darius to look at me questionably from the corner of his eyes.

"Is something wrong?" he whispers in my ear when I look down at my watch again. "Is this show that bad?"

I shake my head as the main girl characters starts singing a beautiful song about how much she loves her prince. I smile tightly at him, but it feels more like a grimace. "No, it's just I have to be home at nine thirty," I lie with an apologetic smile.

"Nine thirty?" he says a littler louder in a disbelieving voice and the couple behind us shush him. "The show won't even be half over by then."

"It's my Dad," I explain with a shrug... and it makes me feel terrible.

He looks foreword for a few minutes, staring blankly ahead of him with a tick in his jaw and then he stands up.

"Hey, sit down," someone hisses behind us and I look up to Darius as he takes my hand and pulls me up as well.

"What are we doing?" I ask him as he steers us down the aisle towards the cloak check closet where he hands the woman his ticket. "Darius?"

"It's nine twenty right now, Lavinia," he says impatiently as he takes my cloak and helps put it on my shoulders. "You know your father is going to castrate me if I get you home even a minute later than he wants."

I nod my head but don't say anything because of the guilt that is threatening to choke me.

We Apparate to the front gates of Malfoy Manor and the old gates slowly swing open to let us in, so we can make the long trek up to the house. Darius takes my hand as we start walking and I try not to let it bother me. I watch his profile in the moonlight trying to make myself love him, but I just find myself comparing him to Byron and I hate myself for it.

"This night was kind of a bust," he mumbles as he looks up at my home.

"I'm sorry," I tell him, but he shakes his head and gently squeezes my hand in such an affectionate gesture that it makes me want to cry.

"It's not your fault," he says, looking down at me with a smile, "it's just one of the cons of dating Draco Malfoy's daughter, I guess." I look forward and he squeezes my hand again until I look at him. "Of course, the pros far outweigh anything your father can throw at me."

I know I should smile, but I just can't, so I look forward again. When we make it to the front door, I let my hand drop from his and I look at his feet as he puts his hands in his pockets. When he bends down to give me a good night kiss I turn my head to the side. My throat starts to feel tight and tears sting my eyes. He must have noticed because he tilts his head to the side.

"What's wrong?"

"I'm sorry," I whisper and take a deep breath as I take a step back from him. "I have something I need to confess..."

"You're going to have to tell me at another time. It's nine thirty already, and you know how your dad is," he tells me and I know it's because he's afraid of my father.

I sigh sadly and sit down on one of the front steps.

"Take a seat," I tell him, and he hesitates before sitting beside me. I can't face him, so I look forward with my hands clenched together on my lap. "I... I did something and I know it's going to hurt you when I tell you," I tell him softly and I can tell his breathing has changed, and he's looking intently at the side of my face.

"What is it?"

I take another deep breath. "I cheated on you," I whisper and I'm not even sure if I said it out loud or if my lips just moved.

"Pardon?"

I turn my head and look him in the eyes as he searches my face. "I cheated on you."

"Cheated?" he says slowly, like it was sinking in. "You kissed another guy?" I don't say anything to that and my expression must look even guiltier than before because his eyes grow wide and he scoots away from me. "You slept with someone else?" he says in a disbelieving voice, like he was waiting for me to say I was kidding. When I nod my head, he rubs his face. "Jesus Christ, Lavinia, you wouldn't even let me feel you up!"

I blush, but he doesn't notice as he stands up and starts pacing back and forth in front of me. "I'm really sorry, Darius," I tell him honestly. I was selfish with my actions and I didn't even care about him at the time. What a terrible person I am.

"When?" he asks flatly when he stops pacing. He is turned slightly away from me so I can't see his face. "How many times?"

"Just once," I answer softly as I look down at my hands. "At my graduation party."

"Your graduation..." he trails off and then he shakes his head with a disbelieving snort. "It was because you were mad at me?" He really had nothing to do with it, but I can't say that so I nod my head and he starts pacing again. "Who was it?"

His voice sounds darker, so I look up to him. "It doesn't matter," I tell him honestly. Telling him won't change a thing, and it's not like Byron cares about me.

"It doesn't matter?" he hisses at me and I flinch. "Of course it matters. Tell me who it was, so I can go kill this bloke."

Coming from a person like Darius that threat is kind of ridiculous, but I can't find the humor in it right now, not when this whole situation is so upsetting to me.

"I really am sorry," I whisper honestly.

"I'm sure you are," he snaps and hot tears slip from my eyes. There's a long pause until he finally speaks again. "This guy..." he says with distaste, but I can't look at him. I wish this conversation was over so I could go inside and try to pretend like all of this didn't happen. "This guy that you slept with, do you want to be with him?"

I can't answer that question because I really don't know how to, so I shake my head.

"Do you still want to be with me?" he asks with such uncertainty in his voice that it's painful to hear.

I don't answer right away. "I don't know," I finally manage to get out and when I look up to him, I see him glaring off at the trees as he wipes his eyes off with the heel of his hands. I crumble a little more when I realize he's crying.

I've actually made a boy cry.

I feel like the worst kind of girl and I start crying in earnest now, which is usual for me in most painful situations. He cusses to himself and starts mumbling under his breath about how he should have known, and to get away from it I close my eyes and tilt my head down in shame because of what I've done and how much I've hurt him. We stay like that for a while until I feel warm hands wrap around mine. I snap my eyes open in surprise and see Darius kneeling front of me with his face level with mine. His brown eyes look almost black out here in the dark and deep down, I secretly wish they were blue and that makes me hate myself more than I already did. He studies my face before cupping my face in his hands and gently kissing me on the lips.

"Figure it out," he says softly against my skin and I nod my head. "Keep in mind that I'll forgive you," he tells me, and then he leaves.

I watch as his back disappears down the path and I stand up and wipe off my face. When I realize I'm still sobbing like an idiot, I go inside and start running towards my room, barely even glancing at my sister who's standing in the hallway. I keep the lights off as I crawl into my bed and I push Cato off my pillow as I pull it to my chest for something to hold on to. Cato meows in annoyance and runs out of the room, but I could care less. It takes hours, but eventually, I stop crying and I just stare blankly at the wall ahead of me with dry tear tracks still staining my cheeks. I've decided that boys do nothing but ruin my life.

When the door opens, I don't even bother turning and when a skinny body slides into my bed beside me, I don't bat an eyelash.

"It's okay, Lavinia," Evelyn whispers as she wraps her arms around me and grabs my hand that's clutching the pillow for dear life. "I think all boys are stupid."

I find it in me to smile a little at that, not so much because of what she said, but because she was obviously spying on me again. I'm not even mad.

"I agree," I say in a hoarse voice and I fall asleep to my little sister humming in my ear.

_**Evelyn**_

When I wake up, Lavinia is still sleeping beside me, so I think she'll probably sleep in late again today. She's doing that more and more often now, so I kiss her cheek before getting up and bounding to my room. May 30th, my birthday, is officially close. I spend the morning making sure everything is in order and putting the finishing touches on the decorations so I won't have to worry about it when Saturday rolls around. I eat my breakfast and my lunch with Mom and Dad because Lavinia stays in bed, and when it's time for my ballet practice, I make sure to pack all the pink invitations in my bag, right along with my ballet slippers and water bottle.

Mom Apparates me to the ballet studio and tells me to have a good time with a kiss to my cheek. I smirk as I prance into the ballet room where most of the people in the class are sitting on the floor, changing out of their regular day shoes. I clap my hands to get everyone to look at me and when all eyes are on me, I smile.

"I have an announcement," I say as I beam at everyone. Of course, Xavier rolls his eyes and he turns his back on me to stretch out his legs. "I'm having a party for my birthday on Saturday and you're all invited," I tell them all excitedly and I see their eyes light up.

I can't say I blame them. Malfoy Manor is like a wonderland to everyone who doesn't live there. I reach into my bag and pull out the invites, smiling at all the eager faces. "Make sure you bring your swim suits and a towel," I say as I walk in between them to hand out the cards. I weave around their bodies as I tell them about the pool we have in our back yard and lake we can jump in if we're feeling a bit more adventurous. "There's going to be plenty of food and stuff to do there."

When I hand one to Kendra, I stand a little straighter and try to make my voice louder, "Hopefully you'll be able to impress us all with your amazing diving abilities, Kendra," I tell her, watching to see if Xavier is paying attention out of the corner of my eye. Of course, that grumpy little troll isn't as he walks over to the barre and starts doing small warm ups. I find it awfully irritating when people don't pay attention to me.

"I really haven't done stuff like that in a while..." she mumbles, but I wave a dismissive hand.

"Hosh-posh," I say, batting that comment away, "I'm sure you're amazing." I will not have my plans of getting Kendra and Xavier to fall in love be spoiled, even if it's Kendra and Xavier who are the ones doing it. "It's charming how modest you are."

"I'm not –"

I ignore her as I walk over to the anti social French idiot who's stretching out his legs against the barre. I cough to get his attention and when he doesn't acknowledge me, I kick him in the shin. When he glares at me, I smile and hand him a pink invitation.

"You're invited too," I say sweetly.

He takes the invitation and looks down at it with distaste clearly written on his face before balling it up and throwing it in the nearest trash bin. Normally I would be insulted by that reaction, but it doesn't really matter because he already touched it meaning the curse I had my sister put on will work.

"Throw whatever hissy fit you like, Xavier," I tell him with a smirk. "You still have to come."

"Pourquoi devrais-je t'écouter, tu n'es qu'une petite fille gâtée?" he mutters angrily and I roll my eyes.

"If you really think I'm a spoiled princess than I suggest you make an appearance or you'll be neon pink for the rest of your life."

His hazel eyes snap to mine and he stops stretching, "What eez your meaning?"

My smirk only gets wider. "See you Saturday,"

He's about ready to question me further, but Madam Violet enters the room and claps her hands. "It's not social hour, people," she says harshly and everyone jumps up at the cold tone in her voice. "Take your places."

Everyone scurries to their spots, but me and when Madam notices her eyes narrow. "Miss Malfoy, I think it would be wise if you listened to me," she says and I nod my head and start walking towards my spot. "You might want to remove the flip flops."

I look down at my feet and then back to her with a smile on my face. "Of course, Madam."

I change into my ballet shoes and the rest of the class time goes by really fast. Most of the girls, and even a few of the boys, ask me excited questions about my party while Xavier the Irritating glares at me every time I turn to him. He really is a piece of work. Mom picks me up from practice and that night, I'm so excited that I barely sleep. The days pass by without much of anything happening, and when Saturday finally rolls around, I'm so giddy with happiness I fear I may bust at the seams.

I wake up extra early to make sure everything was how I liked it and Mom spent most of the morning in the kitchen baking my birthday cake. It was all lopsided and ugly, but so heartwarmingly endearing that I gave her a big hug as soon as I saw it. I don't understand why daddy just doesn't take over the job of making the birthday cakes every year. If you think about it, cooking is really close to potions, and my father is wickedly good at that subject.

When the clock in the hallway chimed noon, I ran up to my room to peel off my clothes and put on my new swimsuit. Mom bought it especially for this day, and I love it already. It's at two-piece that's light blue in color with silver stars patterned across it; the crisscross pattern on my back makes it look very cool... at least, that's what I think. I had begged Mom to do my hair and she finally gave in as I sat in front of her on the floor in one of the living rooms as she French braided my hair. She was just finishing tying off the right side when Jeremiah Floo'd in, and I jumped up and ran over to him, crushing him to me in a tight hug.

"You came!"

He rolls his eyes and awkwardly pats my back. "You say that like you actually think I wouldn't."

"Evelyn Grace," I reluctantly turn around to see my Dad in the doorway, giving me a stern look. "You can't just be prancing around the house greeting your guests in that," he looks at the swimsuit I'm still wearing, and I sigh.

"I wanted to show Jeremiah what I did to the pool house anyways," I say curtly as I look him over, smirking at the bright green shirt and orange swimming trunks he wearing. He looks ridiculous. "Come on, then." I say as I take his arm.

"Evie, don't you want me to finish your hair?" Mom asks with a small smile, and I find it in me to blush as I bring a hand up to my hair and notice that while one side is tightly braided, the other is still hanging down in loose curls.

"Oh, yes," I mumble as I plop down on the floor in front of her again. Jeremiah sits in the chair across from us, trying not to laugh.

It feels like it's been forever when she's finally done and I hop up again, making a motion for Jay to follow. "Wait, Evelyn,"

"What is it?" I ask impatiently as I cross my arms and face her again.

She takes out her wand and points it at me, putting a sun blocking charm on my skin and I roll my eyes irritably. "You're going to be out in the sun all day, little lady," she tells me in response to my reaction. "Don't give me that look."

"But I don't get freckles like you and Gavin," I whine. I will never get a tan if she keeps on assaulting me with sun screening charms that would protect even an albino who was allergic to the sun.

"But you _can_ get skin cancer, so stop complaining," she says as she puts the charm on Jeremiah as well. That smirk he had on his face vanished pretty quickly after that, I must say. "Make sure if you go in the pool that Lavinia's out there with you."

"Fine," I mutter. My parents are making Lavinia be our chaperon and I bet they want her out there to spy for them.

She finally lets us go outside, and to Jeremiah's immense pleasure, Lavinia is already by the pool, sitting on the edge with her feet in the water as she reads a book. He stops walking all together as he stares at her in her modest one piece swimsuit.

"I hope you don't start drooling," I tell him haughtily. "I don't want all of my guests stepping in your saliva," I say as I start walking towards the pool house.

Jeremiah gives one more pining look towards my oblivious sister before chasing after me. "Is your sister going to hang out with us today?" he asks and I roll my eyes before opening the glass doors to the pool house. He stops in the door way and looks around with wide eyes. "Jeez Evelyn. Did you leave some glitter for the rest of the world?"

"Do shut up," I tell him briskly as I go over to the record player and turn the knob to full volume before switching it on. "She's going to babysit us, just in case any of us drown or something, she'll be able to save us," I give him a pointed look knowing he's deathly afraid of deep water and he mutters before turning away with his arms crossed.

The music starts blaring and Jeremiah jumps and covers his ears from the noise… I guess it is a bit loud. Outside, I hear a yelp and then a splash and my heart sinks as I run over to the doorway. Lavinia resurfaces from the pool and spits out a mouthful of water, and I gulp as she looks around her and then dives back under, only to reemerge again with her now ruined book in her hands.

"Oops," I whisper as she climbs out of pool and squeezes the book together so water drips from its pages like a waterfall. "Darnit," I say as she angrily flicks her long hair out of her eyes and flips through the now soaking book with a scowl on her face.

"What!?" Jeremiah yells beside me over the music with his hands still tightly covering his ears. When he looks over to the direction I was staring, he pales when he sees Lavinia stomping over to us.

"Turn that down!" she yells as she pushes us aside and makes her way over to the record player. She pulls the needle off the disc so it stops playing and then she turns around and glares at me. "You ruined my book!"

I'm almost surprised by the furious look on her face because she's been acting like such a zombie for the last couple of days. "Don't you know a drying charm?" I offer as Jeremiah slinks further behind me to hide. What a coward he is.

"Of course I do, but look," She opens the book and peels apart two of the soaking pages, showing me how the ink has all run together. "I don't know how to fix that. It's totally ruined because of you."

"Sorry?"

"You're going to be sorry if Mom or Dad can't fix it," she hisses before stomping away. I watch as she grabs her towel and she throws on a pair of shorts before going back into the house.

"Are you going to get in trouble?" Jeremiah asks behind me and I glare at him.

"Thank you for the support, bunny rabbit," I tell him. His official name should be Jeremiah the Cowardly. "I won't get in trouble if my Dad scolds me because I'll just start crying and he'll give in... if it's Mom though..." I trail off and let it hang in the air. I don't get away with half as many things with my mother.

I look around with my hands on my hips and when I see the butterbeer bottle I've been secretly trying to charm my eyes light up. "I have a job for you, Jay," I tell him as I walk over and pick it up. "I want everyone to play spin the bottle, so I can get Kendra and Xavier to kiss."

"That's a stupid idea."

I narrow my eyes at him. "No one cares what you think," I tell him shortly and then I flick a braid over my shoulder and tilt my chin up. "I'm going to try to bribe Lavinia, so she won't tell," and hopefully she'll forget about the mishap with her book… "And I need you to keep my Dad busy, so he doesn't pop his head in while we play."

"What do you mean 'keep your dad busy'?" He asks like that was a horrid idea to him.

"Well, when I give you a signal, I want you to go find him and tell him that you think stocks and bonds are interesting."

He makes a face at me. "I don't think stocks and bonds are interesting," he says flatly.

"So?" I sigh when he doesn't get it. "Take one for the team, Jeremiah. Just tell him that and he'll talk your ear off for an hour about it while we play."

He looks away with his eyebrows scrunched together as he thinks about it. "So, I don't get to play?" he asks and I roll my eyes again.

"You said it was stupid," I remind him and he shrugs as he looks at me crossly. "There isn't even a girl that's going to be here that you would want to kiss, is there?"

A faint blush stains his cheeks as he looks away. "Of course not, I just don't think it's fair that I have to go and talk to your frightening father, while that old toad Zavi-a gets to kiss everyone. That's all."

"Please, I'll be forever in your debt," I tell him as I blink my eyes and try to look pitiful.

He still stares at me stonily, but I can tell his resolve is starting to melt when I jet out my lower lip. "Oh, fine then, but you owe me one."

"You're wonderful!" I tell him and I hug him tightly again.

"Yeah, yeah..." he mutters.

"Evelyn," I turn to the door, surprised to see Mom there staring at me and Jeremiah with amusement in her eyes. "You need to come inside now and greet your guests as they show up."

I give Jeremiah an excited smile before skipping into the house to welcome my friends. The whole ballet class shows up with brightly wrapped presents and smiles on their faces as they look around them. Everyone but Xavier, of course, and I find myself disappointed that he didn't come. Maybe Liv did the spell wrong.

I start having fun despite my plan of romance being ruined, and after a while, a group of us start playing Marco Polo in the pool as house-elves hand out drinks and ice-cream. When it's my turn to be the finder, Jeremiah swims over to me and ties the blind fold around my eyes with his skinny chest pressing into my back.

"Can you see anything?" he asks into my ear and I shake my head honestly because now all that I see is darkness. "Good luck, birthday girl," he whispers and I smirk.

"I don't need your luck," I tell him with a smile, "I know I'll be able to find you in the shallow end where the water comes up to your knees."

He splashes me and I giggle before starting the game. "Marco?"

"Polo," a few voices answer at the same time and I swim to my left towards Tammy's voice.

"Marco?"

"Polo." I jump when I here Jeremiah's voice so close to my ear and I smile as I swim after him. With the blind fold on, I can tell that his voice is starting to get deeper and it makes me smile thinking of him as a man.

"Marco?"

"Polo," he answers and I can tell we're getting into the deeper end of the pool. I say Marco again and Jeremiah sounds so close that I lunge forward.

My hands find purchase on his shoulders and my chest runs into his, causing him to put his hands on my waist to steady me. I start giggling as I lower the blindfold with one hand, looking up into his eyes.

"Got you."

"Yeah," he says softly and he's looking at me in such a strange way that I almost ask him what he's doing.

A shadow falls over us and we both pull our hands back as I look up at my sister who's standing over us with her hands on her hips. "There is a very angry looking, neon pink, French boy in Dad's study."

I start laughing as I climb out of the pool, but Lavinia doesn't find it half as funny as she follows me back to Daddy's office. I open the door and see a very pink Xavier scowling with his arms crossed as my Dad leans against his desk and stares at him with his head tilted to the side. They both turn to me when I come in as a puddle of water pools at my feet because I didn't bother with a towel.

"I'm glad you came," I tell him and his eyes snap to mine. It's really funny that he looks so upset considering he's the color of bubble gum. "You really should have been on time, though."

"Do you know the counter charm to this?" Dad asks sharply, not finding it funny either. People are so boring.

I look over my shoulder at Lavinia, who sighs before lifting her wand. Xavier turns back into a normal shade as Lavinia looks at Dad. "She made me do it," she says before leaving the room with a stomp of her foot.

I look at Dad and smile, but he gives me another one of those fatherly 'you shouldn't have done that' glares. "Apologize to your friend."

"Je suis désolée," I tell him, trying to sound apologetic and I thought saying it in French was a nice touch but he scoffed at me. "Do you want to come swim with us?" I ask hopefully.

"Non."

"Oh, please will you stay?" I ask as I go over and grab his hand. Dad raises his eyebrows and Xavier tries to pull his hand back, but I clamp my fingers down. "I wanted to show you my Grandmother's dance room. You've heard of Narcissa Black, right?"

He nods his head as he looks at me like I was crazy. "Evelyn, if he wants to leave, you let him leave," Dad says briskly and I nod my head.

"S'il vous plaît?"

"Will my skin... stay normal?" he asks, pronouncing his i's like they were double ee's.

"If you stay." I tell him and Dad shakes his head at me, but I won't give in. Plan A is officially back into motion.

"Show me dzees dance room," he commands, and I roll my eyes.

Dad doesn't even stop me as I make a motion for Xavier to follow me. He does so with his snooty head in the air and his hands in his pockets. I suppose my father doesn't see him as a threat because he's so annoying and hateful towards me. The whole way to the swan room Xavier looks around the house with barely veiled disgust, and when he crinkles his nose at the suits of armor we pass I finally ask him what his problem is.

"Dzere ez no shame 'ere," he says as he shakes his head. I resist the urge to stomp on his foot so I square my shoulders before opening the door to the swan room.

"You're just jealous because you're poor."

He brings out the worst in me, he really does, and when his cheeks blush red, I apologize to him. He's the only person who doesn't like me and I think it's terribly annoying. I am a very likable freaking person. We don't talk the rest of the way as I open the hidden door behind the wardrobe. When we enter the dance room, his jaw drops as he steps onto the floor and looks around. The walls are covered in golden framed mirrors with ballet barres attached to them and the bit of wall that's not covered is painted a deep dark blue. The floor is black and the ceiling is white and modeled with large golden chandeliers hanging down low that cast the room in a soft orange glow.

"Isn't this nice?" I say as I walk over to Grandmother's portrait and I wave to her.

"Happy birthday, Evelyn," the painting tells me and I smile.

"Thank you. Grandma, this is my... " I was going to say friend, but I stop myself. "This is Xavier."

"The dancer?" she asks as she looks over my shoulder at Xavier who's still looking around the room in awe. "He's cute," she says with a smirk and I glare. "Why are you all wet? You look like a drowned cat."

"Don't be rude. Xavier, come say hello to my Grandmother."

Like he finally realized I was still very much in the room with him, he walked over to me until we were standing side by side. "Evelyn has told me a lot of good things about you," she totally lies and I snort. Xavier doesn't say anything and Grandma's portrait smiles coolly down at him. "Pleasure, anyways, Evelyn I hope you haven't forgotten my birthday is today as well," she says.

I nod my head. When she was alive we use to take a night and celebrate our birthdays together.

"Are you going to go visit me?" she asks with an eyebrow raised and my smile slips a little bit. I really don't want to go to the cemetery. "You know how much I love daisies."

"Yeah..." I say uncomfortably as Xavier watches me out of the corner of his eye.

"I think it's important to honor your ancestors and all that. It shows a proper upbringing."

"Of course. Well, sorry Grandma. Xavier and I really must be going... there are a lot of people outside waiting for me and… yeah… bye." I wave to her and grab Xavier's arm as we walk out. "Her portrait is awfully chatty," I explain to him as I close the wardrobe, hiding the door. "She really was never that way when she was around. I guess she just must get bored."

"Where does she leeve?" he asks and it's takes me a second to figure out what he was asking.

"Oh, she doesn't live anymore. She's dead. She wants me to go to the cemetery and put flowers by her tomb, but you know what? I hate doing it. I think it's quite depressing, but I think she just wants everyone to know that there are people who still care about her as opposed to those other Malfoys in the Mausoleum."

He looks at me, but doesn't say anything as we walk outside. He didn't bring a swimsuit, so he just sulked and sat off to the side the whole time, but personally, I was surprised he stayed. Every time I sent Kendra over to give him a drink or to ask him a question, he scoffed at her and she came back near tears every time because he was so mean. I also tried to get Kendra to do some cool things off the diving board, but she wasn't lying when she said it had been a while because the first dive she attempted, she landed right on her stomach and the smack against the water made everyone cringe. Her torso was red the rest of the day and I gave up on any plan of them falling in love because they were both being terribly stubborn about the whole thing. I decided to forgo the kissing game because it was a chore getting Xavier to come here and I bet it would take an arm and a leg to get him to play. I sure didn't want to be stuck kissing anyone here anyways.

Jeremiah was happy when I told him there would be no spin the bottle and he spent the rest of the day doing surly impressions of Xavier who was leaning his back against the pool house with his arms crossed. More than one time, I caught him looking right at me and I knew it was probably because he was thinking of how much he hated me and thinking terrible things about the way I looked. I didn't let it bother me. After presents and Mom's lopsided cake, everyone went home and thanked me for inviting them. I had my towel wrapped around my body as Xavier prepared to Floo away.

"Thank you for coming," I say, having practiced that line my whole life.

He nods his head and then he turns to the fireplace. He hesitates and I watch him questionably as he turns around and faces me again. "'Appy Birdzday, Eveleen," he says and for once, it wasn't jerky or mean. I smile at him and he nods his head tightly before leaving.

"I hate that guy," Jeremiah says behind me when everyone Floos away.

"I'm sure he hates you too," I say honestly, "He hates just about everything."

"I better get home. I'll talk to you later, Evie Stevie," he says as he tugs on one of my braids, calling me the stupid nickname that, for some reason, he thinks is clever. When he's gone, I sigh and sit down.

"So was it a good party?" Mom asks and I nod my head.

"Yes, I believe it was."

I have dinner with my parents and sister and when night time rolls around, I go through all the presents I had gotten during the day - new clothes from Mom and Dad; a new necklace from Kendra, and a stupid drawing of a blue snake from Jeremiah. I sigh as I put all my presents down and I think of Grandma's lonely portrait and grave, being all lonely on her birthday as well. I make a decision and I sneak into Lavinia's room to wake her up.

"Hey," I say as I push her shoulder. She had already been asleep, but I didn't care.

"What do you want?" she asks flatly as I sit down beside her.

"It's Grandma's birthday too, you know," I say and she turns and looks at me. That stupid portrait had me feeling guilty. "Her painting told me we should put daises by her this year."

"We?" she asks and I nod my head. "As in you and me?" I nod my head again and she sighs. "Let's do it tomorrow. It's past ten, so DeVaows is going to be closed anyways."

"Oh, Lavinia, what if someone forgot to honor your birthday, just saying they'd do it tomorrow?" I ask and she closes her eyes to go back to sleep.

"If I was dead, I wouldn't care."

"That's easy for you to say, you're alive." I push her shoulder again as she pulls the covers over her head. "Let's go. It will be really quick."

"No."

"Where's your sense of adventure?" I try to tempt her, but she just turns her back on me.

"It's not adventurous to go to break into a cemetery, it's morbid."

"But... Lavinia, Grandma really said she wanted us to go. I thought you were really close with her," I turn in her bed and face the opposite wall. I bring my hands up to my face and sniff loudly to pretend like I'm crying. "It's just such a shame that we celebrate my birthday, but we pretend like Grandma never existed." I sniff again and add a little sob until she breaks. "I'll go by myself, but I'm not allowed to use my wand..."

"Oh God, you're annoying," she says as she stands up and throws on a pair of shoes, still in her pj's. "It has to be quick. If Dad finds out we snuck out, he'll lock me in again and we'll never see the light of day."

I nod my head and smile when she grabs her wand. This is probably the most exciting thing Lavinia has done in her whole life, I muse to myself, as we pick the daises out of the garden in the backyard. Liv Apparates us both to the Cemetery where we climb over the gate and Lavinia nearly falls.

"This was a terrible idea," she whispers when she finds her footing.

"I think this is a brilliant idea," I respond, knowing I wouldn't have slept if we didn't come. When I get an idea in my head, I usually have to see it through.

The cemetery is totally dark and the moon is not out tonight, making vision clarity hard; but like always, the Malfoy Mausoleum sticks out like a sore thumb. I start running towards it when I see it and Lavinia curses under her breath before following me. I place my hand on the brass door and it glows faintly before slowly creaking open.

"Lavinia, do a lumos spell."

When she finally reaches me, she's all winded and her cheeks are flushed. "I'm never listening to you again," she says as she lifts her wand and when the spell lights up the room, she takes my hand. "This is even creepier at night. Why did I let you guilt me into this?"

"Because you love me," I tell her as I drag her to Grandma's tomb. I place the daises I had been clutching in the flower holder beside her name, noting that there is already a few there. Mom and Dad must have come earlier. "Happy Birthday, Grandma," I tell her as I look at the relief on the side.

"Happy Birthday," I hear Lavinia whisper and she squeezes my hand. I know she's probably afraid right now. She's not very bold.

"So, did you tell Darius that you want to break up?" I ask and her face looks down to mine.

"Are you serious?" she hisses and I raise my eyebrows. "We're in a cemetery and you want to know about my boyfriend?"

"He's still your boyfriend?" I ask and when she rolls her eyes, I smirk. These dead people probably like the conversation… it brings a little life to the place. "Does he know you love Byron Flint?"

"I don't love Byron Flint," she says with a blush as she turns her head away.

"Oh, you so do..." I tease as she starts pulling me out of the Mausoleum.

"Well, do you know that that Jeremiah kid is deeply in love with you," she says and I snort.

"No, he's not."

"You have no idea the way he looks at you," she says and I'm about ready to tell her all about the looks I had noticed Byron Flint giving her, but a weird scratching noise makes us stop in out tracks. "What was that?" she whispers.

It happens again and this time, it's me who's clutching her. "It's coming from behind us," I say and reluctantly, we both turn around.

I have this horrifying image of dead zombies crawling towards us, but when she lifts her lighted wand we don't see anything. The scratches keep happening and Lavinia says it must be an animal down there, but I want to find out so I snatch her wand and start walking back towards Grandma's tomb. I move the light around, trying to find a squirrel or another animal that would be able to make that chiseling noise, but when the light crosses over the brass plates, my jaw falls open.

"Lavinia, come here," I whisper.

"What is it?" she ask as she comes over to me and when she sees what I'm looking at she brings her hand up to face to cover her mouth. "That can't be right."

We stand there, staring at it for a few seconds before Lavinia turns her wrist and brings her watch up to her mouth.

"Dad!" she yells and it echoes throughout the large room. "Dad, please come here!"

"Lavinia?" I hear him say back and he sounds alarmed, obviously by the panicked tone my sister had. "What is it? Where are you?"

She tells him where we are and two seconds later he comes storming into the mausoleum with this vicious look on his face. When he sees us standing there relief washes over his features and he comes over to us with his wand lying loosely in his hand.

"What the hell are you two doing?" he snaps and Lavinia and I both look at him. "Well?"

I raise a shaky hand and point to the brass plate that just etched itself a date of death.

He follows my finger and when he sees what Liv called him here for, his face turns blank. "When did this happen?" he asks and his voice sounds weird and light.

"Just now," Lavinia whispers with her eyes swimming with tears.

We all turn back to the plate reading the name carved into the brass, letting us all know that that someone just died. I hold my breath as I read it over and over and over again, trying to tell myself that it's not true… because it can't be true, he can't be dead… not him.

I read the name again and start shaking…

_Cassius Draconis Mafloy._


	5. Chapter 5

_**Gavin**_

I made my father repeat it three times before I actually accepted it as the truth. Now, our rich as hell, high profile family has exactly one day to itself before the press catches wind about my brother's death. Then, there will be a whirlwind of stories and speculations as the world gains knowledge about the oldest Malfoy heir – found dead in his bedroom by his own father, who stormed to his flat in the middle of night for no reason at all, only to find his first son face down on the floor with blood pouring out of his nose.

Was it murder, suicide, or perhaps just a tragic accident? I dread the theories and the publicity that will come, knowing that my devilish weekends will no longer dominate the gossip pages. Instead, pictures of my brother when he was alive and happy will, and I will hate having to look at them and be reminded of it. The awful truth is that no one's really sure what happened to Cassius. Dad said the coroner did the autopsy spells and found nothing. He said that my brother's heart just stopped beating and everything shut down for no reason at all.

He stayed calm and his voice sounded flat as he told me all of this, but Mom didn't say a word as she looked out the window with her back to me. I couldn't stand staying at the Manor anymore because of all the memories of my older brother were alive and echoing down the hallways. So, I went back to my flat and collapsed in the middle of the living room floor with a bottle of whiskey gripped in my hands.

I knew that one day my parents would die. I had accepted the fact that as a law of nature; there would come a time when children would have to bury their own parents… But, I'm not ready to accept this. At twenty one, I should not have to say goodbye to my twenty two year old brother forever. Not like this.

I stare at the white carpet in the darkness of my living room as I take a swig from the whiskey bottle. I intend to get drunk, so drunk that I forget who I am, and I'll pass out here on this stupid looking floor for a few hours in a dreamless sleep. I think that's fair, and I want to drown out the terrible news I received today.

I loved Cassius, I truly did, and I know I never really told him that… I take another drink and shake my head, thinking about how cliché I'm starting to sound, but I don't care. Not right now. There was a time when I believed my older brother was the greatest and the coolest person I had ever known and he had been my only, and best, friend for a very long time until I started Hogwarts.

He was everything I wasn't, and I envied him for it.

I take another long swig from the bottle and bring my legs up to my chest so I can rest my forehead on my knees. I hate that I just thought of him in the past tense. I hate that now, I'm my parent's oldest son, that now, I have to say I have two sisters without mentioning the brother I once had. I really wish this was all just a bad dream, and soon someone would wake me up and things would be back like they once were. I feel like someone just took a chunk out of me, and I fear that hole will never be replaced.

Someone unlocks the door, but I ignore it, and when they turn on the lights, I don't even move.

"Gavin?" It's Addison's nervous voice, but I don't acknowledge it. "I know you're still mad at me… but I came to pick up some of my things."

I raise my head and take another drink as I glare at the wall ahead of me.

"Why are you sitting on the floor?" I crack my neck, but don't answer. "I know you don't believe me, but I swear to God, Terrance and I weren't doing anything. He's just dropped by to say hello and—"

"I don't care," I cut her off with a flat voice. I start peeling off the label on the whiskey bottle.

When I found them here together, I had cursed Terrance with in an inch of his life because I was convinced they had been going behind my back to fuck. I always knew he had a crush on her and it only made sense that _that_ was the reason why he was here. After he fled the flat, I had questioned Addison mercilessly, and even doubted the paternity of the baby growing inside of her, as she cried and told me she was telling the truth. I kicked her out and I locked the door, but none of that matters now.

"Gavin…"

"I don't care what you did or didn't do," I say with no emotion in my voice.

She must be relating my responses to our fight because she sighs. "Okay, I'll be quick."

I listen to her footsteps as they make their way towards the bedroom to retrieve her things.

"My brother's dead," I say out loud for the first time, and I close my eyes because it feels like I just jabbed myself in the ribs with a knife.

"What do you mean?" she asks as she stops walking. I take another long swig, and then I look at her over my shoulder.

"They found him last night… in his flat… He died."

Her face looks serious and I can see her eyes are beginning to water as she takes careful steps towards me. When she sits down beside me on the floor, I turn away and run a hand through my hair before rubbing my eyes that are starting to sting. Her arms wrap around me and I drop the bottle of whiskey, making it spill all over the ugly carpet as it soaks through my pants. I turn into her and hug her back, and then I did something I hadn't done since I was a small boy.

I cried.

I cried a lot.

When someone close to you dies, there's a time when all you can think about is them – it dominates everything you do, every thought you think, every action that you make, literally tearing you up from the inside with grief at the memory of someone you once loved, someone who's not there to love anymore. I don't know how long I sat there on the floor, clutching Addison to me in a way that would have been embarrassing had I not been so upset, but I figure it must have been hours. I was making these deep, painful noises as Addison stroked my hair and kissed the side of my face, but it could have been anybody with me and I wouldn't have cared since I was so out of it.

When I finally pulled back, I wiped my face off with the back of my sleeve and turned away, trying to get my breathing under control.

"Is there anything you want me to do?" she asks softly as her hands continue to slip through my hair.

"Tell me that you didn't cheat on me," I tell her with one of those hoarse voices that men get after they cry like I just did. "Tell me you didn't fuck Terrance."

I really don't know why I said that, I really don't, but when she tells me that she didn't, when she tells me that she loves me, a weird sense of relief washes through my body. With shaky legs, I stand up and I wipe my face again to make sure it's dry.

"I better go back to my parents to see if they need anything," I say softly and tears sting my eyes again, but I will not let them fall.

"Do you want me to go with you?" she asks with her head tilted to the side as she studies me. Tears are freely flowing down her face now, and it makes me think that we must look like quite the pitiful pair.

I shake my head and put my hands in my pockets as I look at my shoes. "No, I'll just go by myself."

"If that's what you want," she envelopes me in another tight hug and I kiss the side of her neck as I squeeze her to me.

"Be here when I come back," I tell her and she nods her head. I kiss her deeply on the mouth with my eyes slammed shut as I place my hand on her slightly swollen stomach, like I was apologizing to the baby for doubting that it was mine. "I'll be back later," I tell her.

I Apparate back to my parent's home, and when I enter the living room where the house-elf told me they would be, I'm surprised to see Byron Flint. He's looking as disheveled and crazy as always and he's talking to my father seriously as I slide in to the room. A part of me hates him now for being so close to my brother for all these years. Those are the times I'll never get back.

"Mr. Malfoy, please. Don't let the funeral home embalm Cassius," he says and I notice he's holding a stack of glossy pictures.

My Dad ignores him as he goes over to the side bar to refill his glass of brandy. I realize Flint has to be upset about this whole thing as well, but I really don't think it's fair that the unstable best friend gets to harass my parents after they just lost their son. I narrow my eyes as I cross my arms and I send a glance around the room. Evelyn is looking sickly pale as she sits in front of the fire, staring into the flames. Lavinia's cat, Cato, comes up to her and nuzzles her side, but she ignores it. Liv is watching Byron from the couch with her eyebrows knitted together as her hands grip her dress so tightly that her knuckles are turning white, and Mom… Mom's still looking out the window.

"He didn't just die," Flint says as he harasses my father. He walks over to him and lays the photos down on the table for my father to see. "It was a curse. We went on another exploration. It was in the Mediterranean Sea, and the woman that was helping touched this," he points to something in the picture. "It made them pass out…"

"Did you have healers look them over?" my Dad asks flatly. He doesn't look at the pictures as he downs his glass and pours himself another one.

"Of course, they couldn't detect anything, but sir, this is a very ancient statue," Flint picks up the papers and looks at them, like he was trying to find something that was lost. "The runes are hard to decipher… I need to look at them myself, but this one means…"

"Mr. Flint," my dad cuts him off curtly, and turns to give him his full attention. "Can you bring my son back to life?"

The question obviously catches Flint off guard and his eyes flick to my sister before back to my dad. "I can't say, sir," he says softly, and my Dad walks away from him again.

"I think you should go home now, Byron," he says as he walks over to Mom and puts some hair over her shoulder. She doesn't move.

"I just really need you to trust me on this," he says as he runs a hand through his messy black hair. "You can't do anything to his body, I believe that…"

"My son will not be embalmed like some muggle or cremated like he was trash," my Dad says sharply and Mom's nose slightly crinkles at the words he used. "He will have a natural funeral like every proper wizard should."

Byron seems to sigh in relief, and he looks down at the pictures in his hands and then back at my parents. Dad whispers something in Mom's ear and kisses her cheek. Cato hisses when Evelyn pushes him away. Lavinia still clutches her dress.

"Paige Montgomery, the woman who was with him, was declared dead a few hours before Cassius was," he says and everyone in the room flinches. "But, judging by this," he holds up the pictures. "I really don't think either of them are really…"

"Flint," I cut him off sharply and his blood shot eyes snap to mine. He looks surprised to see me in the room; I guess he didn't see me slip in. "I realize you were close to my brother, but the last bloody thing anyone in this room needs is your lunatic babblings. So please, fucking leave."

He clamps his jaw shut and scans the room. The only people who look at him are me and Lavinia, whose eyes are blurry, like she was in a daze. He nods his head before stuffing the pictures into the brown satchel that was slung across his shoulders.

"Of course," he mutters softly. "Forgive me," he says and then he leaves the room.

I walk over and slump down onto one of the couches with my head in my hands. There are four people in this room now, but none of us are even bothering to acknowledge the other. It's like we were all strangers just sitting here in this room with nothing to do but breathe, and stare ahead, seeing nothing. When Lavinia stands up, I look up to her as she watches the door and then she leaves as well.

"Gavin?" I turn to Evelyn, who is now standing with watery eyes. She's wringing the bottom of her shirt with her hands and suddenly she looks like she's five years old again, all young and sweet. "Can I sit by you?"

I nod my head and when she sits down beside me, I put my arm around her bird-like shoulders. She sniffs as she leans her head against my chest, and I know she's crying again. We all stay in silence like that, not moving, not talking, barely even breathing, and I know all of our thoughts are on one person.

I know people always say that the person who died wouldn't want you to be sad… that they would want you to enjoy a life well lived and all that rot, but I think that's complete bullshit. Cassius wasn't sick like Grandma Malfoy was, so you can't say: 'well, at least he's in a better place and out of pain,' and he wasn't old, so there was no 'life journey' we could celebrate… his life was cut too short. When something like this happens, it's like someone took a jagged knife and gutted you two times over, and then made you watch as they burned your insides.

I can find no joy in this.

_**Lavinia**_

I couldn't cry.

My eyes watered when I saw his date of death on that brass plate, but no tears fell, and after that it was like my body was incapable of such a thing as crying. I found it so frustrating, and I felt so terrible because of it. I can cry over every bloody thing at the drop of a hat, but when the most horrific thing happens to me… when my older brother dies… I can't even squeeze out one measly tear for him. What the hell is wrong with me?

I had kind of been in a weird stupor since my Dad told me what had happened. I guess it hadn't really sunk in that I would never see Cassius again, and everyone in the family was acting like such depressed zombies, staring through blank eyes and talking with hollow voices. All of the problems I used to have suddenly turned obsolete as I sat on the couch in the living room with my hands gripping the front of my dress for dear life. Mom cried, Evelyn cried, Gavin cried, and even Dad let a few tears slip from his eyes… but I couldn't freaking cry.

When Byron Flint entered the room, I was surprised, and I watched him ramble on to my dad with a dazed look in my eyes. It was like a dream. He was here, and he was talking, but I couldn't hear a damn thing he was saying as he followed my father around the room, desperately trying to say something important. When he left, I felt something inside me stir.

I wanted him.

I just wanted him, and because of what happened, I didn't care if he didn't want me back.

So, I followed him.

He was right in front of the gates to the Manor when I finally caught up to him, and when I said his name, he turned around in surprise.

"Lavinia?"

"I can't cry," I spit out and blushed because of it. "I cry over everything, and I can't cry now that my brother is dead."

He looks at me sadly and he shakes his head before pulling me into his chest. I wrap my arms around his waist and bury my face into his neck, feeling much warmer now that he's holding me.

"Were you there?" I ask him softly against his skin. "When Cassius…"

"He had been hauled up in his room for a couple days… he said he had a headache."

"So, he was sick?" I ask as I pull back to look into his eyes, but I don't let my arms drop from his body. I want to find some reason in all of this. I want to know why my brother died. "Did he catch something?"

"I don't think that's it," he looks back at the house and then back to me. "Do you want to…" he starts, but he stops himself. "Can we talk about this somewhere else?"

"Where do you want to go?" I ask softly, I kind of feel like a child right now… all little and insignificant.

"We can go back to my place," he says as he takes my hand and walks through the open gates, "There are books there I need to get."

It didn't really register with me that his 'place' was the exact place where my brother died. So, when he opens the door to his flat, I hesitate to step inside. "You can sit down," he says distractedly, nodding his head towards one of the filthy looking chairs in their dingy little living room.

I had never actually seen their flat before, but I had heard all about it from my parents, who thought it was the grossest little place they had ever seen. I knew it would be pretty bad. I just didn't expect it to look this… terrible. The plaster is starting to chip in various places, and the ceiling is obviously crumbling from water damage and yellowing at the corners. I put my hands on my lap and try not to touch anything as I sit down on the couch that has the stuffing coming out from the corner. I imagine Cass living here, and it makes me sad. Someone like Cassius shouldn't have died in a disgusting place like this.

Byron is taking forever doing whatever it is that he's doing, so I stand up and walk over the stained carpet towards the fireplace. The place is bare, and I know it's because they were rarely ever here, but there are a few items on the mantle piece and curiosity gets the better of me as I walk over to it.

A nervous flutter starts in the pit of my stomach as I pick up the small golden snitch that was lying haphazardly in the middle. It's obviously the practice snitch that Cassius always used when we were in school, and my heart skips a beat as I hold it. Just seeing his things lying around like this… I want to cry… I want to cry, but I can't.

"Damnit," I hear Byron say from down the small hallway, and I put the snitch in the pocket of my zip up hoodie as I follow his voice.

I pass a small bathroom to my right before stopping in front of the two closet sized bedrooms that are directly across from each other. I peer to my left and see Byron down on his knees in front of a small bookshelf, throwing things over his shoulder in his haste. His room is messy and the bed is unmade, his journal I see open and on top of the small writing desk in the corner. I guess he's had a lot to write about today.

Cautiously, I turn to my right to face a closed door and I know whose room that has to be. I gulp loudly before reaching my hand out to the doorknob and slowly turning it until the door pops open. I have a secret hope inside of me that Cassius will be sleeping on his bed when I open the door… but he's not, and my heart sinks. I look around his room, trying to take it all in because I know soon someone will have to come in and box up all of his things, and throw away his clothes like he never even existed, like he never occupied this space.

I bravely take a step into the room and look at the messy bed, the small desk littered with papers written on in his small smooth script, and the dresser that's overflowing with his clothes as shirts spill out the drawers. It smells like him in here and I find my self trying to file the scent to memory, so I'll never forget it, knowing I will probably never smell it again. I go to take a step further in, but I stop myself as I look down at the floor.

That had to have been where my Dad found him. After he came to the cemetery and saw the disturbing thing we called him there for, he Apparated to Cass' flat. He found him lying on the floor face down, wearing only a pair of pajama pants, with a bloody nose. The first thing he muttered when I saw him at home was that parents weren't supposed to outlive their kids. That was also when he cried… I never thought I would ever, in a million years, see the great Draco Malfoy cry. Mom was quite shaken up to see Dad in that state, but when he told her what he had found, she almost fell to her knees.

"Lavinia?" Byron puts his hand on my shoulder and I jump. "Are you ready? I know a place where we can go."

I nod my head, and send one more look around my brother's room. Under a messy heap of blankets I see a piece of wood sticking out, and without a second thought, I go in and pick it up.

"What are you doing?" Byron asks.

I turn around and show him the wand. "I'm sure Cassius would want his wand," I say stiffly and Byron gives me another sad look before nodding his head and making a motion for me to follow him.

He Apparates me to some quiet little house in the middle of nowhere, and when I give him a questioning look, he shrugs.

"My Mom and Harry are on vacation."

"How wonderful for them," I sneer sarcastically as I follow him into the house.

It seems so unfair for them to be on vacation when my brother's dead.

"Arthur Weasley just passed away," I snap as he sits down in one of the blue and white checkered chairs. "It was like, last week."

"They had it planned for a while…" he says before patting the seat across from his. I cautiously sit down as I look around the room.

This place is much bigger than the small house I remember the Flint's living in, but I guess when she married Harry Potter, they upgraded a bit.

"Where's Chloe?" I ask as he pulls books and papers out of his bag.

"She's staying with Samantha while they're away," he replies distractedly. I watch him closely as he lays out a few things on the table, flipping through books and stopping on pages so he can look at them. "I know you all think I'm crazy," he says and his cool eyes look into mine. "But, I think there's something more happening with Cassius' death."

"What do you mean?" I ask with a tight throat.

"Look," he turns a book around and lays it on the table in front of me as he points to a photo of some ancient looking vase painting. "I thought I had seen that image before, you know that statue head they found," I nod my head even though I have no freaking idea what he's talking about. "It's the same one on this burial urn."

I look down at the black figure painted on the red clay vase. It looks like a man draped in cloth and holding a scale with tightly braided hair, gathered at the base of his neck. The thing's body is in profile and one hand extends out to something else, but that something else has been chipped off.

"Who is it supposed to be?" I ask as I look up to him.

He shakes his head. "No one's really sure. They couldn't really date that when it was found, and it didn't match any of the descriptions of the ancient gods… but, it was a burial urn, so it's safe to say that this... it… has something to do with death."

"This statue killed my brother," I state flatly.

He nods his head.

"It's good that you found out that's what it was and all…" I trail off and I find myself biting my lower lip. "But, what good is it to dwell on it?"

I know Byron had just lost two people he was very close to in a very short period of time. I could understand him wanting to make sense of it, wanting to find something to distract him from the pain. I can understand if he wanted to make things up to make it easier.

He takes out the stack of pictures he was trying to show my father and he moves from his chair to kneel beside me. He's so close now that I can feel his breath on the side of my face as he holds the photo's up.

"These are the pictures Cassius and Paige took before she touched the stone," he says as he flips through a few of them. They were obviously taken under water and they're all of a statue head, like the one he showed me in the book. "These are runes," he says, pointing to a few etches in the pearl looking stone. I resist the urge to roll my eyes… I _know_ what runes are.

"So?"

He looks to me, searching my face, and then back to the photos. "They're hard to read because they're very old, but this one right here," he points and my eyes follow his finger. "This one means death." That doesn't make me feel better. "This one means sleep, and this one means to dream."

"What does that mean?" I ask him as I tilt my face to the side to look into his eyes.

"I don't think your brother is actually dead… I think he's just…."

"Byron Flint!" we both jump and pull apart; I didn't even know we were so close to one another.

We both look towards the hallway as Samantha Flint comes storming in with a crying baby on her hip. She looks to me in surprise, but then her eyes narrow as she looks at her brother.

"Where the hell have you been?" she asks as she bounces the crying baby in her arms. "It's your night to watch James."

"Sam," he says gently as he stands up. "Something bad has happened."

"Yes, something bad did happen. Chloe and I were stuck babysitting for two days straight without any help from you."

"Sam—"

"No, you do not get to talk your way out of this one. You owe me. You can stay here and watch him until Mom and Harry come home because, God knows, that flat you share with Cassius Malfoy isn't fit for an animal, let alone a child."

I flinch when she says my brother's name, but she doesn't notice as she walks over to the play pen that was against the wall and she plops the sobbing baby inside.

"Good luck, he's been crying all night."

With that she leaves, and Byron just stares at the spot she just left with his face blank. "She's going to feel really bad about this tomorrow," he mumbles. He looks to me and then at the wailing baby. "I better make him a bottle."

I stand up as he starts walking out of the room. "What did she mean you owe her?" I ask and he stops to look at me over his shoulder. "She said you owed her."

He turns back around. "I fucked up her uterus… so she always says that."

When he's out of the room, I look over to the crying baby in the play pen. He's sitting up with drool, snot, and tears covering his face as he cries with his mouth open in distress. He looks pitiful, so I walk over and gently pick him up. I've never really been around many babies. When Evelyn was born, I was still pretty young, so I don't remember much, but I guess I'm doing something right when his small hands clutch at my shoulders.

"It's okay," I tell him as I put my hand on his back and rub back and forth. "Don't cry."

I can't tell who he looks like because Harry and Beatrice look so much alike. Just like both his parents and his siblings, he has jet black hair and his skin is fair. When he opens his eyes to look at me, I note how bright green they are – I guess he got those from Potter. The baby holds on to me as I sit down and I pull my sleeve over my hand so I can use it to wipe off his face.

"Don't cry, baby James," I whisper and then I kiss his temple when his face is cleaned. He stops crying when he notices the necklace that I'm wearing, and with pudgy fingers he reaches out to play with it. "Do you like my necklace?"

He looks up at me and then back down as he fiddles with my jewelry. I have to admit he is a cute little baby despite who his annoying parents are. After a few moments of him messing with my necklace, I hear Byron cough and I look up to find him in the doorway, looking at me and the baby in such a weird way that I raise my eyebrow. He shakes his head like he was ridding it of something unwanted and he comes into the room, shaking a bottle.

"I'm sorry about this," he says as he comes over to me and picks up James. "I forgot it was my night to watch him."

"I would never go on vacation if I had a baby," I tell him as he sits down and starts feeding the one year old his bottle. "Or, I would at least take him with me."

"Yeah, me too, but Harry and my Mom were going somewhere I'm sure a baby wouldn't want to go."

I don't question further as I watch him with his little half brother. I don't know what it is, but I think when men are holding babies, it's utterly adorable. Especially Byron… and watching him makes my heart beat painfully, so I look away.

"I need to get a hold of Dr. Bailey," he says as he looks down at James, who puts his little hand up on his neck. "I contacted him last night, but he said some wizarding team from Madrid took the statue head while Cassius and Paige were passed out. I really need to see it… I'm not sure what university in Spain they're from."

Like a pound of bricks gets thrown into my chest, I remember why I'm here and who we were talking about. I had let myself get distracted by the baby and in those few moments, I didn't think about my brother and how he's no longer alive. I'm such a terrible sister. I cross my arms and sit back as Byron goes on and on about this statue business, but I don't want to listen anymore. I feel bad for him because he's obviously trying to sort his feelings out about Cassius, but it's painful for me.

"Can we not talk about that anymore?" I ask when he pauses in between sentences about the peal earring and how it obviously has magical properties not known to the modern world. "I don't want to think about it just now."

"Alright," he says quietly. He looks into my eyes and then down at the baby. "What time is the viewing?"

"Twelve on Thursday," I answer and it actually hurts to say it out loud, making it real. "And, then we're going to the cemetery straight after that."

Byron shakes his head. "I wish your father would listen to me…"

"Are you staying here tonight?" I ask, cutting him off as I look around the room again, taking in all the pictures and decorations hanging on the walls.

"I believe so," he mutters, disappointed that I didn't let him finish his rant. "If I have him all night, I'll need a crib."

"Can I stay with you?"

His eyes shoot to mine in surprise, but I don't even blush. I want to be close to someone and the Manor is so… depressing and empty now.

"Please?"

"Your parents…"

"I doubt my parents will even notice that I'm gone," I say honestly. They're just as dazed as I am. Mom hasn't really spoken at all… and all Dad does is drink.

He nods his head. "You can sleep in Chloe's room."

I smile slightly and nod my head, but I have no intention of sleeping in Chloe's room. We spend the rest of the night in silence, barely talking to one another as we play with his little brother. Byron's not much of a talker, and I can't bring myself to say anything because my throat is too tight. When James finally falls asleep, I follow Byron up to the second floor where the bedrooms are. He lays James in his crib and then gently closes the door.

"I'll show you her room," he whispers as he walks past me. I realize Chloe has been my friend for years, but I've never actually seen this house before. Isn't that strange?

When he opens the door down the hall, I walk inside and take in the brightly painted yellow room. It seems so happy and bright… I automatically hate it. I walk over to her vanity and look at the pictures she has stuffed into the mirror frame, most of them are of me and her, smiling and laughing. I wish I was at Hogwarts again.

"I'm sure my sister wouldn't mind if you borrowed some of her clothes," he says in the doorway and I nod my head as I pull out a picture of me wearing a stupid looking straw hat on my head, "Are you sure you don't want to floo your parents or something… to let them know where you are?"

I shake my head.

"Okay," he says and then he pauses for such a long time that I think he left, so I look over my shoulder. He's still there, staring at me. "Goodnight, Lavinia."

"Goodnight, Byron," I say lightly.

When he closes the door, I look through some of Chloe's books and I try not to think about my brother and how much I'll miss him. I dread Thursday. I dread seeing his body in a casket and knowing he's not truly here anymore. I wish I could cry, to get some of this grief out, but instead it's staying all bundled up inside of me, making me drown in it.

A part of me is almost angry at Cassius for dying and making me feel this way.

I sit down on the edge of the blue and yellow stripped bed as I play with my watch, remembering everything about my brother and all the memories I have with him. How he was always so kind to me and how he always tried to protect me. Two hours pass and I decide that I've done enough waiting. The hallway is dark as I walk down it and I check bedrooms to see where Byron is. When I find him sleeping in the dark room by the stairs, I quietly step inside and close the door behind me.

He's sleeping on his stomach with his hand thrown over the edge of the bed with the blankets covering up his bottom half. I look at the muscles of his back, taking in the painful scars he still has, as I strip out of my clothes. I want to be close to someone and I want to forget about my brother for a few moments, so I step over to his bed and reach a hand down to touch his skin. How perfect that he's not wearing a shirt.

He jumps when my hand touches his back and he spins around with blurry eyes. "What are you doing?" he asks as his eyes adjust to the dark.

I stand up straight and unhook my bra as he sits up and stares at me. I throw it to the ground and he gulps.

"Lavinia," he says, but he doesn't say anything else as I hook my fingers into the waist band of my knickers and I slowly slide them down my legs. "You don't know what you're doing."

I push him back and straddle his waist, satisfied when I feel a very prominent hardness between my legs. "I know perfectly well what I'm doing," I tell him before I kiss him.

I thread my fingers through his hair and let my tongue slide against his, enjoying the way he kisses me with so much heat. He pushes my back into his chest and then he comes to his senses, he remembers that he doesn't want me, as he slightly pushes me back.

"You're just upset right now," he whispers as he touches my face, trying not to look down at my breasts. "I know you don't want this."

"Please, just for tonight?" I plead like some desperate woman, but I don't even feel embarrassed like I usually would. "I don't care if you don't love me."

His eyebrows knit together as he searches my eyes. "You think I don't…" but I don't let him finish that sentence as I crush my mouth down onto his.

I refuse to take no for an answer, and to be honest, it was fairly easy to convince him. I guess when a naked girl is practically throwing herself at you it's hard not to take up the opportunity. I stay on top of him and as he slides inside of me for the second time, I start crying. Not because it hurts, because it doesn't hurt at all, I actually don't know why. It's like all of the things I was feeling about my brother's death were finally overflowing.

"It's okay," he whispers as he kisses my face with his hands on my hips. "Don't cry," he tells me gently and I start moving on top of him.

It wasn't like the first time. It wasn't hurting me and I wasn't being as gentle with him as he was with me. In fact, I could have been with anyone right now, and it wouldn't have mattered; I was just focused on trying to build up the friction that was starting to tingle in-between my legs. I ignore the noises that are coming from my mouth and the way Bryon's fingers are digging into my hips. I didn't use him the first time like he had accused in his drunken rant, but I was using him now.

I had my eyes clamped shut as I gripped his shoulders and I just kept on going and going and going, and I was crying, but I didn't care, as I bit his neck. Suddenly the most eclectic feeling jolted through my body, and I swear, I went blind for one minute as my body slumped against his. Vaguely, I felt him thrust up a few more times, and then his body tensed as he whispered my name. I used his chest as leverage as I climbed off of him, and then the baby started crying.

He sighs as I stand up and start pulling on my clothes. "I'll get him," I whisper.

Byron tries to protest, but I get dressed before he does and leave the room to pick up James from his crib. I change him because he was wet, and then I rock him in my arms a few times until he goes back to sleep. It was ridiculously easy to get him to fall back to sleep, and when I put him down in his crib, I felt the urge to kiss him, and so I kissed his cheek.

"Sleep tight, James," I told him, thinking about how unfair Chloe always was to this adorable little boy.

"You didn't have to do that," I hear Byron say behind me and I turn to him. He's just wearing his pj bottoms and his chest is clearly exposed to me, showing all of his scars.

"I should go home," I say. I really don't know what I'm doing. I'm just doing whatever comes into my mind, and for the first time in my life, I'm not really thinking about anything. "See you tomorrow."

He looks confused and slightly hurt, but he nods his head. I make sure I have Cass' snitch and wand as I Apparate home.

"Thank you," I told him before I left, after giving him a quick kiss on the lips, but he didn't say anything, probably because he thinks I used him again… and I did. I just wish that he loved me like he loved Selene… but, that doesn't matter now.

When I get to the Manor, no one is there to grill me with questions about where I had been or what I was doing. My overprotective, strict parents didn't even realize I was gone, and I guess I can't blame them. They have a lot on their plate right now. I go to bed and I don't sleep. I stay in that position with my back on the mattress as I stare at the ceiling, only eating the meals the house-elves bring me, waiting for Thursday to come.

The press hounds our home, and owls swoop in by the dozens because they all want to know what happened to Cassius Malfoy, Draco Malfoy's oldest son and heir to the Malfoy fortune.

I hate it.

On Thursday, when the sun rises, I get out of my bed and start getting ready for my brother's viewing. I take my time doing my hair and picking out my dress, I take a long bath, and I paint my fingernails. I kind of feel like a marionette, and someone else is controlling my strings.

The funeral director speaks to all of us before we enter the funeral home, asking us about Cassius and telling us to let him know of any good stories or memories we could repeat. No one says anything and he coughs uncomfortably before showing us the viewing room.

It's a giant, brightly painted, room with rows of white chairs filling it up. Along the walls are pictures of my brother and our family like some sick shrine, and I find myself trying to avoid looking at them at all cost. When the director is telling my parents about the service he will perform, I reluctantly look at the end of the room towards the shiny black casket.

"I think I'm gonna throw up," Evelyn says and she covers her mouth as she runs to the bathroom. No one goes after her.

"We expect a lot of people to show up," the director says as he walks my family towards the casket. "This is where you'll be greeting people." He waves his hand towards the empty space by the casket where rows and rows of flowers are stationed, all from different people, with cards detailing their sadness for my family. "If you want, you can sit down."

No one moves, and when Mom speaks, it surprises everyone. "I want to see my son."

"Mrs. Malfoy, we agreed this would be a closed casket."

"I don't care," she snaps as she glares at the balding funeral director. "I want to see my son."

"Ginny, you're not going to want that. It's been a couple days."

She glares at my Dad for saying that and she storms over to the casket as Gavin cusses and turns his back on her, so he doesn't have to watch. She pries open the casket, and then I hear her gasp. It must be bad, so I turn my head to the side, trying not to look.

"Why did you comb his hair," she says and then I glance at her as she reaches a hand out and messes up his hair. "He never combs his hair," she says and I can tell she's crying.

Luckily for me she was blocking most of his body from view, but I could see his blond hair and I could see her running her fingers through it to mess it up in the way that Cassius always wore it.

"Gin…" My Dad says quietly as he walks over to her. Probably so he could pull her away from touching Cassius' decomposing body but when he gets there he freezes as he looks down at my brother. "I told you not to embalm him," he hisses and glares at the funeral director.

"God, I can't do this," Gavin says beside me. "I'm going to go outside."

He leaves, but I stay as my Dad turns fully to yell at the funeral director. "I told you I wanted a wizard's funeral. You pumped my son up with chemicals so he'd be stuffed up like some puppet."

"Mr. Malfoy, I swear we didn't go against your wishes."

"Then why does he look like this!" he yells and he pulls Mom back to show him Cassius.

I can see him now and my mouth falls open. I was expecting something gross, but I didn't expect to see my brother lying there just as I had remembered him, like he was sleeping. He even had a blush on his cheeks, so I took a step closer.

"I don't know," The funeral director stutters, while taking a handkerchief out of his pocket to pat the sweat off of his forehead. "Sometimes when wizards and witches die, it may take longer for them to…"

"You're a fucking idiot," My dad snaps.

"I know this is a very difficult and stressful time for you..." he didn't get to finish that sentence because my Dad walked over to him and punched him directly in the face.

"Draco," Mom said briskly, like she was coming out of her comma.

My Dad flexed his hand and stood up straight as the funeral director grabbed his nose. Then he straightened his tie and ran his hands through his hair. "I'm going to go outside," he barked and he walked by me with swift steps.

Mom apologized to the old man and helped heal his nose. "He doesn't handle things like this very well," she explained as the funeral director nodded his head. "This is very hard for him."

"Grief does strange things to us all," he says. "Let me show you the book people will sign when they come," he tells her as he takes her hand and leads her away.

After they were gone, I realized I was all by myself, left alone in this huge room with my dead brother. Carefully, I walked over to where he was lying and I closed my eyes before looking down at him. He really did look like he was sleeping, and he was wearing a black suit and tie that Mom had picked out so meticulously the night before. I take out the small golden snitch and his wand that I found in his bedroom.

I reach down towards his suit jacket and gently place the snitch in his pocket. Then I put the wand in-between his clasped hands, feeling tears in my eyes as I start crying like I cried last night when I was with Byron.

"I'll miss you, Cass," I whisper before I reach over and lightly touch his face.

I wish he would have opened his eyes to say it back, but of course he didn't, and I fell down on one of the white chairs to wait for everyone so we could get this thing over with.

_**Evelyn**_

I tried to hide in the bathroom the whole time, but I knew that eventually, I would have to come out and face reality. I just didn't want to just yet. I sat on the sink, turning the knob so the water would run, and then I would turn it off to make it stop. I did that for ten minutes. With a bored sigh, I look around the room and when I see a small window high on the wall I decide I'm going to try to get to it.

I stand up and smooth down the dark blue dress I'm wearing before climbing on the toilet, and leaning up on my tippy toes so I can look out of the small window. People start to show up for the viewing… a_ lot_ of people, so many, in fact, that the line leading into the funeral home is backed up all the way to the large trees that line the walkway, so very far in the distance.

We expected a lot of people to show up, that wasn't surprising. Not only was Cass young and part of a very famous family, he was also very well liked and kind to most of the people he knew. I just wasn't ready to see so many freaking people here. I take in some of the exotic looking men and women that Cassius probably met on his journeys around the world doing his digs and finds. He was so cool… I clutch the necklace that he gave me at Lavinia's graduation party, promising myself that I will never take it off.

My eyes widen the slightest bit when I see Molly Weasley in line, and I nearly scoff at her from my hiding place in the bathroom. She didn't even care about Cass.

A spider crawls across the window ledge and my focus switches from the people outside to it as I watch it move along the painted white ledge. I decide right then that I'll take it outside. Someone might kill it if they see it in here and there's been enough death in this place, I think. I step off of the toilet and I grab the drinking cup from the sink ledge. With a towel, I gently scoot the spider into the glass and I cover it with a piece of paper before slipping out of the room.

I pass by the viewing room, where my family is greeting mourners by Cassius' casket. I don't want to be there… I'll start crying and I always make such a scene when I cry. Mom catches me trying to sneak out and she gives me weird look before nodding her head to the left. I follow her nod and when I see the back entrance, I give her a grateful smile as she hugs someone who comes up to offer their condolences, dressed in some weird get up with a brown turban on his head. It almost makes me feel bad for wanting to hide, but I ignore that feeling as I go out the back door and slide the piece of paper off the top of the cup so I can lay it in the grass.

The spider crawls off into the dirt, and I sigh as I take a seat on one of the steps. This is all so horribly depressing. I hate it. I put my chin in my hands and place my elbows on my knees, intending to hide out here until one of my family members comes out and forces me to come back in. When a shadow falls over me, I look up in surprise at Xavier. He's wearing a nice dress shirt and dark slacks that make him look so terribly handsome and refined. He stares at me with a weird look in his eyes before taking his hands out of his pockets, so he can sit down beside me.

"I am sorry, Eveleen," he says gently, and I can't imagine why he's here, or how he found my hiding spot.

"Thanks," I mutter as I bend down and start picking at my shoe with my chin on my knees.

"Madam Violette made us sign dzees card," he says as he takes out a small envelope and hands it to me.

"Did you lose the bet or something?" He looks at me questionably and I tilt my face towards his, with my chin still on my knee. "Is that why you had to come and give it to me?"

"Non," he says gently and then he stares out in front of him. "Jeremiah ez looking for you," he tells me and I nod my head. I know he is. "Dzees Jeremiah cares for you very deeply."

"Yeah, he does," I mutter as I pick at the beading on my shoe again, twisting the small gems off and rolling them away from me on the concrete.

"Were you close with your brodzer?" he asks, and I sit up straight and look right at him.

"Cassius was a very sweet older brother," I tell him and my eyes water as I think about it. "I loved him very much."

I let a tear slip, and he searches my face as he brings his hand up to my cheek to wipe it off. I have no idea why he's being so nice to me and I close my eyes when he leans his head closer to mine…

"Evelyn." I jump and turn around to stare at my sister with wide eyes as she opens the door. Xavier coughs and stands up. "Are you done hiding?" she asks tiredly. "If I have to talk to all these people, so should you."

I flick one confused look to Xavier before nodding my head, and following my sister inside. I glance back at him as he shakes his head and rubs his face.

"Idiot," he mumbles to himself before walking off.

I have to take my place in line with the rest of the family as people I've never seen before hug me, and tell me what a good person Cassius was as they sob into their tissues. I nod my head and smile tightly at them as they walk away and, every once in a while, my eyes sweep over the rest of my family to see what they're doing. Lavinia is beside me with a blotchy face, she doesn't speak at all when the people talk to her, and I bet it's because her voice is so shaky. Gavin is with his girlfriend, and he nods curtly every time someone shakes his hand or tells him something good about Cass.

The only person not talking or touching anyone is Dad. He has his hands in his pockets as he stonily stares off into space with his jaw tight. I guess, people understand that his body language is not welcoming because they totally skip him to move onto us. Since he's being so cut off, it's left to Mom to talk to all the people and thank them for coming. I feel bad for her having to do it. My Mom is usually a very shy person. I thought it was going to be a closed casket, but it's open, and Mom keeps on touching Cassius' body and hair, which is something I don't think I could ever do… but I've never had a child die…

"I never had a chance to meet your brother," some old lady in a flowered dress tells me and I nod my head. "But I bet he was a sweet boy."

"He was," I say softly and she embraces me in a tight hug. Her body is soft like cookie dough and her breath smells like onions…. I cringe.

"Oh, you poor dear," she says when she pulls back and pats my cheek, "How unfortunate for your family."

"Thank you for coming," I say flatly.

She leaves and the next person steps up to me, awkwardly shaking my hand, and telling me he knew Cass from school. When Cassius' real friend, Sid Porter, makes it to me, he embraces me in a tight bear hug and lightly lifts me off the ground.

"This is bloody bizarre," he says in my ear and he pulls back, wiping away tears from his blood shot eyes. "I always thought I'd die before he did. Cass was always too bloody smart for his own good."

"Yeah," I mutter and Sid gives me another hug before walking off.

"Oh, Ginevra!" My head snaps to my Mom as Molly Weasley steps up and hugs her tightly. "Now you can finally understand what my grief has been all these years," she says, and I don't even look at the person in front of me as they tell me how sorry they are for my loss. "It's a terrible thing to lose a child."

"Yes," Mom says softly as she stares at her mother with hollowed eyes. "It is."

"Despite his upbringing, I'm sure Cassius was a good boy."

"Are you serious?" my Dad finally speaks and it seems like everyone holds their breath as he glares at Molly Weasley. "Why are you here?"

Molly pulls her hand back from my mother's and she glares at my father. "This is your punishment, you know," she says and the people around us start to look nervous and uncomfortable. "This is your punishment for all your sins."

Dad's eyes flash and he puts his hand in his pocket, where I know his wand is. "Get the fuck out of here," he says and just about everyone around them flinches from his tone. She sneers at him and his face turns cold. "Leave, or I will kill you."

I know he's telling the truth, and Molly huffs angrily before giving my mom an 'I told you so' look. She tilts her chin up before walking by all of us kids with out even a second glance. _Horrid woman_, I think bitterly as I watch her walk off. Dad shakes his head before storming off; pushing past the line of people who give him shocked looks, like he was doing something so outrageously uncivilized. He pauses in the doorway where Mom had spied me earlier when I was trying to sneak out the back to free the bathroom spider. He rubs his face under his glasses and breathes in and out heavily, trying to calm himself.

Mom looks at Gavin before going to get Dad, and my brother scoots down and takes the place by the casket, taking over the job of the main greeter of the family. I guess, he is officially the oldest child now… I look back at the doorway as Mom puts her hands on Dad's face and whispers something with warm eyes, causing him to nod his head, still breathing heavily. As I shake some girl's hand, Mom leans up and kisses him briefly on the lips before hugging him tightly to her body. He tilts his face down and buries his face into her neck as they embrace. Dad eventually calms down and they both come back into the viewing room as the people keep coming.

It took hours before the line finally dwindled down. I saw people I hadn't seen in years, I saw people I had never actually seen at all, and I saw people I never want to see again. Byron Flint showed up with his sister Chloe and he bent down and whispered something into Cass' ear before giving Lavinia the sweetest kiss on lips, right in front of her own boyfriend who was in line behind him… but no one seemed to really care about it except for Darius, whose face blushed as his knuckles turned white from clenching them so tightly. Some girl named Daniella came and sobbed as she told me how much she loved my brother and, to my surprise, Jason Weasley showed up, only to stare down at my brother in the casket. Then he left with out a word.

Jeremiah waited in one of the white chairs in the front row, and he kept sending me encouraging little half smiles every time I looked at him. He is a good friend… I'll have to write him a thank you card.

When we greeted just about all of England and half of Ireland, we were finally allowed to sit down so the director could start his speech about my brother, who he never knew. I sat down in one of the front chairs by Jeremiah, who took my hand and squeezed it gently as I gave him a watery, thankful smile.

Mom didn't move right away as she stood in front of the casket and looked down with her head tilted to the side. After a few moments she bent down with her hands on the edge of the casket and kissed Cassius' forehead. I started crying again when I saw her do that and she pulled back with her hand on his face as Jeremiah put his arm around my shoulder. Something bad must have happened because her hand jumped back and she took a sharp intake of breath.

"Draco," she said as she looked over her shoulder at my Dad. They ignore the funeral director who's trying to tempt them into sitting down, and they don't seem to care that there is a room full of people, watching their every movement. "Come here."

Dad stood up and walked over to her. "What is it?" I heard him whisper.

She showed him her fingers that had something red on them, and then nodded down to my brother. "He's bleeding."

"How is that possible?" Dad snapped as he touched Cassius cheek as well. Pulling back and looking down at the blood on his fingers.

"I don't know. It's like someone cut his cheek and he just started bleeding."

Dad narrows his eyes and looks towards the funeral director. "I want everyone to leave," he says. The director sputters while the people start whispering amongst themselves. Gavin stands up and walks over to them to see if he can help, but no one acknowledges him. "If he's dead, he wouldn't bleed like this," Dad says, pointing to the cut on Cass' cheek. "His blood should be coagulated by now because he doesn't have a bloody heartbeat, unless you fucked with his body like I told you not to."

The funeral director apologizes to everyone and asks them all to step outside to give the family a moment. When the room is empty, besides my family, Jeremiah, and few close friends, Dad shakes his head.

"Mr. Malfoy, like I said before, sometimes when a magical person dies it takes longer for the body to start the decomposition process."

"I've probably seen more dead bodies than you have," my dad says darkly and the director pales. "So, stop talking to me."

The funeral director gulps and shies away from my Father as Mom touches his arm and kisses the side of his face to calm him down again.

"Mr. Malfoy," Everyone looks over to Byron Flint as he stands up and walks over to the mammoth scene that my family is making. I dread reading the papers tomorrow. "Try to take his ring off."

"Goddamnit, Flint," Gavin hisses as he crosses his arms. "Would you just back the hell off?"

"Please," he repeats desperately, looking at my parents. "Mrs. Malfoy… his ring was charmed so he couldn't take it off unless he died or your husband took off the charm… Did you try to take it off?"

Mom looks at Dad, who has his eyes shut as he faces the coffin. "I fucking hate this," my Dad mutters and when he opens his eyes, I see he has tears in them again. It breaks my heart to see my Daddy cry. "Let's get this fucking thing over with, okay?" he says, turning to the nervous looking funeral director.

"Maybe we should…" My mom says, looking at Byron, but Dad cuts her off.

"I want to go straight to the cemetery and you can give your speech there," Dad says and the director nods his head. "He doesn't deserve this bloody sideshow."

"Yes, Mr. Malfoy," the man says as he closes the casket lid and looks terribly out of his element.

Dad takes off his glasses and puts them in his pocket as he pulls out a pair of sunglasses. He puts them on as he walks out the back way of the funeral home, leaving us all sitting there awkwardly looking at each other.

"What was that guy talking about?" Jeremiah whispers in my ear as he looks over at Byron Flint who looks terribly upset as he cusses and kicks a nearby chair.

I sigh out loud and shake my head. "I don't know."

"This is bloody terrific," Gavin snaps before taking Addison's hand and going out the back way, muttering angrily under his breath the whole time.

Mom looks at Cassius' casket before sighing sadly and leaving as well. I get up to follow with Jeremiah at my side, but I pause a moment to watch as Byron walks over to Lavinia and grabs her hands.

"I need you to believe me," he says desperately, sending a sideways glance at the coffin that the funeral director is getting ready to transport. "I need your help. He started bleeding for a reason, Lavinia… that cut didn't come out of nowhere and his body is preserved like that because of the curse. Please, say you believe me."

She looks him in the eyes and then she nods her head. "I do," she says in a shaky voice, and even I'm not sure if I believe her, but he looks relieved as he kisses her cheek.

I knit my eyebrows together before going outside. I'm terribly confused, but I don't put too much thought into as we make our way to the cemetery to put my brother in his final resting place.

I start crying again.

_**Cassius**_

I had been feeling terrible for four days straight. My head hurt and I could barely move as I lay in my bed in the dirty old flat that Byron and I shared. I felt like I was going to throw up, so I tried to stumble towards the bathroom, but my nose started to bleed so badly that it was like a waterfall was coming from my nostrils. I brought a hand up to it to stop the flow from staining the carpet anymore than it already was… then I passed out.

I don't know how long I was like that, but when I woke up I was somewhere totally different. I could tell because it smelled different and the air felt strange. I stretched my muscles and coughed before opening my eyes. The sun was so bright that I had to squint as I sat up straight, and I rubbed my face because it tingled. My skin felt itchy, so I looked around me and realized I was sitting on grass… What the hell?

I stand up and look around me, trying to figure out how the hell I ended up outside, and not only outside, but in the middle of a forest on top of a huge hill. Nothing looks familiar to me as I look around. In the distance, there are misty looking mountains, and trees litter the ground, looking like a carpet of moss from here. I have no idea where the fuck I am.

I was wearing just a pair of pajama pants when I passed out and as I look down at my body, I'm extremely confused to find I'm wearing a nice black suit. I pat myself down, trying to figure out how this happened, as I reach into my pockets. More confusion washes over me when I pull out my small golden practice snitch that I hadn't used in years.

"What?" I whisper as I roll it in my hands. In my other pocket is my wand, and a part of me is relieved that I'm not stranded in this weird place without it.

"Malfoy?" My head turns so fast that I nearly break it as I look at Paige, who's stomping towards me in a ridiculously frilly pink dress. "Is that you?" she asks as she rubs the lenses of her glasses on one of the ruffles and then puts them on. I put the snitch and my wand in my pants pocket.

"Paige?" I'm so relieved to see her that I go over and hug her tightly to me until she pushes me back. "Where the fuck are we?" I ask as I look around at the forest we seem to be stuck in.

"I have no idea," she says and then she looks me over. "What are you wearing?"

I look down at the suit and then I look at her frilly dress, raising an eyebrow. "I could ask you the same thing."

She blushes and pulls on one of the ruffles. "I always hated this dress, but my Mother loves it."

"You look like a cupcake." She glares and pushes past me. "Where are you going?" I ask as she stomps away from me.

"I'm going to go find out where the hell we are," she hisses. She trips on the high heels she's wearing, and I snort at how foolish she looks. She pauses and leans against a tree for leverage as she takes them off.

"You're going to walk barefoot?" I ask her disbelievingly as I catch up with her.

"I don't have many other options, now do I?" she says and then she winces when she steps on a rock.

"Hold on," I tell her as I lean against the same tree and start untying my shoes. "You can wear mine; at least I'm wearing socks."

"I'm not going to wear your shoes," she snaps, but I take them off anyways.

"They're going to be too big for you, but at least it's something," I say as I hand them to her.

She eyes them suspiciously and then she sees my wand sticking out of my pocket. "You have your wand!" It wasn't a question. In fact, she sounded happy about it as she bounded to me and pulled it out of my pocket. "I didn't have mine with me. It's not fair that you do," she eyes me angrily, like it was my fault, as she uses my wand to turn her heels into flats.

"So, no to my shoes, I guess," I mumble as I put them back on. I was trying to be nice; she seems to always ruin that. "Can I have my wand back?" I ask as she slips into her newly shortened shoes and smiles as she turns to test them out.

"Oh, yes," she says as she hands it back to me. I put it between my teeth as I retie my shoes. "Mr. Malfoy…"

"God, will you stop calling me that," I tell her as I put the wand back in my pocket. "You have no idea how annoying that is."

"Fine, _Cassius_, you don't think…. You don't think we're…"

"We're what?" I ask as I dust some lint off of my jacket.

"Well, we're both dressed up and now we're in this beautiful place," she looks around her at the sky and trees. "The last thing I remember before I woke up here was having the worst head ache I've ever had in my life."

"Yeah?"

"Do you think we're dead?" I snort out loud and she puts her hands on her hips. "What's so funny?"

"If we're dead, then this is either heaven or hell," I say as I start walking away from her. She follows in a huff. "I don't think heaven has any mosquitoes," I tell her as I kill one of the bugs that lands on my hand, "and I doubt hell would have such an agreeable temperature." I muse with a smirk and she glares at me when she finally catches up with my long strides. "And, I don't think we're dead because I'm hungry. I don't think dead people get hungry."

"Know it all," she mutters beside me as we walk through the maze of trees and plants. "I think I hear water running," she says and I give her a look out of the corner of my eyes as she grabs my arm. "Listen, it sounds like a river or something."

I pause and strain my ears to listen. She's right, I do hear water.

"Let's find that. I'm sure if we follow it, we're bound to find a town or something."

"Alright," I tell her and we start following the noise of water. "This is so strange."

I look around me, trying to find a clue to where we are, but nothing is calling out to me. Am I dreaming? I have no idea, it doesn't feel like a dream and the ache in my feet as I walk in these expensive leather shoes is very real. We walk for miles and I begin to get hot, so I loosen my tie and take off my jacket, slinging it over my arm as I push up my sleeves. I know my face has to be flushed right now from all this walking.

"There it is," Paige says as she points in between a set of trees. I follow her finger and smile when I see the river we were looking for.

"Good job, Paige," I commend her and she blushes; I can't tell if it's because she's hot or just pleased that I complimented her. For some reason, I want it to be the latter.

As we walk towards the river, I start hearing voices and I stop walking to turn to Paige. "Do you hear that?" I whisper and she nods her head.

Excited that we'll be able to ask someone where the hell we are, we both start running towards the voices. We make it through the trees and to the banks of the river in record time, only to find a small group of men. I stop moving completely when all of them look over to us, and I raise an eyebrow at the weird looking tunics they're wearing. Their dark hair is cropped short and their skin is olive colored and well tanned. I send a sideways glance to Paige as they stop filling their clay water jugs from the river.

"What the…" I hear Paige mumble beside me.

The men mutter things between themselves and then they all go over to get the things that were laying against the trees. When I realize what they are, my eyebrows shoot up in surprise.

"Are those…" Paige whispers again as the men point their bows and arrows right towards us.

"We should run," I tell her.

"I agree," she states, and then we both turn around and start speeding away as the first arrow collides with the tree beside my head.

The men start shouting as we run through the woods, tripping on rocks and hopping over large, ancient, tree roots. A branch nicks my cheek and I can feel it sting as it begins bleeding, but I don't even bother with it since I'm running for my life. I drop my suit jacket after it catches hold of some bush like plant, and I cuss as it tears out of my hands. I might have needed that later.

"Jesus Christ, Malfoy, you have your wand. Turn around and stun those primitive beasts," Paige says breathlessly as we run, and I suppose she is right. I reach into my pocket and pull out my wand before turning around and shouting a curse.

A few men fall down, stunned from their pursuit of us, and the arrows stop flying.

"Who were they?" Paige asks beside me as she puts her hands on her knees, trying to catch her breath and I lean against a tree, unbuttoning the first few buttons on my shirt. "What language were they speaking?"

I walk over to one of the stunned men and I bend down to inspect his plain tunic and the gold chain around his neck. Paige comes up and kicks his sandaled feet. "I think he was speaking Ancient Greek," I say, not truly believing my own words. "But that doesn't make any sense…"

"Cassius," I ignore her as I study the youth I just stunned, taking in his broad nose and the tattoo on his arm. I tilt my head to try to read it. "Cassius!" she calls as she pushes my shoulder.

"What do you want?" I snap as I glare up at her. She points off in the distance and I follow her finger towards the giant statue peaking out above the trees.

"No way," I say as I stand up and put a hand up to my eyes to shield them from the sun.

We're both looking right at the face that we found at the bottom of the ocean barely five days ago. It looks almost new now, and it's still attached to its body, as it stares blankly over the forest. The pearl like earring shines brightly in the sun, and I raise my eyebrows.

"Where the fuck are we?" I repeat again, but Paige doesn't answer.


	6. Chapter 6

_**Evelyn **_

I don't mind thunderstorms so much. In fact, I think they are quite relaxing and therapeutic. There's just something about the way the rain makes the air smell so earthy, and the way the sky turns almost purple as the clouds gather. I let my forehead fall against the glass of the window and my breath fogs up the little area by my nose. I must have been sitting here for hours watching the storm, but I don't care.

Lightning strikes in the distance, illuminating everything around it, before a loud crack of thunder vibrates the windows and makes me jump. I resume my position against the glass as I watch the trees sway back and forth, silhouetted against the violet sky as the wind whips their branches around violently, making their leaves quiver in fear. Lightening strikes again, hitting one of the trees and causing it to split open with a loud bang.

I feel sorry for that tree.

"What are you doing in here?"

I look over my shoulder in surprise at my Father as he turns on the light. "I'm watching the storm," I tell him simply as he looks into my eyes, trying not to look at anything else in the room.

"You can do that in your own room."

I glance around me at all of Cassius' things. I've been sneaking in here almost every night since the funeral. When he went off traveling with Byron Flint, he didn't take much with him, so his room is just as he left it, with most of his things still in place like when he lived here.

My parents refuse to touch it – Dad won't step into the room; even now as he looks at me from the doorway. I guess they want to preserve the memory in here like a museum exhibit tries to hold onto the past: meant to be viewed, but not touched.

"Evelyn," Dad snaps because I haven't moved or answered him. "It's late, you should go to bed."

I nod my head. "I just like being in here, Daddy," I tell him as I stand up. With all of Cassius' personal possessions in here, it kind of feels like a part of him is still lingering in this room… and I don't want him to be lonely. "Don't be upset with me."

"I'm not upset," he says softly, still refusing to cross the threshold. "But this isn't your room. Now, it's getting late, so you need to go to bed."

I nod again and walk out of the room with Dad following behind me. I glance once over my shoulder, back at the window I had been staring out of, but with the lights on, I can only see my reflection. Dad shuts off the light and closes the door before walking me to my own bedroom, keeping his head down with his hands in his pockets. I wonder if he'll start locking up the room now.

"Dad?" I ask as I stare at his profile. It reminds me so much of my lost brother's that it makes my heart ache. "What's going to happen to all of Cass' things?"

I've asked him a question that he doesn't want to answer because he looks away from me and clears his throat. "Let's not worry about that just now, sweetheart." When we get to my room, he opens the door and kisses my forehead. "Goodnight, baby," he tells me.

He hasn't called me baby in years, and I smile sadly at him before going over to my bed and crawling under my covers. "Night, Dad," I whisper when he closes the door.

When his footsteps carry him away, I lie on my back and stare at the ceiling with my fingers drumming against my stomach. I haven't slept in my own bed since Cassius died. I usually just sneak into Lavinia's room during the night, and I guess she doesn't mind, because she never tells me to leave and she doesn't yell at me when I slide in bed beside her.

I lay there for an hour before I decide that I won't – can't – sleep by myself, so I carefully get up and tiptoe to Lavinia's room, trying not to make any noise. She's already asleep when I enter, she sleeps all the time now, and when I get to her bed, I gently place Cato on the floor from his resting place by her side. He purrs into my hand when I pet his fur and then I slink into bed beside my sister, who doesn't even move.

I lie on my back and close my eyes as I try to get comfortable. All I can think about is poor Cassius in that tomb in the cemetery, all alone and cold. I shake my head and place my hands on my stomach, trying not to think about it, but when I realize I'm laying like a dead person would in a coffin, I jerk to my side, and then to the other side, and then to my stomach, and then I kick my legs, and then I…

"Stop moving," Lavinia says flatly, with her head still buried into her pillows as I readjust the covers.

"I can't fall asleep," I whine like it was her fault, and she sighs loudly in annoyance.

"Go read a book, then."

I open my eyes and stare at the back of her head. I guess that's not such a bad idea. She groans in annoyance again when I move around to sit up, and I grab her wand as I leave the room, headed towards the library. When I finally enter the large, open room, I see Mom asleep on the window seat that she always favors when she comes in here. I watch her for a few moments as her head slumps against the window, and I decide that I'll let her rest. I doubt she's been sleeping well lately, anyways. Trying to be as quiet as I can, I tiptoe over to one of the shelves and grab a random book. The two fireplaces in the room have died down to just a dim glow, casting most of the room in a soft orange and yellow light that I find calming. I look at Mom once more before going over to the alcove across from where she is and crawling under the wooden, marble topped, table that's there. Lavinia calls it my hiding spot, but I call it my reading nook.

I don't know what it is, but I find enclosed spaces like this one comforting. I cross my legs and situate myself with my back against the wall as I look down at the book I grabbed, whispering a light lumos spell with Lavinia's wand. I don't mind doing underage magic like this, it's just measly little spell that can't hurt anyone. When I look down to read the title, I knit my eyebrows together at the gold lettering.

_The Tragic Tale of Cassius Finch__. _

It makes sense that I would just randomly pick out this book, wouldn't it? My mother's favorite story and the book that my brother was named after just happened to be what I chose. I sigh before opening the cover to read it. I guess now is a better time than any to finally read this story.

Someone else walks into the library, and I quickly snuff out the lumos spell so they don't see me. It's Dad. He sees Mom sleeping on the window seat and he walks over to her and gently touches her shoulder.

"Gin," he whispers as he takes a seat beside her on the bench. "Wake up, babe." Mom makes a weird moaning sound before opening her eyes and blinking a few times. "Your neck's going to be sore if you sleep here again."

"I didn't even realize I dozed off," she says with a yawn as she stretches out her arms. She sits up straight and looks at Dad with her head tilted to the side after her eyes adjust to the dim lights. "What did Mr. Vallo want?"

Dad looks down at the ground with his elbows on his knees. "He wanted to know if we were ready to update our will."

"Already," Mom snaps, any sleep that she was holding on to officially gone. "It hasn't even been a week."

Dad shrugs and turns to her, putting some hair behind her ear. "He's just doing his job."

She nods her head and looks out the window while bringing her legs up to her chest. I put the book down beside me, along with Lavinia's wand, and I put my chin in my hands to watch them. I think real people are much more interesting than fictional characters, to be honest.

"Darren and Myra sent a beautiful flower piece," Mom says quietly and Dad nods his head. Thunder bangs the windows again, but neither of them jump. "Have you had a chance to speak to Darren Greengrass yet?"

Dad nods his head again and rubs his eyes under his glasses. "A little."

I know that name. Darren Greengrass is the Minister of Magic, he just got re-elected this fall.

"Draco," she says softly to get him to look at her, and when he does, she looks deeply into his eyes. "I want you to get a time turner…"

"Gin…"

"No," she says sharply. "I want you to use your connections at the Ministry, and I want you to get a time turner and fix this, so that our son isn't dead."

"It doesn't work like that," he whispers as he searches her face. "You can't change the past."

"Why not?" she hisses. "If Hermione bloody Granger can get one when she was thirteen to help some stupid old hippogriff and Sirius Black, then why can't we use it to save our son?"

"We can't," he replies, like it was paining him to say it. "We just can't, Ginny."

"God! What's the point of being married to a Death Eater if he follows the rules," she tells him as she stands from the window seat, pushing Dad's shoulder in the process.

I watch as she stomps over to one of the dimming fireplaces and looks down at the embers glowing on the wood. They stay in silence for a long time until Mom finally speaks up.

"I thought I loved Harry," she whispers as Dad stands up and watches her back. "I even thought I loved Dean when I was with him those few months at Hogwarts… I thought I loved Quidditch, I thought loved swimming, I thought I loved flying…" She lists off a few other things that she thought she loved before looking over her shoulder at Dad, her eyes sparkling with unshed tears. "I thought I loved a lot of things," she says softly as Dad watches her with this intense look in his eyes. "But nothing compared to what I felt when I held Cassius for the first time."

He takes a step closer to her, but doesn't say anything.

"I probably would have killed myself a long time ago if it wasn't for him because I hated being stuck here with you," she says and for some reason he winces…. So do I because I hate the thought of her being so miserable here. "And he's probably the reason why I let myself warm up to you, the reason why I allowed myself to fall in love with a person like you, because I thought that someone so evil couldn't possibly make someone so good like him."

"I'm sorry, Ginny," he tells her, I'm not sure why, but he sounds like he means it.

She sighs and turns around, wiping the tears from her eyes. "I know you loved him too, I'm just…." She chokes back a sob and he walks closer to her. "It's just, he looked so much like you, so it's hard to look at you now… because I know he won't ever get to be this old."

He takes her into his arms as she cries and when she tilts her chin up to look at him, he kisses her. She wraps her arms around his neck and they start kissing in the most passionate and desperate kind of way, so I close my eyes to hide from it. When I crack them open again, I figure they must be on the couch because I can't see them anymore, but when Dad sits up to pull his shirt over his head, I look towards the doorway to see if I can crawl out without being noticed.

"Will you go really hard, Draco?" I hear her whisper and I cover my ears. "Like you used to… do you remember?"

"I'm not going to hurt you," he tells her gently.

I get up on all fours intending to make a break for it. "Don't you remember?" she asks again. "You used to get so mad at me and you would hold me down. You wouldn't even stop when I started crying."

I reach a hand out to begin my escape, but when my Dad speaks, it makes me snap back into my hiding spot. "Stop it," he tells her curtly.

"Do you remember when you found out I was pregnant with Cassius… and that I was trying to leave you?"

"Shut up."

"You were so upset. You killed those servants who were helping me. Do you remember what you did next?"

"Goddamnit, Ginny," he hisses and I reluctantly look towards the couch as he stands up and buckles up his pants. "Stop talking about that."

"Don't you remember? You pushed me on the bed…"

"Shut the fuck up."

"You held my wrists so tightly that I had bruises the next day and you bit my lip so hard, it bled."

"Stop it!" he yells as he kicks a nearby table. I hug my knees to my chest and close my eyes, hoping this will be over soon.

"You forced yourself in-between my legs and you rammed into me so hard, I screamed."

"I'm not doing this with you," he snaps as he walks around the edge of the couch and heads towards the door. Mom sits up from her spot and glares at him over the head of the couch.

I snap my eyes shut again when I notice she's only wearing her bra and knickers.

"What's the problem, Draco?" she asks sharply. "You don't mind arguing with me every other day of the week."

He turns around and faces her with fire in his eyes as he crosses his arms over his bare chest, having left his shirt on the floor by the couch. "This isn't an argument," he tells her harshly. "This is you acting like a psychotic bitch."

My eyes widened as Mom stands up and throws a book from a near by table right at him. Of course, it missed him by a mile, but his eyes never left hers… he didn't even flinch when it collided with the ground.

"If God is punishing you for all the terrible things you've done, I don't think it's fair that I have to be punished too!"

"Oh, so now you're listening to your idiot of a mother."

"What if she's right," she says hatefully, with her hands on her hips… still in her underwear… both of them are half naked, but they don't seem phased by it.

"Then she believes in a pretty fucked up God," he answers darkly.

Mom scowls and turns away from him with her arms crossed. "I hate you so much so times," she mutters.

"Luckily for me, I never listen to anything you say," he sneers sarcastically, bringing up what she had said in the fight they had earlier in the morning.

She glares at him. "I'm leaving," she says, and my heart falls into my stomach as she stomps over to her clothes and starts gathering them up.

"Oh, yeah?" Dad replies dryly, seemingly not affected by her statement. "Where are you going to go, princess?"

"If I wanted you to know, I would tell you," she snaps as she zips up her skirt.

"No, you don't," he shakes his head as he stomps over her and tears the shirt out of her hands. "You do not get to run away and make me do this by myself."

"I can do whatever I want," she tells him as she pushes him back with her hands on his chest.

He shakes his head again with this fierce look in his eyes as he grabs her hips and pushes her back until her back hits one of the book shelves.

"So can I," he says dangerously when he has her pinned against the shelf.

I can only see his back, but he must have done something bad because I hear a tearing noise and she gasps. Whatever it was he tore, he throws over his shoulder, and then all of a sudden, her legs are around his waist and he slams against her so hard that a few books slide off the shelf, landing on the ground with a loud thump.

I'm leaving now, before this becomes even more traumatizing for me. I don't even care if they see me as I start crawling out from the under the table and then I get up and bolt towards the doorway. As I go, I can hear my Mom mumbling things to Dad in a hoarse whisper in between kisses.

"I'm sorry," she says. "I love you. I love you so much, Draco. I'm so sorry…"

When I make it to the hallway, I jump and clench my eyes shut when I hear more books slam against the ground. I cringe before running towards Lavinia's room where I slide under the covers with a beating heart and shaky hands. I slam my eyes shut and try to go to sleep, hoping that when the morning comes, my parents will be back to normal.

When I do finally wake up, Lavinia is still asleep, so I quietly climb out of her bed, and when I get down to the dining hall, I stop in the door way to watch my parents. Mom is standing over Dad, filling up his glass with water from a crystal pitcher. She runs her hand through his hair, and when he looks up at her, she smiles softly before bending down and kissing him.

Adults confuse me. I never want to grow up.

"Are you going to go in, or are you just going to stand here all day?"

I turn around and let a smile come to my face. "Gavin!" I hug him closely to me as he pats my back. "What are you doing here?"

"I'm here to have breakfast, of course," he replies, as he walks to the table to greet my parents. He said that like it was such a typical thing… but Gavin never wakes up early enough to have breakfast in all the years that I've known him.

I follow him in and take my usual seat, while flicking little glances to Cass' empty one. The one right by Dad… no one sits in it anymore… I think we're all handling our grief in different ways. It's hard, you know, to decide how long to wait after something tragic happens to get on with your life. Life goes on for everyone around me, but I just feel stuck…

"Evelyn?" I look up at Gavin and cock my head to the side. "How about I take you out to lunch today?"

"Whatever for?" I ask as my parents start discussing something about art. We're all avoiding mentioning my older brother.

"Well, I haven't really gotten you a present yet. I thought we could go to Diagon Alley to look around."

I smile at him and nod my head despite the pang in my chest. Now, my birthday will always be remembered as the day Cassius passed away, so every time my family wishes me a happy birthday… that will always be resting in the back of their minds. I watch Gavin as he eats his breakfast and talks to my parents. He's been handling everything surprisingly well. It's like he had to slide into the role that Cassius once held, taking over the responsibilities of the oldest and reliable child.

Gavin was always the brother I could horse around with, and fight with; I always found him so interesting and fun. And, Cassius was the brother that I went to if I needed something, if I needed comforting. Now, Gavin has that job, and in the days that followed the funeral, he has morphed into some serious grown up adult.

It almost makes me sad.

Lavinia finally makes an appearance when everyone is just about done. When she sits down heavily in her chair, rubbing her eyes, and fixing her hair, Mom lays her wand on her plate.

"I found it in the library," Mom explains and I blush, hoping no one notices. "You must have left it there."

Lavinia pockets her wand and glares at me, and I give her an apologetic smile.

"You also got another letter from Byron Flint this morning," Mom says as she eyes my sister's reaction. Lavinia just butters her toast and nods her head. "Do you want it?"

Lavinia shrugs, "I'll read it later."

Dad watches her with a tilted head, and I can't imagine why Lavinia is being so passive to poor Byron. I know how much she loves him, and even if she can't see it, he loves her desperately. I guess, she just doesn't believe whatever he wanted her to.

I sigh as I eat my breakfast and I look at Cassius' empty seat again. I smile a little, and pretend that he's there to receive it.

_**Gavin **_

"Are you ready to go?" I ask Evelyn once I'm done visiting with my parents.

"I've got to get ready," she says as she skips out of the room.

I watch her go and then slump back against the chair I had been sitting in. Being nice all the time is terribly exhausting; I really don't know how Cassius did it. I've been trying to clean myself up – I'm trying to be a better person. I figure I have enough bad Karma surrounding me that I need to put out some positive energy…. At least, that's what Addison thinks; I would never come up with that fucking idea on my own.

She has been my main source of comfort throughout this whole thing. Not only because I wanted to be by her, but because she had lost a sibling too. Although, I almost envy the fact that she was only ten when her sister died. I have a lot more years and memories that I have to live with. With Cassius' death, I started out sad and then I got very, very angry… and terrible things happen when I get angry, so Addison has been trying to get me to think positive, to 'suck out the poison' in my life. I think it's fucking idiotic, to be honest, but I might as well give it a shot. What else do I have to do, really? Although, I really don't think the camera man I punched on the way here because he was hiding outside the Manor gates in a bush, gets me many good Karma points.

"So, when do you think you'll go back to work, Gavin?" Mom asks me and I jump, forgetting that she was still in the room.

"I think I'll go back tomorrow," I state honestly and she nods her head while playing with the hem on her dress. "Do you know what Dad's plans are?"

He had disappeared into his study not long after breakfast was over. I want to think that he's working, but he's most likely drinking.

Mom sighs and sits back. "I never know what your Father's plans are."

"So, Cassius knew a lot of interesting people," I say lightly as I look at my lap. This is the first time I've brought his name up so casually… I'm trying to get used to the idea; I'm trying to get rid of that painful jab that hurts my heart every time I say his name out loud. "I've met a few people who worked with him in Nigeria; they liked him very much."

"Yeah," she answers softly as she looks off and bites her lower lip.

It's too soon for her. She doesn't want me to speak about him so passively, and a part of me isn't ready either, so I let the conversation drop.

"I'm ready to go," Evelyn announces as she prances into the room in a white sundress with small little cherries on it; the brown beaded necklace she's wearing doesn't match at all…. But I know why she's wearing it. She's tying a red ribbon in her hair as she looks to me. "Ready, Gavy Javy?"

I smirk at the nickname and stand up. I'll admit, I do favor Evelyn… I find her very entertaining, even though she can be the most annoying brat.

"Let's head out then," I say and I turn to Mom to give her a hug. "I'll bring her back soon."

"Have fun," Mom mutters, still stuck in her own thoughts. It was stupid of me to bring up Cassius and I mentally scold myself for it.

It's unnaturally sunny out today, so I put on my sunglasses as we walk the cobblestone road of Diagon Alley. The storm from last night left it's after affects on the street, and I scowl at the mud on my shoes.

"Everyone's staring at us," Evelyn whispers, and I look around at all the people.

It's true. In the past few days, our family has been in every newspaper and on every magazine because of Cass' death. Some people are watching us closely with pity in their eyes; others are looking slightly irritated with us, like we should be home grieving for my popular brother for the rest of our lives.

"Where do you want to go first?" I ignore what she said and pretend like everything around us didn't just stop.

She looks around at the different shops with a curious little look on her face and when we pass Gringotts, her eyes light up as she looks to her left.

"I want to go down Knockturn Alley."

I snort. "Absolutely not."

She snaps me a look and pouts. "I hate that you've stopped being fun," she tells me and it does bruise my pride a bit. "Oh, please, Mom and Daddy won't ever let me go down there."

She always complains about never being able to go anywhere and how my parents treat her like a child… but I'm sure if she stopped referring to Dad as _Daddy,_ then they might take her a little more seriously.

"It's gross there," I tell her honestly as we stop and she looks down the dark street like it was the most fascinating thing in the world. "You won't like it."

"Please?"

"No."

"Please?"

"No."

"Please?"

"No."

"Please!" It's no longer a question, and she stomps her foot like a child. I know she can play just about everyone else around her like a fiddle, but I will not give in. She's more like me than I would like to admit, so I know all of her tricks.

"Let's go to the Magical Menagerie," I tell her and she crosses her arms. "I want to look into getting a new owl."

I start walking away, but she doesn't follow. I stop and glare at her over my shoulder as she tilts her chin up with her arms still folded over her chest.

"You are acting like a child," I tell her, knowing she always hates it when people say that.

"Well, you're acting like a toad."

I raise an eyebrow at her and lower my sunglasses the slightest, so she knows that I'm giving her the 'you're stupid' look. She sneers back at me as people give us side ways glances as they pass. No doubt, _Malfoy siblings cause scene on Diagon Alley _will be tomorrow's headline. Evelyn doesn't move and neither do I as we stare each other down and then, like she got an idea in her head, she looks behind her at the entrance of Knockturn Alley, and then back to me with a smirk on her face.

"Don't you…" I say, but I don't finish, because she turns around and takes off running into Knockturn Alley. "Damnit," I mutter angrily before chasing after her.

This is the last time I take her anywhere, she acts like a bloody two year old. I pass a group of prostitutes and a one armed man who tries to get me to buy his spider. When I don't find her right away, I start to panic, jumping to the worst conclusions. Like she must have been kidnapped and sold into slavery in Africa, or someone might have raped her and left her for dead. The worry is overwhelming me, so when I do finally find her in some dark alley, staring at the wall, I do the first thing that comes to mind.

I start yelling at her.

"What the bloody hell do you think you're doing?" I snap and she jumps as I storm over to her, pushing my sunglasses to the top of my head so they pull my hair out of my face. A man comes out the back door of one of the restaurants and throws a bag of fish heads into a dumpster before going back inside. "Do you realize how fucking dangerous it is for a little girl to be running around Knockturn Alley like a little twit!"

"Why would someone do this?" she asks softly, not paying any attention to my rant at all.

I glare at her and flick a glance at the brick wall she was looking at. My insides freeze when I see what's there and my wand hand starts twitching.

"Who would do this?" she asks worriedly, looking around the abandoned alley like she could find the culprits.

I rip down the picture that someone had taken of my brother, dead in the coffin, during his viewing. Who took that picture? Why would someone take a picture like that, and why would they post it up here on this wall, so people could draw on it and make comments about it? _Reasons why Cassius Malfoy would kill himself_, someone wrote and my hand clenches around the picture as I read the graffiti on the wall, making fun of my family, making fun of my dead brother. The handwriting is different with each number, so I know they were different people.

_He broke up with his boyfriend and just couldn't take it any more!_

_His Daddy wanted to buy him a Nimbus 2.0 but he wanted a 2.1!_

_He wanted to bang his MILF of a mom, but knew as a pureblood he's only allowed you to bang his cousin._

_Because his brother's a douche. _

_Because his Dad is a murdering lowlife who probably raped him. _

_He wanted to fuck his sister… the hot one with the red hair._

The list goes on and I reach in to my pocket to pull out my wand. "Why are these people so mean?" Evelyn asks with tears in her eyes as she reads the rest of the list. "And Cass didn't kill himself. Why would they say that?"

I push her back and lift my wand to the brick wall, shouting a curse that demolishes half of the fucking building. As it crumbles around us, I grab Evelyn's hand, and I start pulling her to an Apparation point.

"Can't you get arrested for that?" she asks worriedly as some wart nosed witch touches her hair and asks her if she wants to sell it. "No, you fool," she snaps at the woman who scowls at her and calls her a nasty name.

I hiss at her to be quiet and when we reach the Apparation point, I wrap my arm around her waist and take us back to the Manor.

"Don't tell Mom or Dad what you saw," I tell her as the gate opens. "It will just upset them."

"Why would someone be so terrible?" She asks and I sigh as I look down at her. "Cass didn't even… he didn't kill himself."

"People can be real jerks, Evie. Don't let it bother you."

"But those sick things that they wrote… and who took that picture? They had to have been at the viewing."

"There were a lot of people there," I mutter. "Now, go inside and tell Mom that I had to hurry home because Addison got sick, okay?"

She nods her head and looks down. I tilt her chin up and try to smile at her. "I'll try to bring you out another time, alright?"

"Alright," she mutters.

"Didn't I tell you, you wouldn't like Knockturn Alley?"

She sighs. "Yes, you did."

"I'm always right," I say arrogantly. "No, go inside. I'll talk to you later."

"Bye Gavin," she mumbles, still in thought over the terrible thing she saw in the Alley.

I watch her disappear along the path and then I take the picture out of my pocket. I can't begin to imagine what type of person would take a picture of a dead body, just so they could have a laugh. I glare down at the picture of my brother in the coffin, someone had drawn crude things on him and I look on the back to see if there's a watermark that will tell me who developed this picture.

When I see the faint seal of the Magical Printing Company, I scowl before Apparating right in front of their building. I storm in, ignoring everyone who is looking at me strangely, as I push past people who were waiting in line for their developed pictures. Some nerdy kid with glasses looks all flushed and scared as I slam the picture down on the table.

"Who brought this photo in to be developed?" I ask kindly, but the glare in my eyes has to show my displeasure.

"Um, I can't… you can't…" I cock an eyebrow and he reddens. "I'll go get the manager."

"You do that."

He scurries off and I lean my weight against the counter as the people in line glare at me for making a hold up. I could care less about them and I cross my legs at my ankles and tap my fingers against the smooth table top because of my impatience to wait for this manager of theirs. When he finally comes, I look him over in distaste. He's is an overweight man in his late fifties, with a small plastic tag pinned to his chest, letting me know his name is Stan. When he sees who I am, he ushers me into his little make shift office full of boxes and fold out chairs.

"Please, take a seat, Mr. Malfoy,"

I smile unpleasantly before sitting down. My father's company has a habit of making or breaking any business if we choose. It's good that he knows that.

"What can I do for you today?" he asks nervously as I take a seat on one of the folding chairs and I reach into my pocket to take out the picture of my brother. "Would you like some tea?"

"Tell me the name of the person who sent in this picture," I say flatly as I hand him the picture.

When he looks at it, he looks even more nervous than before, and he loosens his tie a bit. "We shouldn't have developed a photo like this," he says apologetically. "They should have reported it to me."

"That's great," I say, not really caring. "I want you to look at the number on the back and file through whatever thing you have here and give me a name."

"I'm sorry, Mr. Malfoy… there are privacy laws that prohibit—"

"Are there?" I cut him off and he looks at me with wide eyes.

He nods his head. "I can't just give out private information on a customer. It's against the rules."

I nod my head and bring my hands up to tap my chin. "I see," I say thoughtfully and he must think I'm giving in because he relaxes the slightest bit. "Do you want to know what else is against the rules, Stan?" I ask as I take out my wand and twirl it in-between my fingers casually, like I didn't have a care in the world. He doesn't say anything so I look him directly in the eyes. "Unforgivables," I tell him and he pales. "But people use those all the time."

He looks at my wand and then at my face with sweat gathering on his brow. I would never actually use one of those curses on someone, but he doesn't need to know that.

"Are you… Are you threatening me?"

I smile. "No," I say simply as I sit forward. He flinches when I tap my finger on the photo on his desk. "Find that name for me, please."

He starts breathing heavily and when he looks into my eyes again, I raise an eyebrow. That must have sealed the deal for him because he took the photo and looked at the number code on the back.

"You can't tell anyone about this," he mumbles as he goes to one of the boxes and starts sorting though the sheets of paper that he has in there, detailing his customers and their numbers. "I could get in so much trouble from the higher ups."

"I won't tattle on you, Stan," I tell him with a smile.

"Okay," he says as he stands up with a paper in his hand. "That number came in last Thursday afternoon," he tells me, he starts mumbling on, describing how they keep track of these kinds of things just in case, blah... blah… blah.

I stand up and yank the paper out of his hands, and he sputters at me while I read it. _Kalvin Marcello- Wenchester Lane, Knockturn Alley. Flat 3B. _ I smirk and then I look up at Stan.

"This is perfect, thank you," I tell him as I fold the paper over and I put it in my pocket. I reach towards his desk and take the picture of my brother as well.

"You… you have to give that back."

"Do I?" I ask as I put my wand in my pocket.

"Yes—"

I walk out without even bothering with what he had to say, and without a second thought, I Apparate to Knockturn Alley and find flat number 3B without much trouble at all. I gently knock on the door and when a scrawny looking guy in his late teens answers, I take a moment to look him over. Long greasy hair, tight as hell straight leg jeans, bad teeth… I do actually remember seeing him and two other guys at the viewing. I only remember them because I thought they were high. I think I'll start making a list now because my funeral is going to be invitation only.

"What do you want?" he asks as he glares at me.

I smile. "I just wanted to come and personally thank you for coming for my brother's viewing and showing your respects," I lie and he narrows his eyes. "I was wondering if you could give me the names of your friends so I can tell them as well."

Like he just realized who I was, his eyes widen the slightest bit and he looks around him like he was waiting on something terrible to happen. "Uh, well, I don't know about that, man."

"That's unfortunate," I tell him as I push past him and I step into his dirty little flat. I don't know how people live like this, I sneer, as I look around the gross little living room.

"Hey, you can't just… come in here like this," he says as I kick a dirty shirt that was lying close to my shoe.

"Write down your friend's names and their addresses, please," I tell him and I look towards him again as he watches me with disbelieving eyes, his wand gripped in his hands. "And I would put that away," I tell him, nodding to his wand. "You might hurt yourself."

He pales and then he swallows the knot in his throat as he walks over to a dirty side table. He unfolds an old food wrapper and starts writing down the names of his friends and where I can find them.

"So, uh, are you doing this with everyone?" he asks as he writes.

I step into the center of the room and look around me. "Just the ones I think were significant," I tell him and he looks confused, but I ignore it as I take in the dirty walls, the old food rotting on the furniture, and the posters of half naked girls on the walls. The only thing that looks half way decent is an electric guitar leaning in the corner. "Do you play?" I ask as I nod my head towards the expensive looking foam green instrument.

"Oh, yeah," he says as he hands me the wrapper. I look to make sure the names are on it with addresses before putting it in my pocket. "That's a really good guitar too. I saved up weeks worth of pay to get that baby," he says proudly.

I flick a glance to him before walking over to it and picking it up. I pluck a few strings and he coughs uncomfortably.

"Do you play?"

"No," I tell him as I pluck another string.

"Then, uh, what are you doing, man?"

I hate stupid people, I really do. "Would you say this is your most treasured possession?"

He snorts at my choice of words and he shrugs. "I guess you could say that… it's the most expensive thing I own, if that's what you mean." I nod my head and pluck another string so hard it twangs and he filches, stepping closer to me so he can take it away. "Alright, uh, can I have it back now?" he asks carefully, watching me closely so I don't do anything to put his precious guitar out of tune.

"No," I say simply and I hold it by the neck as I look into his eyes.

"Why not?"

"Because you're going to watch me while I burn it."

His mouth falls open and I smile before destroying his most precious possession. I think he might have even cried a little while it was happening and he was so stunned, he didn't even bother drawing his wand on me… not that that would have mattered because he was so dense I would have easily over powered him in a duel. I wish I had a camera, so I could post his pathetic picture in some alley way.

When there was nothing but ash on the floor and half of a popped string, I straighten out and smile at him.

"I'm gonna call the Aurors on you," he says and I laugh out loud as I walk towards the door, on the way I see a photo package laying on the ground under an old butter beer bottle, so I kick the trash aside to pick it. "If you don't leave right now, I'm going to hex you."

"Stop talking," I tell him in annoyance as I look through the package. When I see the negatives to my brother's picture, I crack my neck before turning to him again. "Be thankful that I didn't destroy more than your guitar and your stupid pride," I tell him dangerously before leaving his flat.

When I get back on the street, I take out the old food wrapper that that idiot wrote on, and I memorize the addresses before visiting both guys with a sardonic smile on my face and my wand in my hand, making them feel what I felt when I saw the picture on that brick wall.

_**Cassius **_

"God, I am so hungry," Paige complains as we walk towards the statue. Her shoulders are slouched and she's walking in the most ridiculous way because she's tired. "That freaking thing didn't look so far away."

"That's because it's so big," I tell her as we walk through the forest. "It's the moon affect."

"We should have waited until those guys woke back up so we could ask him what's going on," she says as she scrunches her nose up and then she sighs.

"The men who were trying to kill us?" I ask and she looks at me. "Yes, that's a brilliant idea. I'm sure they would have been thrilled."

"You don't have to be nasty," she says. "I need a break."

She slumps against a nearby tree and lets her body fall to the ground in a dramatic heap. I roll my eyes and sit on a nearby rock that's the size of a small stepping stool.

"We wouldn't have been able to talk to them anyways," I tell her as she crosses her arms and looks out in the distance, glaring at the giant statue we've been following all day. "I don't know how to speak Ancient Greek."

"How did you know that's what they were speaking then?"

"I know enough to get me by, but we usually have a translator for the hard stuff," I tell her. As an archeologist who digs up ancient things, you have to pick up on that sort of stuff. "I can read most of it, though," I tell her as I wipe my face on my sleeve, pulling back only to see blood on my shirt. "Why didn't you tell me I had blood on my face?"

I start wiping it off, but she doesn't seem to notice. "I didn't realize you did," she says with a shrug, "What's that?" she asks, as she points off to the side.

I follow her finger. It looks like another person, so I stand up quickly, ready to run or curse them, but when it doesn't move for the longest time I figure we're safe. "I think it might be another statue," I tell her.

She gets up and we both start walking towards it when the curiosity gets to be too much. When we get close enough to the marble statue, I almost smile at its beauty. It's a life size sculpture of a beautiful woman in a running pose. Beside her is a small stag and she has a quiver of arrows slung across her back as one delicate hand reaches back to grab one of the arrows, in her other hand she's holding a bow.

"You know, my Dad named his owl Artemis," I tell her matter of factly as I circle the statue that has golden sandals and jeweled eyes. We're on top of a hill again, and there's a valley that dips down low in front of us. The expression on the statue's face is very determined and soft; I've never seen such a detailed sculpture before. "Lovely," I mutter to myself as I take it in.

"What's that have to do with anything?" she asks as she touches the stag's head, marveling that, even though it's made out of marble, it looks so real.

I give her a stern look and when she raises her eyebrows in question I sigh. "That's who this is," I say flatly, pointing to the statue of the Goddess. She looks clueless and I cross my arms, not believing she really doesn't know. "I thought you were an archeologist."

"I am," she says angrily as she stands straight and straightens her glasses. "My main focus is Northern European History, though. The Druids are my main study, so don't look at me like that for not knowing who this old bird is."

"Why did you go with Dr. Bailey's team, then, if you aren't into this?"

She looks at me and crosses her arms. "I don't like to miss opportunities."

"Fine," I say, while rolling my eyes. I look around and notice another statue off in the distance and I really can't understand why they're out here so randomly in the forest like this. "Ancient Grecian culture is more up Byron's alley, anyways," I say to find some common ground with her. "I favor Egypt."

"Your friend Brian?"

I snap her a look. "It's Byron. He took the trouble to remember your name – you should give him the same respect."

Her cheeks blush so darkly that it makes me feel bad, and I almost apologize for my outburst. "I'm sorry," she mumbles, looking down at the ground. "You're right."

When we reach the second statue, I knit my eyebrows together as I study the beardless youth with the lyre carved in the nook of his elbows. I know it's Apollo, but I just can't figure out why they're out here like this. Paige blushes and turns slightly away from the statue because he's nude, but I'm trying like hell to figure this out, and when I notice another statue not too far down, I look off to where they're all facing.

"Oh, look!" Paige says, facing the way I am, looking at the carpet of trees slightly down the hill from where we are. "Do you see those orange dots?"

I strain my eyes to see what she's point to.

"I think that's an orange tree," she says excitedly and my stomach jumps at the word orange because I'm so bloody hungry. "Let's go there!"

She starts taking off down the hill, and I reluctantly follow. It doesn't make sense for an orange tree to be in the center of a forest like this. We get down to the bottom of the hill, and when she notices that we have to cross a small river, her face scrunches up.

"Use your wand and transfigure that log into a bridge," she demands while pointing to a large tree that had fallen across the river. I snort and she looks at me. "What?"

"I don't know how to do that," I tell her and she narrows her eyes. "Do you know how to do that?" When she doesn't answer, I take that as a no. "If there's a rat you want me to transfigure into a cup, I'm all over that, but I have no idea how to turn things into bridges. Besides," I tell her as I look at the log. "That's big enough we can just walk over it."

I start walking towards it and I climb up on the large log to carefully begin walking across it. "Are you coming?" I ask when I notice that Paige hasn't moved.

"Oh, yes, I'm coming," she says quietly.

I make it to the other side in two seconds flat, and when I turn around to see what's taking Paige so freaking long, I laugh out loud. She's on all fours, carefully crawling across the tree bark like if she fell off, then she would surely die. Her shoe gets stuck on the bark and it comes off. She starts panicking.

"I'm going to fall," she says as she hugs the tree trunk close to her chest and closes her eyes tight, I laugh even harder. "This isn't funny. I lost my shoe."

"It's right behind you," I tell her as I hop back onto the log. I walk over to her and reach around her body to pick up her shoe. "Do you want any help?" I ask as I twirl her pink flat with my finger and smirk down at her.

"I don't need you making fun of me," she says as she glares up at me. Like she was trying to prove a point, she attempts to stand with shaky legs. Her foot slips and her glasses fall off of her face, and into the river. "My glasses!" she yells as she grabs me around the waist for balance.

The surprise of it makes me fall backwards and I drop her shoe in the water… along with my wand. "Goddamnit!" I hiss as she holds on to me. "Get off. I have to get my wand."

She looks at me with blurry eyes. "I can't see anything with out my glasses."

I push her off and she clutches the log again as I panic and look into the river for any sign of my wand. When I see it resurface a few feet down in the water, floating off with the currents, I pull the button down shirt over my head, along with my tie, and lay it on the log before jumping in to get it. I will not be stranded in this weird fucking place without my magic. I refuse to.

I ignore the water that flows into my mouth and nose as I swim after my bloody wand. It seems to get farther and farther away from me the harder I swim, so I close my eyes and kick my legs and arms as hard as I can to catch up with it. I can not express the joy I felt when my fingers finally reached my lovely wand, and I nearly started laughing when I gripped it in my hands. I probably would have started smiling, had it not been for the overshadowing presence of annoyance filtering through me at the stupid girl still clutching the log behind me.

"Did you get my glasses?" She calls and I scowl.

I swim towards the river bank and when I step out I shake my head to get my hair out of my eyes. A shiver runs down my body because I'm not wearing a shirt and I look back towards the river where Paige is still clutching that freaking log. She's starting to seem rather useless, really. I point my wand to the river, trying to concentrate on her thick rimmed glasses and I close my eyes.

"Accio glasses,"

I can feel the spell trying to tug them out of the water, so I clench my eyes shut a littler tighter, trying to concentrate. I can feel the water dripping down the front of my chest and the groove of my spin, as the sun dries my hair, and I'm terribly uncomfortable in these wet pants and shoes. When something hits my chest, I open my eyes, and smile down at the soaking glasses. As I grab them, I hear a couple gasps behind me and I turn around with my wand drawn to see who it is.

Two little faces are watching me from behind the trees and I lower my wand when I realize they're just children.

"_Apóllōn," _I hear one of them whisper, as they look at me with wide eyes. They look at the wand in my hand and then back to me.

"I'm not going to…" I was going to say 'hurt you' but they took off running before I got the chance.

_Wonderful_.

I go back to Paige and I refuse to put up with her clutching that log again, so I do a levitation spell and guide her gently to the ground in front of me before retrieving my shirt. "You can open your eyes now," I tell her softly as I put my shirt back on.

As I'm putting my tie in my pants pocket she looks up to me. "Did you get my glasses?"

I'm actually starting to not like her, and I frown before handing them to her. When she puts them on she blinks a few times and stands up. "You didn't happen to grab my shoe while you were in there, did you?"

"No," I tell her sharply… she can go barefoot now, for all I care. For some reason, I am finding myself extremely annoyed with her and her rudeness.

"Oh, well… thank you for my glasses, then. I really can't see a thing with out them."

"I saw some children over there," I say, pointing in the direction where I had climbed out of the water as I dry my pants and shoes with a quick spell. "I think a village might be near by. Children wouldn't wonder too far away from their parents."

"Are we going to try to find the orange tree first?" she asks hopefully as her stomach growls loudly.

"They'll probably have food there," I tell her honestly and she nods her head, looking all depressed. "But I'm not sure how far away the village will be and the tree looks pretty close," I say, as I peek through a few of the trees.

She smiles at me, and we head the way we were originally going. She keeps on wincing every time her barefoot hits something sharp, but I try to ignore it. She could have gotten her own shoe if it was that important. When we find the Orange tree, just randomly placed in the center of bunch of trees, I raise an eyebrow at the small statues of Gods and Goddesses that surround it.

Paige doesn't seem to bother with them as she takes off towards the tree and stands up on her tippy toes to grab a branch. I go around, trying to read the inscriptions on the statues. But like I mentioned before, this is kind of Byron's specialty.

"Did you know that the Greek word for orange literally means golden apple," I tell her as I squint to read some of the letters on a statue of the satyr Pan.

"Uh, no I didn't," She says distractingly, as she pulls a few oranges from the tree.

I try to remember the Greek Myths about golden apples, but for some reason, I just can't think straight right here.

"Here, Cassius," I look up as Paige throws an orange at my chest. I'm not sure we should eat these. There's a reason why these statues are here, surrounding it… protecting it.

"I do love oranges," Paige says. She begins peeling one with her fingers as she sits down at the base of the tree.

I look at the orange and my stomach growls again. I forego all of the warnings in my head as I take a seat next to her, and start peeling mine as well.

"I don't know where we are," Paige says softly as she pries apart the orange and takes a bite of one of the chunks. "But it's beautiful here."

I nod my head and start eating mine once the peel is off. She goes on talking about the forest and the sky, but I tune her out as my eyes get droopy. I just feel like sleeping right now, I'm so tired.

"Who's that a statue of?" Paige asks with a yawn as she points to one of the marble sculptures that surround us.

I look up with lidded eyes at the statue of a woman in a long flowing dress, a veil is wrapped up around her body as if a wind had come and wrestled it out of place; on her head she's wearing a crown with a crescent moon boldly placed in front of her forehead.

"That's Selene," I tell her as I yawn into my hand. "She's a moon Goddess."

I don't hear her reply because I slump against the tree and the half eaten orange rolls out of my hands as I drift off to sleep.

My eyes flutter open when some one touches my shoulder, and with dream fuzzed eyes, I see the face of a man standing over me with a smile on his face. I can't tell if I'm dreaming or if I'm awake…

"Apóllōn_," _I hear him call me before my eyes close again and I drift back to sleep.

_**Lavinia **_

"I think my brother is going crazy."

I turn to Chloe as she says that and I look away quickly, trying not to give too much away. "Why is that?" I ask carefully.

She rolls over on her stomach to look at me. We're in Evie's old tree house that Dad built for her when she turned seven. It's a bright pink, wooden house, set high up in one of the trees in the garden. The inside is furnished like a real home, so it looks like a midget lives here. She never uses it anymore, but Chloe and I have taken to hiding in here to talk.

"He's being awfully strange," she tells me as she watches my face. I pretend like I don't notice as I close my eyes and put my hands behind my head. The chairs are too small for us, so we usually just lay on the floor. "You know he only allows himself two hundred words a year, but now he's talking and rambling all the time when I'm around him."

"Really?"

"He asks about you too," she says quietly and I crack my eyes open to look at her. "What happened between you?"

"Whatever do you mean?" I ask softly, trying to play innocent. I'm too confused to explain this to her and because she's so out of the loop, I'd have to start from the beginning. I don't feel like explaining.

"Well, he said those terrible things to you that one night… do you remember?" I nod my head and a pang pierces my heart... not because of the terrible things he said to me, but because it's a memory with Cassius, and those are still painful. "He kissed you at Cassius'… at that thing… and then Sam said that you were with him when she went looking for him to give him James."

"Yeah?" I say, not committing to an answer, and her eyes narrow the slightest bit.

"Yeah," she repeats back, obviously annoyed with me. "What's going on between you and my brother?"

I turn on my side to get away from her and I start picking at the shaggy white carpet. "Nothing, really," I tell her, and a part of me believes it. "I think he just likes to humor me."

"What does that mean?"

"It doesn't matter," I say, and to stop this topic, I switch subjects. "How was Harry and your Mom's vacation?" I ask bitterly, and she sighs while sitting up. I know she's looking at me right now, but I refuse to look back.

"They had a decent time, I suppose. They both got pretty impressive tans."

"Good for them," I state harshly, and Chloe must pick up on my derisive tone because she doesn't mention it again.

"Do you want to go some where?" She asks me and I shrug. "I'm getting bored."

"If we do anything, we have to stay here. You know my Dad won't let me leave… not after Evelyn came home so teary eyed the other day."

"That's fine by me," she tells me as she tugs on a piece of my hair to get me to look at her. I still don't turn. "I don't think you realize how amazing your home is."

"Do you want to ride the horses?" I ask blankly, and I can hear her satisfied intake of breath.

"Of course!" she gets up and has to hunch over because the roof is so low. She steps over me towards the door way, and when I don't move, she gives me a smile as she lightly kicks my leg. "Come on, you. No more wallowing in self pity."

I don't say anything, but I follow her down the ladder and to the stables anyways. A couple of the house-elves help us saddle two of the horses and I go back and forth with myself before choosing Cassius's old horse to ride. Poor old Custard must be getting to be twenty five now, and his poor old bones are starting to show it. It was tradition in my family to give a child a horse on their fifth birthday and I imagine Custard, with his shiny black fur, hasn't been ridden in years. Although, Gavin's horse Jasper was probably never ridden at all… he is terrible with animals.

I let Chloe ride Jubilee, my personal horse, as the elves put the reigns on Custard and I use a stool so I can hook my legs in the stirrups. I walk him out of the arch way, and with thumping steps, he walks out into the grass. Chloe seems to be having a blast with Jubilee, taking her around the yard, and making her trot a little quicker as she smiles at the sensation. I let poor, pitiful, Custard eat the grass and slowly muck his way around the grounds.

He used to be a jumping horse; Cassius could make him do the most amazing things when we were little. I look at Chloe riding on Jubilee… I never did any of that stuff with my horse. I was too timid, too afraid, and too shy to even think it, but now…

I kick my heels against the horse hard and he jumps before taking off running. The old horse has still got some speed in him.

"Lavinia!" Chloe calls as I speed away, but I ignore her as I bend my body down for more speed and I kick my heels again so he'll go faster. I smile as we head straight for the white fence that keeps in the horses when they're grazing. "What are you doing!?"

It feels amazing to be going this fast, and a jolt of addicting excitement goes through me because of it. I was never a girl who liked to fly, or who liked to do things too exciting and dangerous…. But now, I find the whole experience completely exhilarating. I had expected the horse to jump when we got to the fence, but I guess he's smarter than I am, because he slams to a halt right before hitting the fence and the force of the sudden movement throws me out of the saddle and through the air.

I felt like I was free falling for a second, and time seemed to stand still as I soared through the air, but when I landed smack on my back, the pain was very, very real.

"Lavinia!" Chloe jumped off of her horse as she came running towards me, but I kept my eyes slammed shut because I couldn't move. The air had been knocked out of my lungs and I couldn't feel anything under my neck. "What were you thinking?" she asked as she hopped over the fence and knelt beside me. During my landing, I had bit down hard on my tongue and when I tried to open my mouth some blood dribbled out. "Oh, my God… don't move… I'm going to go get your parents."

I couldn't even move if I wanted to, and my eyes started to water as my head throbbed and my teeth ached from being smashed together so forcefully. It was stupid… but I welcomed the pain in my head, because I couldn't feel anything else, and that scared me. I heard a few birds chirping to each over in the distance as I tried to move my head. My neck creaked and I yelled out loud from the pain. Panic seized me because I was sure that I was paralyzed now… I couldn't feel my legs… I couldn't even move my fingers.

I was focused so hard on trying to get my body to move that I didn't even notice my Dad kneel down beside me, with panic and alarm written all over his face. "Jesus Christ, what the hell were you thinking?" he asks as he looks me over. He puts his hand on my face and looks into my eyes. "Where does it hurt?" he asks as he looked over my body.

I closed my eyes and tried to talk. "I can't feel anything," I finally whispered in a hoarse voice.

"Move your fingers," he said sharply, staring at my hand, but not making a move to touch me… I knew that was because he was having the same fear I was. "Move your fingers." This time he actually sounded angry.

I tried, I really did try, but I couldn't. "I can't, Dad," I said with a sob as I stared up at the sky.

"Draco…" I heard my Mom's voice and it was actually comforting. When I was little, that was the voice that healed me and cleaned up my wounds. Even in this situation, it was soothing to me.

"Get a healer," he told her harshly, looking down at me. "Now, Gin." His attention was back on me as my eyes started to cloud over. "You stupid, stupid girl."

I closed my eyes when I started to get dizzy… When I woke up, I was at St. Mungos.

I couldn't open my eyes because the florescent lights in the room were too bright for me, but the first thing I managed to do was move my fingers and the swift comfort of relief washed through me as I did it. I slowly allowed my eyes to open and adjust to the lights in the room. I even found it in me to lift my neck and to my joy it didn't hurt anymore… but my joy was cut short because my Dad was by my bed in a second, with a furious scowl on his face.

"What the hell were you thinking?" he snaps and I try to sit up, only to slump against the pillows again in a weak heap. "You could have snapped your neck and killed yourself. What was going through your stupid little head, Lavinia?"

I ignore the insults he's throwing because I know he's upset with me, so I look away from him. Only to face Mom's dark eyes in one of the chairs against the wall, looking at her hurt face is probably worse than Dad's anger.

"I thought he would jump the fence," I mutter truthfully.

Dad sneers. "You thought he would jump the fence," he repeats back to me like it was a stupid comment. "That horse is getting too bloody old to stand up straight, let alone jump over a fence that he was trained _not_ to jump over."

I wince at the realization. A good horse wouldn't have jumped over the grazing fence anyways, because they would know they're not supposed to. I'm an idiot.

"Don't you ever do something like that again, Lavinia Rosalind Malfoy, or, I swear to god, I will lock you in your room for the rest of your life and the only friends you will have will be the house-elves and the owls."

"Draco," Mom says softly, standing from her spot and walking over to my bed. "I think she's been through enough."

He looks at her and then back down at me. "I want you to realize something, little girl. I refuse to lose another child, so _never_ do anything this stupid again. Do you understand?"

"Yes," I say with a tight throat because of how I obviously hurt him by making him scared… by making him think of Cassius. "I understand."

He nods his head and to my surprise he leans down and kisses my cheek. I really didn't expect the movement, because he was so upset with me, but I'm glad he did it, and I watch his back as he walks out of the room before turning to Mom as she sits beside me on the bed and smoothes out my covers.

"Is there anything wrong with me?" I ask, slightly moving every limb I have to make sure they still work. When I find that they do, I can't help but feel happy.

"No, you're lucky," she says, looking me right in the eyes. "The healers were able to fix your spinal chord so you wouldn't be confined to a wheelchair." I flinch at that and look away from her. "I didn't expect this from you, Lavinia," she says softly and when I glance at her she's staring at the far wall. "We worry about all of you enough as it is… don't give us another reason to not fall asleep."

"I'm sorry," I whisper, feeling stupid and foolish, and like a terrible person.

"I know what happened with…" she stops her self and brings a hand out to put some hair behind my ear. "I know what happened with your brother has gotten us all turned around. If you need someone to talk to, you can talk to me. You don't have to do all these crazy stunts."

"I know," I mumble, even though I don't.

"Byron stopped in here yesterday…"

"Yesterday?" I say in surprise and she nods her head.

"This is officially day three in here for you, Liv," she comments softly and I frown. I had no idea. "Anyways, he seemed pretty upset."

"He's always upset," I mumble, she doesn't reply, but I don't miss her raised eyebrow. "Mom," I say after a few moments of silence, and she looks at me with her head tilted to the side. "Byron thinks Cassius is still alive… well, he thinks that he's not truly dead."

"Yes, I know," Mom says tiredly.

"Do you believe him?"

She looks into my eyes. "Do you?"

"I think he's very sad," I say honestly as I stare down at my hands. "I think he really doesn't want to lose his best friend."

"I agree."

"But there might be something to it, right?"

Mom looks me over and then gives a sad sigh. "His plate in the cemetery wouldn't have changed if he truly…" she coughs to cover up the tears that were threatening to fall. "Anyways, it's not very wise to get your hopes up on something like this. It tears people apart."

"Yeah…" I whisper softly. "So, uh, when can I go home, then?"

"You have to stay one more night." I'm about ready to protest, but when I see how tired she looks, and how worried, I can't bring myself to. She looks that way because of me. "They're having a specialist come in tomorrow morning to look at your back to make sure there's no lasting damage to the nerves or anything like that."

"Oh," is all I can say as I bring my hand up to chew on my nails. "Mom, I really am sorry," I say when she looks at me.

She gives me a sad little half smile and kisses my forehead. "I know you are," she says softly.

When Dad comes back into the room, he has Evelyn with him, and she and Mom talk to me for a few hours before visiting time is over. Dad doesn't talk to me at all; in fact, he doesn't even look at me as he moodily stares out of the window. I realize I must have hurt him terribly, and he's angry at me for it. I guess I can't blame him. I just wish he would have said _something_ to me before they all left.

When they were gone I stood up and walked around the room for a little bit, just happy that my legs worked and that I could walk. Then I rummaged through the bag Mom had brought me from home. She had packed me a couple changes of clothes, my toothbrush, some personal items, and a book for me to read. The hospital gown that I was wearing was uncomfortable and it itched my skin, so I took it off right away and pulled on the night dress Mom packed.

When I went to the bathroom to brush my teeth, I paused a moment to stare at my reflection. I hated what I saw… not because I looked any different, but because I looked exactly the same and after what happened to me today, I didn't like what I saw. It's like this whole thing with Cassius has really put me into some kind of funk that I can't get out of.

I only got a few hours of sleep in before the nurses came to wake me up. As I got dressed in the bathroom, they told me all about the small gym they had to take me to for my check up. Personally, I think any type of gym sounds terrible, but they were all excited to tell me about this new equipment they just got in and how great it was. I barely listened, and as I followed them out of the room and down the hall, I couldn't help but wish they would have just let me sleep.

They call it the exercise room, and that name automatically puts a damper on my day. When we step in, I have to squint because it's so bright, and as I tie my hair up in a pony tail, I look around at everything in the room with dread. There's a boy with a knee brace, bouncing a weighted ball against a trampoline, an old woman in a wind breaker is peddling away on one of the stationary bikes that line the far wall, and by the weight benches is an overweight, old man who is lifting a small bar bell in his right hand while a nurse sits beside him and checks her watch.

It smells like sweat and physical activity in here. I hate it already.

"Miss Malfoy," I was too caught up in my loathing for this room that I didn't even notice the young man in front of me. He smiles and I blush as he holds out his hand. "My name is Conrad. I'm the healer that's going to check you out today to see if you're okay to go home."

I shake his hand limply and look away. I don't know what I was expecting, but I was definitely not ready for the specialist to be so freaking young a good looking. He goes on to tell me about the things he's going to have me do today, but I'm not listening because I'm too busy looking him over. He's wearing dark green healer's scrubs and his blond hair is cropped short to his head. I never thought I'd find blond men attractive. I mean, they're just too close to my brothers and my Father for me to really find them handsome enough in _that_ way… but this Conrad is definitely good looking.

"Well, Miss Malfoy. Why don't we get started," I nod my head and look into his eyes. He smiles. "Would you walk over to that mat for me, so I can check out your hips to make sure they're aligned properly?"

I've never really been conscious of someone watching me walk, and I felt like the biggest idiot as I made my way over to the red mat that was lying on the floor. All the while, he was watching my lower half, and I caught myself blushing again… even though I shouldn't because he's just doing his job.

"Alright, now can you bend over and touch your toes?"

"What?" I ask softly, thinking I heard him wrong.

He looks down at his clip board and then back to me. "Could you bend over and touch your toes? I need to check your spine."

"Oh," I mumble before bending over and touching my feet with the tips of my fingers.

Suddenly, I wish my shorts weren't so short and I really, _really_ wish he was some old woman so this wouldn't be so uncomfortable. I nearly gasp out loud when he steps up behind me, so that the front of his hips is against my bottom. I can't help but think about how sexual this position is, and I feel like such a pervert for it. I knew I was already blushing before, but when his fingers start to trace my spine I'm convinced I'm boarding on purple now.

"Sometimes when healers repair backs, they don't set them back straight," he tells me as his fingers continue to follow my spine. "So, some poor kids walk out of here with scoliosis, and they don't even know it."

When he's finished, he tells me to stand up straight and I do so quickly, all the while blushing and look down at the floor.

"Good news, your back is aligned perfectly," he says as he checks something off on his clip board. When he looks at me, he tilts his head in concern. "Are you alright? You're looking a little hot," I blush again. "Maybe you should get a drink of water."

I nearly run to the water fountain towards the back of the room and the old lady on the bikes glares at me as I gulp the water down. When he calls me back, I pretend to tie my shoes, taking my time untying my laces, just so I can tie them up again. The woman on the bike tsks her tongue at me, but I ignore her.

When I get back to him he makes me do all these crazy things like stretching in all different positions, and doing all different kinds of movements. The whole time, he kept asking me if it hurts, or if I felt pressure anywhere. To my horror, he also make me do things on all the workout machines in the room, and by the time I was finished doing steps on the elliptical, I thought I was going to faint.

"Alright, Miss. Malfoy, I think I'm going to give you a clean bill of health," he says in a false polite voice that all professional people have. "Your back seems to be functioning just as it should and I can't detect any underlining damage."

I almost snort at that comment as I trip off of the machine and put my hands on my knees to catch my breath. Clean bill of health, my foot. I'm breathing like a kid who has asthma and I'm sweating like it's my job. I truly do hate doing things like this… and a part of me hates him for making me do it. I don't even care that he's good looking now.

"I think you'll be able to go home today. Isn't that wonderful?"

"Great," I mutter breathlessly as I begin limping over to the drinking fountain.

Right now, there is only one thought in my head- I need water, and lots of it.

"What's wrong with your leg?" he asks me as I make my way there but I don't even turn.

"Cramp, I'm ok," I say like cave person before slumping over the drinking fountain and pressing the button so the water will shoot out.

I drink about ten galleons of water and when my thirst is quenched I stand up straight and close my eyes, trying to get rid of the little dots floating around under my eyelids.

"Lay back down on the mat," he says, but I ignore him as I put my hands on my hips. I wish he would stop talking. "I'll help you stretch that cramp out."

"I'm alright," I say with a dismissive wave of my hand.

I glance at him and he smirks. "That might be the case, but I really wish you would let me help. It's my job, after all."

I glare at him and then I look to the mat. I guess it won't be so bad to lay down, my legs do feel like they're going to fall off because he made me run on the stupid treadmill. I can't even remember the last time I actually ran for something. When I get to the mat, I fall down on my back and put my hands under my head as I try to relax. My eyes snap open when I feel hands on my ankles.

"Where does it hurt?" Conrad the Death Healer asks me softly.

I swallow a lump at the back of my throat and grab my right thigh. "Right under here," I answer and he nods his head as he lifts my leg.

The stretch does actually feel kind of good, so I close my eyes and enjoy the warm feeling that my body gets as he moves my leg, but when I feel him kneel in between my thighs with my leg on his shoulder, I open my eyes in a panic again.

"Does this feel better?" he asks, totally not phased in the least bit by the sexual position we're in _again. _Maybe I'm the gross one, so I try to not to show my discomfort as he leans over me, pushing my leg on his shoulder closer to my chest.

I close my eyes to block it out, and my thoughts keep on reminding me that his private area is dangerously close to my own. _Gah!_ I shake my head and turn my neck to the side as I try to ignore the way his breath is warm on my face. How long is he going to do this? I know for a fact he can see my panties from this angle and I sorely wish I would have shaved my legs.

"Does it feel loose enough now?" he asks and I reluctantly look up at him.

His eyes are grayish green with a burst of yellow around his pupil. I don't answer right away as I stare at him. I had liked Darius, I had liked the other boys I dated in Hogwarts, but no one had made me feel the way that Byron Flint did… No one made my body tingle like he did either… but right now, with this beautiful man on top of me, my body was responding, and I was mortified.

He tilted his head to the side as he searched my face, and then something must have happened because he pulled back quickly and stood up, letting my leg drop as he turned his back on me and grabbed his clip board.

"Well, let's get you to your room so the nurses can start their paper work," he says quickly, the polite work tone he had earlier was gone and was replaced with something else I didn't understand. "Come on, I'll walk you."

He held out his hand to me and I took it reluctantly, a little confused by this whole situation. The old lady on the bike calls me indecent when I pass her and I glare at her before I follow him down the hall. All the while, I stare down at my shoes.

"So, how old are you, Miss. Malfoy?"

"Call me Lavinia," I say softly; I hate the way Miss Malfoy sounds. "And, I'm eighteen."

He seems happy that I asked him to call me by my first name, and he smiles at me when I look at him from the corner of my eyes. "Are you done with school, then?"

I nod my head. "I just graduated from Hogwarts."

"That's good," When we get to the door of my room he crosses his arms over his chest and looks down at me. "Are you going to go to school?"

"I think so, I just don't know where yet," I answer honestly. I'm still not sure what's going on right now.

"That's good."

"Yeah."

Awkward silence.

"Thanks for, you know, helping me today," I mumble flatly so we don't stand here with that uncomfortable quiet anymore.

"You're welcome, you were perfect."

I can't help but laugh at that, really. He's obviously lying.

"Why did you just laugh?" he asks curiously.

"I almost died when you made me start running on that stupid machine. I think I was the opposite of perfect."

"I've seen worse," he tells me with his eyes dancing with amusement as he stares down at me.

"Thanks," I say with a roll of my eyes. 'I've seen worse' doesn't really count as a compliment.

Another bought of silence falls over us and I almost tell him I need to go to the bathroom just so he'll leave, but he starts talking before I get a chance to.

"So, well, listen, I think this is going to come across as really unprofessional, but in a few minutes, you technically won't be a patient anymore." I look at him and raise my eyebrows as he stares at the door over my right shoulder. "I don't do this all the time, just so you know. I was just… I want to know if maybe you would like to…"

"Lavinia?"

My head snaps towards the left, where I see Byron Flint walking towards me. He looks at me and then his eyes fall on Conrad… where they don't waver.

"What are you doing here?" I ask as I tug on my shirt nervously. I have no idea what Conrad the healer was going to ask me, but judging by the slight blush staining his cheeks, it must have been important.

"Visiting hours started at ten," he tells me sharply, his cool blue eyes still not leaving the healer by my side.

We stand there for a while, just standing and staring, and it gets to be too much so I clear my throat. Neither man even looks at me as they stare a hole into each other.

"Byron this is Conrad…" I don't know his last name and he doesn't offer it up, so I continue. "He was the healer that was checking me out."

"Yeah," Byron states flatly. "I see that."

I knit my eyebrows together as I stare at him. He wasn't by the exercise room, was he? That would just make all the exhausting things I had to do in there even more embarrassing.

Conrad's eyes flick to mine and then back to Byron, who is currently standing perfectly straight with his arms crossed just a few feet away from us.

"I see," he mutters and when he turns back to me his voice is back to that cold detached polite tone. "Well, let me get your file to the front desk and they'll start on your discharge forms," I nod my head, but I'm still lost. "It was nice meeting you, Miss Malfoy."

"Yeah, you too," I say to his retreating back as he takes off down the hallway.

"What was that about?"

I turn to Byron as he narrows his eyes at me, and even more confusion washes over me. "What do you mean?" I ask innocently and he tilts his head down to glare at me.

He nods his head to Conrad's back. "That, what was that about?"

I give him a look as I open the door and head back into my room, he follows. "I told you, he was just the healer who was helping me."

"Right…" I go over to the flowers that someone had sent me, laying on the window ledge, and I start playing with the pedals of the lily. "You're all better, then?" he asks tightly and I nod my head. "That's good."

"Yeah," I say softly. I don't want to think about my stupid actions that got me into this place, so I try to ignore it. "I feel better."

There's a pause, and I can feel him staring a hole into the back of my head, but I won't turn around. I don't know why, but it's too hard for me to look at him now.

"It was easier talking to you when you were unconscious," he mumbles to himself and _that_ gets me to look at him.

"I'm sorry I'm not entertaining enough for you," I snap at him and I don't know why I'm being so short.

"That's not what I meant," he whispers and I go back to the flowers.

"Right," I say softly, feeling bad for my outburst. "So, I get to leave today."

"That's good news."

"Yeah."

I hear him take a few steps further into the room. "I'm leaving for Spain tonight."

I remember him talking about Madrid when he was carrying on about that statue business. I look at him over my shoulder as he stands by my bed, and looks into my eyes. I can't put my feelings in order right now. I want to go to him, I want to kiss him, and I want to do whatever he says… but for some reason, I can't bring myself to. He loves Selene, and I can't help but think that he'd like to have me around now just because Cassius isn't there anymore. I hate feeling these things, but I can't help it. I go back to the flowers and start plucking off pedals.

"Will you please look at me?" he asks and I close my eyes before facing him totally. He seems satisfied that I'm looking at him and he takes another stop closer. "You know why I'm going, right? You remember?" I nod my head. "Will you come with me?"

I don't say anything.

"Please, say you will. I need you with me."

"Why?" I question and his face goes through a range of conflicted emotions before settling on anger.

"Why?" he repeats back with a sneer and I take a step back. "If I have to answer that question even now, then I really don't know why I'm still trying." I don't think it's fair that he gets to be mad at me like this. "You know what," he snaps as he crosses his arms. "I don't understand you at all. You do and say things that make me think…" he trails off and looks away with a tight jaw. "Then you turn around and act like you can't stand me at all. I don't appreciate you playing with me like this, and I think it's pretty fucked up that you've been ignoring me after you came to me and made me sleep with you again."

"_Made_ you?" I say with my cheeks blushing with hurt. I'm well aware my actions were bad that night; I don't need him bringing it up.

"Bad word choice," he says dismissively as he shakes his head and turns away from me. "And then you go and do the stupidest bloody thing in the world. You could have snapped your neck and you would have died, you do realize that, don't you? You realize how selfish that is."

"It was just an accident," I say harshly with my hands automatically going to my hips. "I have my whole family telling me what an idiot I am, I don't need you doing it too," I snap and he glares at me over his shoulder like he always does. "And you are one to talk about mood changes, Byron Flint. You were the one that left without saying a word to me after the first time we slept together and then you said those terrible hurtful things to me."

"I was drunk," he says fiercely. "I only said those things because you were snogging the hell out of that one guy right in front of me, without even bothering to think about how bad that would hurt me!" He shouted at me and it surprised me. "Not that that would have mattered to you, you obviously only care about yourself."

I did the only thing one can do when being shouted at…. I started shouting back.

"I was trying to break it off with him, but he wouldn't let me finish. I have to say, I was glad I didn't after the horrid things you said to me!"

He closes his eyes, breathing in and out heavily as he tries to calm himself and I watch him closely. I can tell he's very upset with me and I hate that everyone I bloody care about is angry with me right now. I was in the hospital for four days, for Christ's sake. Why can't I have a little sympathy?

"I apologized for that," he says softly, regaining his composure, and facing me again. "You were the one who said you didn't want to be with me, and I was the idiot who thought you wanting to sleep with me again was your way of telling me you did want me. I was wrong, wasn't I?" He looks me in the eyes, but I refuse to back down. "You used me the first time because you were mad at your boyfriend, and you used me the second time because you were upset about your brother."

"That's not true," I say firmly, hurt that he would actually think that. "You have no right to be upset with me. I never said I didn't want to be with you, I told you I wouldn't let you replace that Selene woman with me. I read your journal, Byron, and I know how much you love her. It must have been awful for you to have your best friend's little sister constantly throwing herself at you when you were so head over heels for this stupid Selene woman." I take a deep breath as he shakes his head, like what I was saying was unbelievable. "I won't let you just _settle_ on me because you can't have her, and I won't have you replace Cassius with me because you're sad and lonely."

"Is that what you think?" he says in a low voice and I nod my head, knowing it's the truth. "That's how you view me, then? That I would do that to you?"

"It's the truth, right?"

He looks disgusted with me and it hurts my heart, but I won't let him make me feel bad… well, I won't let it show, in any case.

He turns to walk out of the room and then he stops and turns back around with this fierce look in his blue eyes. "Do you remember in your second year, when your roommate dumped all of your clothes into the lake?"

I remember that quite well. Serena thought I had stolen her earrings to mess with her, so she took all of my clothes and threw them in the icy water of the dark lake while I slept. When I woke up in the morning, I was so distraught I went straight to Slughorn's office, sobbing on his couch for hours, and she got detention for a week.

"Who do you think went in and got them out for you?" I open my mouth, but stop any reply coming forward. I had thought a teacher had done it while I cried away in Slughorn's office because when I got back to my dorm, they were all dried and folded on my bed. "That was me. I swam through that fucking cold lake for hours to get them and I'm not even good at swimming."

"And when that one boy kept messing with your ink and quills, making them spill and scratch your papers… guess who made him stop messing with you…. And when your stupid cat ran off to the forbidden forest and was lost for a couple days. Who do you think went in there and found him for you?"

"I don't know," I whisper in a shaky voice as I watch his angry face.

"Me. I did. Even though I am deathly allergic to those fucking things I did it anyways… for you."

"I didn't know," I say softly, with guilty tears stinging my eyes.

"There's a lot you apparently don't know," he snaps and I flinch. "I do miss your brother, and I'm going to find out what's happening to him because at least he believed me when I told him things."

"Byron…" I say softly, taking a step closer to him, but he's not even looking at me anymore, he's walking around the room with an angry scowl on his face. Then he stops and faces me with his hands on his narrow hips.

"If you're too dense to realize who I meant when I was writing about Selene then… then I'm done." That hurts me so I look away. "Jesus, even your Father knew who I was talking about… that's why he let me live in the first place, after that whole ordeal with your face being bruised."

Throughout his tirade, my heart had sunk into my stomach, making it impossible to talk or to move. I didn't think it was possible to feel any worse than I did yesterday, after my parents were so disappointed with me, but Byron just proved that wrong… because nothing compares to this. He looks at me one more time before shaking his head and walking towards the door.

"I'm glad you're better," he says with his hand on the knob. "I'll see you around."

With that he leaves, and I'm too in shock to go after him. Half an hour later, my Mom comes to bring me home and I do so in a trance, trying to sort out what just happened to me. I realize I am of age now, so I really didn't need to wait on a parent to leave. I'm an adult now. Not some little girl who needs rules to follow or parents to protect me.

When I get home, I go straight to my room and stare out my window, thinking about all the things Byron just shouted at me. My father didn't kill him because he knew who all those beautiful passages in his journal were about. I had hated that Selene with all my heart, not knowing that it was me. He loved me. Loved. I'm an idiot.

I pack a small bag and I leave a note for my parents, so they won't get worried. I sneak past Evelyn's room, past Dad's study, and past Mom's parlor, towards the front door. I try not to make any noise as I open the door and run towards the Apparition point. When I get there, I lift my wand and land with a thump right outside of the flat complex where Byron used to live with my brother.

I actually don't know if he'll be here because Cass isn't… Cass isn't there anymore to help pay the rent, but it's worth a try. I climb the narrow steps up to his door and I raise a nervous hand to knock. I barely get one knock in before he opens the door, with a bag slung over his shoulders, and his wand in his hand, obviously ready to leave.

"What are you doing here?" he asks as he looks me over. I don't say anything right away because I'm too nervous and when he turns his back on me to lock the door with his keys, I finally build up the courage.

"I believe you," he faces me and I try to sound earnest. "I'll always believe whatever you tell me from now on. I promise." I take a step closer to him and I really just want to touch him, so I bring a hand out to touch the side of his face. "I want to go with you."

I get nervous when he doesn't say anything and my confidence slips as I let my hand drop from his stony face. I'm too late. I nearly turn around and start running to hide my embarrassment, but when a small smile curls his lips, my heart leaps. The bag on his shoulder slams to the ground as he drops it by his feet and he closes the gap between us as he pulls me to his chest and kisses me deeply on the lips. I let myself get lost in his kiss, loving the way he slides his tongue against mine, and the way he tilts his head every once and while for a different angle, I even love the hand that he has on my back and the other that's gripping my arm, like he thinks I'd just leave in the middle of this.

When he pulls back, he lets his forehead drop against mine as he massages my neck with one of his hands. "You have no idea how good it is to hear you say that," he tells me with a warm smile on his perfect lips. I smile back and close my eyes when he kisses me again.

"I hope you know some Spanish," he says as he steps back and picks up his bag to sling over his shoulder again. He takes my bag as well and refuses to listen to my protests as he puts it along with his.

He grabs my hand, intertwining our fingers in the most heartbreaking way, and starts walking us down the narrow stair case. "And I hope you brought some dark clothes to wear."

"Why is that?" I ask, with a confused tilt of my head.

When we reach the apparition point, he smiles at me as he puts his arms around my waist for side along Apparition. Right now, he reminds me of a kid on Christmas and I don't think I've ever actually seen Byron so happy or pleased.

"You can't break and enter in bright clothing, now can you?" he says with a smirk and I don't even get a chance to question him before he Apparates us away.


	7. Chapter 7

_AN: I am not dead... but my laptop is. So, I think we should all just take a moment of silence to mourn the loss of my trusted friend and file holder who was viciously murdered by the cruel hands of a hyper fiveyear old who was weilding a dangerous glass of water. It will cost more to fix her than it was to buy her, so needless to say, she's staying broken and I'm buying a new one...but she will be missed!_

_Moral of the story here-- Children are not to be trusted._

_Anyways, sorry for the wait. This chapter isn't beta'd because I am impatient and my lovely beta and I both have different things going on right now, but I hope it isn't too terrible. _

_**Cassius **_

_Everything crumbles..._

I had the wildest dreams. I can't even explain them with words, but I felt like I was walking into a kaleidoscope of colors, with feelings that I've never felt before coursing through my veins. I felt happy, I felt high, and I felt like I was in love.

Eventually, those colors and delightful feelings brought me to a memory I had stored away in my mind. That dream like quality of fuzzy light and soft, distant sounds was gone, replaced by the steady stream of smoke billowing from the Hogwarts Express and the sharp voices of children saying goodbye to their parents as they head off to school.

"Are you excited, Cass?"

I turn to my name, to my Mother's voice, but she's not talking to me. Well, not in the sense that I'm standing right here and a little, eleven year old me, is standing right there. This is like jumping into a pensive and I watch curiously as the little me nods and smiles at Mom. I know this is my first trip to Hogwarts. I can tell because I was looking a little hesitant and I was glancing around at the other kids with worry and excitement written on my features… plus, I distinctly remember that blue polo shirt Mom made me wear… it was itchy.

"I wonder what house you'll be sorted into," Mom said with a soft smile on her face as she bent down to straighten my collar.

I step closer to the scene as she runs her fingers through my hair to tame it down. Her hair was up in a pony tail, it shined like new copper in the sun and she was wearing a beautiful green dress that made all of her other features pop. Against her hip she held baby Evelyn, whose red gold hair was just starting to curl around her temples, hinting towards the spiral locks she would have when she grew older.

"I am going to be sorted into the greatest and most noble house of Salazar Slytherin," Gavin declared with his back straight and his chest puffed out as he stood by my side.

Little me rolled my eyes.

I had almost forgotten how doll like Gavin use to look when we were boys. In this memory he was ten, before puberty grabbed him and made him a man, and his hair was soft, curling around his face in a deceptively cute way. The few scattered freckles along his nose and his rosy cheeks just added to the affect, along with the large brown eyes he inherited from Mom. He's thinned out now, he's cut off his curls, leaving his hair cropped shorter to his head in a more adult serious style and his features have taken on that Malfoy sharpness that all of us kids got from our Father, but here he looked like a cherub.

A demented cherub, I see, as he gives little me a nasty face after I told him he'd be lucky to get into Hogwarts in the first place.

"You could be a squib," I said with an arrogant smirk and he stomped on my toe. I hit him in retaliation but before he could hit back, Mom stopped us.

"Hey, stop that," she scolded when he balled up his fist. "Be nice to each other. They won't let you go to school if you misbehave," she said and I believed her. Apparently Gavin did too because he turned away from me and crossed his arms in a pout.

"Don't be grumpy." She smiled at our sour faces and put Evie down in her stroller, strapping her in when she tried to climb out. "Today is a great day," she said optimistically as she pulled out a camera to take our picture.

I smiled when Gavin tried to creep out of the shot, but Mom saw his movement and made him get back in. "Stand by your brother," she ordered as she brought the camera up to her face while making a motion with her hand so we'd get closer. "Now, smile and act like you like each other."

The little me smiled and put my arm across Gavin's shoulders. Gavin decided it was in his best interest to ham it up as well because he smiled wide, showing off his dimples. Mom clicked the button and the camera flashed, burning our image into the film. That picture would find itself framed and on top of my father's desk in his study after this, and it still rests there today, even eleven years later. Gavin and I pulled away from each other quickly after that while Mom snapped a shot of Evelyn. Commenting out loud about how adorable she looked.

"What's taking Dad so long?" I had whined as I looked around the crowd for him.

I remember how anxious I was to get on the train and while looking around I saw Byron Flint talking to his Mother not far away from us. When we caught each others eyes, I gave him a hesitant smile and he gave me a shy wave. That was the first time I had seen him in years, since his Mother decided that my family was a bad influence on him. I wonder if it bothered Beatrice that we started up our friendship again once we got on the train.

"He's taking your sister to the bathroom. You know that," she answered.

She saw that Gavin had a smudge of chocolate on his cheek so she did that horrifyingly embarrassing thing that mother's do to their children in public. She licked her thumb and then cleaned it off with her spit. I smiled and laughed into my sleeve while my little brother whined and tried to get away. I miss my family.

"All better."

We all turned towards my Dad's deep voice as he walked towards us, holding Lavinia's hand in his own. She looked so small here, so tiny, she must had been seven and her hair had been done up in pigtails with sky blue ribbons tied into bows on both sides of her head. When a boy on a skate board whisked past them, barely brushing her shoulder, she gripped Dad's hand harder and turned into his pant leg. My sister has always been painfully shy. I doubt that will ever change.

"Are you finally ready to start learning magic, mate?" Dad asked me when he got closer.

He pulled Lavinia off of him and ushered her over to Mom. When she got there she held onto Mom's skirt and looked around at everything with her wide blue eyes as she chewed on her sleeve.

"I think so," I replied as I eyed the large man with a moustache load my cart onto the train. "I can't wait to use my wand."

"Good," he smiled at me and I smiled back. "I've got a present for you."

He put his hand on my shoulder and started to steer me away from the family. "Hey, what about me?" Gavin called to our retreating backs, so Mom had to explain to him that he had to wait until it was his first year of school to get something like what I was getting. Little me was pleased about that.

I followed my father and younger self over to one of the brick toll booths, where it wasn't so crowded, and I watched as my dad kneeled down in front of me after pulling something out of his pocket. It's weird seeing myself so little considering I've been able to easily look my father in the eyes since I was sixteen.

"This has been in our family for generations," he told me as he took my right hand and slipped a silver ring onto my finger. "I've worn it, your grandfather has worn it, and even your great great great Grandfather has had this ring. Now it's yours."

I smiled at him before looking down at the black stone with the intricate M carved into it. The Malfoy family ring.

"What if I lose it?" I asked, thinking the responsibility might be too much for a kid like me to handle.

"You won't." He looked deeply into my eyes with a serious look on his face. "It won't come off unless I remove the spell."

That made my brow line crease. "What spell?"

"If you're ever in trouble, or something happens, I'll be able to find you," he answered softly as he put his hand on the back of my neck. "It's a powerful spell, Cass. Its reach stretches even into the protected halls of Hogwarts."

I nodded my head as he watched my face for any sign of misunderstanding. Now I get why he did that. Why he did it to all of us. When I was younger, I hated the idea of having a tracing device on me and I hated that I couldn't take off that stupid ring even if I wanted to, but as an adult I understand.

Four months before this memory, Gavin and I had gone for a bike ride outside of the Manor grounds, past the menacing iron gates that kept us safe. We went farther than we had ever gone before and after an uphill race (that I won) we stopped to catch our breath. We dropped our bikes on the ground and sat on the grass with our elbows on our knees, letting the breeze cool our hot faces as the birds chirped. Two burly men approached us with their wands in their hands and a gleam in their beady eyes, making Gavin and I both stand in attention. They were trying to convince us to go to the Apparation point with them since we were still inside the No App Zone of the nearby park. They bribed, enticed, and eventually threatened us when we didn't move.

Gavin almost went with them because they promised him a new broom and I almost went because the one with the missing tooth pointed his wand at my chest. Dad came just in time, with a furious look in his face because we had gone outside of the wards with out permission. The two men noticed him before he noticed them and they took off running. When he saw that, Dad took out his wand and stunned one of them, while the other got far enough to Apparate away. He grilled us on what happened before demanding that we go home.

To this day I have no idea what happened to that stunned man in the grass, but knowing my father—I probably don't want to know.

I'm brought out of that thought by my Dad's voice. "You're going to have a great year, Cassius," he said before kissing my head. Little me looking around quickly to make sure no one saw. "Now, let's get back to your Mother. I'm sure she's going to start crying soon."

I followed him back, playing with my new heavy piece of jewelry. "So, this will let you find me anywhere," I asked in my little boy voice that hadn't dropped yet.

He looked down at me as we made our way back to the rest of the family. "Anywhere," he replied solidly.

The colors swirled around me, pulling me back into the crazy color wheel I had been on. Those good feelings were back. I felt great, I felt wonderful, I felt high…

And then I felt pain when I fell out of bed.

It made me wake with a start and I wrestled around with the white linen sheets like it was a python circling around me before I finally calmed down and just laid there on the stone floor, calming my heart beat. I close my eyes and inhale deeply, bringing my hand up to my head to rub my eyes… and then it hits me. I shouldn't be on a floor. I shouldn't have fallen out of bed, because the last thing I remember I was sitting outside on the grass, underneath an orange tree.

"What the…" I whisper to myself as I stand up, freeing myself of the sheets that had trapped me before. I flick a glance around the room and groan out loud.

Deep down I was hoping I would wake up in my bed and this would all be a terrible dream, but I have no such luck. The room I'm in is large and open, with golden pots and brass candle holders decorating every wall and table. I send a weary look at the bed, taking in the sculpted ivory posts and the sheer white bed curtains. Fresco's are painted on the walls, I'm so use to them looking yellowed and old that the brightness of the colors and the sharpness of the picture fascinates me for half a second. They seem relatively new.

In a panic I pat down my pockets, looking for my wand, and my heart jumps when I can't find it, so I send another dashing look around the large room again and sigh out loud when I see it laying on a tripod table against the wall. I nearly kiss it when I pick it up, and I put it in my pocket along with the golden snitch and my black tie that was beside it. I just feel like I should hold onto that. My fingers skim across the golden crown of laurel leaves that was placed beside my things and I even pick it up to study it.

"_Apóllōn_," hear a faint whisper and I turn around in surprise.

A small boy, maybe ten years of age, widens his eyes when I look at him and he drops to his knees, with his forehead on the ground in a deep bow. Now, I've seen house-elves bow like it was no body's business, especially when my father was in a sour mood, but this kid was nearly lying flat on the ground.

"Where am I?" I ask.

He jumps at my voice and mumbles something into the floor. I can't make it out because he's talking too fast. "Slow down, please," I tell him gently.

I put the crown back on the table and I walk over to him, kneeling in front of him and touching his shoulder. He starts trembling so I bring my hand back. I sigh again. I figure if this youth is like the men by the river, than he doesn't understand what I'm saying. I grab his shoulder again and I push him up so he'll look at me.

I catch his dark eyes as he shakes and looks like he's going to throw up. Poor kid. I put my hands on my chest. "Cassius," I state solidly, trying to get him to understand that's my name.

He searches my eyes, looking like he was awed by what was there, before dipping his head down with his head on the floor. Around his gray wool tunic is a thick leather belt, carved into it is a name and I try to read it as he speaks, saying something in a whiny scared voice that I don't understand.

"Gregorios?" His head snaps to mine. "Is that your name?"

He stares at me and then his eyes start watering. I have no idea why he's acting like I'm going kill him. I just realized that Paige isn't with me, and I do start to worry because we're in this weird place and she's obviously useless.

"Listen," I say, standing up and towering over him because he refuses to get off of the freaking floor. "I am looking for my friend," I point to one of the fresco's on the wall, the one of a woman holding a flower. "She's a woman with… hair," I point to my own and then I touch a lock of his. "It's brown like yours. She wears glasses." I try to recreate the effect with my hands but I just manage to look like an idiot, so I go over to the laurel crown and pick it up, transfiguring it into a pair of glasses with my wand.

They look nothing like Paige's, but it's the best I can do, and I walk back over to them and put them on my own face. "Like this," I say, tapping the glass with my fingers. "Can you show me where she is?"

He gulps before saying something in a language I can't understand and he starts crying in earnest. He's useless too. I shake my head and go towards one of the windows, trying to find out where the hell I am now and when I make it to the arch way and pull back the thick curtains, my mouth falls open.

Mud brick homes, marble buildings, and giant fountains litter the scene bellow me and I scan the crowd of people who fill the street in tunics, dresses, and toga's of reds, whites, and burgundies. Dancing girls with flowered wreaths on their heads are prancing about, passing out bread to the people who look like they're having a celebration of some sort with musicians and sun tanned youths plucking at string instruments around the square. The old statue we had been following yesterday is still standing tall miles off, looking over the celebration with that serene look in it's dead eyes.

I glance back at the boy on his knees behind me, and then back to the street where thousands of people are talking and celebrating something with banners and wooden flutes… I was confused about where we were… I thought we were in a different place totally, but now that my mind is putting the pieces of the puzzle together I can hardly believe it. We're not in some foreign land; it looks like we're in a different time completely.

I take off my transfigured glasses and they morph back into the gold laurel leaf crown. I look by my bed again, and for the first time I notice a wooden lyre and a quiver of silver arrows set there like a present. The boy behind me mumbles something else and I close my eyes.

This can not be happening.

I turn around, and walk to the boy. I figure he must be a slave judging by his plain tunic and the thick belt… if this isn't some cosmic joke, that is. "I am not Apollo," I tell him harshly, grabbing his shoulders and making him stand up. "Cassius, not _Apóllōn_."

I look at the doorway as he sobs and falls to his knees, kissing my shoes. I turn away from him and run a frustrated hand through my hair before throwing the laurel crown across the room. It crashes against the wall and hits the floor with a thud. This is getting me absolutely no where. I walk back over to the window and pull back the heavy curtains again, revealing the celebration bellow and my head starts hurting.

I want to go home. I want to go home right now.

I see a man in a shimmering cloak playing with fire, manipulating it's shape, and controlling it's movements. I realize there's magic here, I can almost feel it dripping off the walls and I close my eyes because of it. This is no muggle civilization, whatever this is.

I turn around, ready to get that whimpering boy to understand me no matter what it takes, but I stop mid turn when I see that the crying boy is no longer sobbing on the floor. In fact, he's no longer in the room and my eyes scan around to get a hint as to where he went, but I receive no clue.

Where the hell did he go?

"Goddamnit," I say out loud and I send a nasty look to the sky outside like it was the clouds fault I was here in the first place.

I feel like I'm in way over my head and I don't know how long I stood there, glaring down at the red and purple banners waving in the wind with the sea of people, but in with a jolt I realized I didn't have to stay in this freaking room with the mosaic floor and gaudy decorations.

Nothing was chaining me to the bed, no spell was placed on my feet, and nothing was locking the door. In fact, it had been left partially open and with three steps I was over to it, opening it all the way with a bang. I was ready to run out of the room, to where, I had no idea, but I was going to go somewhere. I didn't get far, though, because in the doorway I hit something solid, and that something solid made me fall back, tripping over my own feet, making me land on the floor with a smack. I groan as I sit up and rub the back of my head.

"Ouch," I hear a female voice say across from me and my eyes snap to the fluff of pink. I smile when I recognize Paige as she sits up and readjusts her glasses.

"Are you okay?" I ask as I jump to my feet and offer her my hand to help her up. She looks up and sighs in relief before taking my hand.

"I've been searching around, trying to find you," she explains as she pats down the ruffles on that ugly dress that does her no justice at all. They were all sticking up at different angles, making her look quite ridiculous, like some underwater plant thing. "I thought this place was empty until I saw a boy running from this hallway."

I step back when she makes a motion to step into the room and she looks around at all of the decorations with barely veiled awe. I can understand. Even though for the past couple of years I had been living in a crappy little flat and sleeping in dilapidated tents with Byron when we went on digs, I did grow up a Malfoy. And if there's one thing a Malfoy knows about, it's luxury… and this room is luxurious.

"Jesus Christ," she says as she walks over to the side table, picking up the laurel crown that had landed on the floor.

"I doubt Jesus has anything to do with it," I state, as I watch her profile and her fingers as they gently skim over the impressive wall paintings. "The people here don't strike me as Monotheists."

"This is where you slept?" she says softly, still in disbelief over the room as she looks at the heavily embroidered lounge chairs against the far wall.

"Yes, I have a suspicion they have us confused with something else," I say, voicing out loud what my mind had put together. I walk back to the archway and look down at the celebration that's still in full swing. If I'm right in thinking what I think, I have to wonder if that's for us. "Please tell me you know a little something about Ancient Greece."

I don't want to do this alone and I really don't want to have to carry her dead weight around if she doesn't. I have a feeling this won't be easy.

"It's been a while," she mumbles. "The room I stayed in was no where near this nice," she says and I knit my eyebrows together. I don't care about this damn room. "Who do you suppose they think you are?"

"Do you remember those statues we saw yesterday in the woods?" I ask her as I walk over to the bed and pick up the quiver of silver arrows that I find highly unpractical if I was actually hunting.

"Yeah," she says as she watches me closely. I hold up the arrows and the lyre as evidence and it all clicks in her head. Although, her facial expression confuses me…. She almost looks upset.

"That figures," she says, putting her hands on her full figured hips, made even larger by the ruffles.

"What do you mean?"

"If figures they think you're some kind of Greek God," she snaps and I raise an eyebrow.

"Why does that figure?" I ask as I lay the arrows and instrument down on the large bed by my side.

She gives me an exasperated look and I can't imagine why. I keep staring at her when she doesn't say anything and eventually she sighs and shakes her head.

"Because you're pretty," she answers, waving a hand in my direction, but not looking at me.

"Pretty?" I repeat softly, not totally sure if that's an actual compliment since I'm a guy.

"Yes, pretty," she confirms with a huff. "Like you don't know already."

I find myself smiling, but the situation we're in makes that expression vanish from my face.

"I wonder who they think you are," I muse out loud as the music outside becomes louder.

"No one important," she snaps bitterly and I find my eyebrows raised again. "I wasn't lying to you when I said my room wasn't as nice as this. It literally was a dirt floor and some hay for a bed. I don't have the looks of a girl men confuse with being a goddess," she says in such a detached way, that I find myself studying her as she looks at the wall.

I've dated enough girls who would put themselves down just to get a compliment out of me, but Paige seems to accept that statement as truth. I would call her average, in a beautiful kind of way if that's even possible.

Her dark hair is unkempt from a night of sleeping on a floor and there are bits of hay sticking out of it. Like I mentioned before, she has a full body. She's not fat, but in a world where seeing every bone under your skin is considered attractive, she would probably be considered plus size. Which I think is an unfair label for girls who like to eat more than one meal a day. I think her face is pretty enough, with a full lower lip and top lip that bows in an enticing way. She also has a straight nose and a good complexion. I just wish she didn't wear those thick rimmed glasses because I think her eyes are her best trait. There's something about a pair of dark eyes on a women that does something to me and hers have the most interesting tint of burgundy to them.

"I find that hard to believe," I tell her after I've summed her up and decided I think she's rather pretty.

She might have blushed, but I missed it as she went to the archway to stare down at the people.

"What now?" she asks quietly and I go over until I'm standing beside her.

"Do you know any translations spell?" I ask as I hold the curtain back, it's a shallow hope, but worth a try.

"I don't think there is such a thing," she answers while crossing her arms tightly over the bodice of her dress and frowning down at the partiers on the street. "There was a potion, but the Agnosco leaf had been extinct for centuries."

I look at her from the corner of my eye as she brings a hand up to her mouth and she starts chewing her fingernails to the bone. Perhaps she won't be so useless after all and I refuse to believe Bailey would hold her in such high regard if she was as lame as she was coming off as. Maybe she was just in shock yesterday and couldn't think straight.

"I vote we go find that fucking statue then," I say, trying to map out a traveling path through the crowd below. "That's the common denominator in all of this." I have no idea what we'll do when we get there but we might as well do something as opposed to nothing.

Paige steps away from the archway, but I ignore her as I narrow my eyes at that stupid statue with it's stupid serene smile. When I get home I never want to see it again.

I wonder what my family thinks and with a sigh I look down at my ring. I wonder if my Father has tried to find me after I went missing…. Would he even be able to find me here? I remember the memory I dreamed about and I have to think he would. He did promise. There's a part of me that will always be a little boy and no matter how old I get, or how independent I try to pretend I am. Sometimes I just wish my parents would come in and save the day…. But that's wishful thinking, totally not logical or practical.

"Hey, Malfoy," I turn around to Paige, kind of surprised to hear my surname from her. She throws a crimson cloak at me and when I catch it, I give her a questioning look. "Put it on," she orders after I don't move.

She puts another cloak around her shoulders as I watch and with rolled eyes she stomps over to me and takes the cloak from my hands.

"There aren't many blue eyed, blond haired men down there," she tells me as she claps it around my neck like I was a child and I do nothing as she puts up my hood, making sure my hair is tucked away. "A six foot tall Englishman in an oxford shirt and dress pants is bound to stick out."

When she's finished with me she steps back and puts up her own hood. "Gray," I state as I situate the cloak around my shoulders in a more comfortable position.

"What?" She tries to wrap the cloak around her body to hide her stupid dress. I doubt the people outside have seen that shade of pink on clothes.

"My eyes are gray, not blue," I tell her before checking my pockets to make sure my wand, the snitch, and my tie are still there. Check.

"Yes, I guess you're right."

Of course I'm right.

Her left eye starts twitching and I cock my head to the side in question but she doesn't say anything and I figure it would be impolite to ask— so I ignore it.

"It's like a maze here," she says before making a motion for me to follow her out of the room.

"I'm use to it," I tell her, remembering the twisted halls and secret passageways of the Manor.

In the hallway, I grab her hand and intertwine my fingers with hers. I tell myself it's because I don't want to lose her in these dark hallways, but if I was being honest I'd admit that it was because I want something real to hold onto in this weird place. I don't want to be alone. If I was being honest I would say this situation scared me. But I'm not so I won't.

"This is the way I came," she says softly, leading the way in front of me as I take out my wand and grip it in my free hand. Her hand is damp and her fingers are twitchy. She must be as nervous as me.

I glance around the hallway as we make our way around this house… thing…. that we're in. Silver oil lamps hang down from chains, lighting our way with soft fire light. Because of the lack of windows it's kind of hard to see the alcoves with wooden tables that hold the painted vases. I've only studied those types of things when they were covered in dirt or in fragments and shards in school. This is like an archeological wet dream, but I'm too focused on wanting to leave than worrying about staying and studying them.

"I see light," Paige says when we reach a fork in the hallway. She's been leading with surprising ease and I have to wonder where she went when she tried to find me.

We go to the right, down a better lit hallway and I see natural light playing off the floor and wall at the end. When we get down there, I was hoping that it would be a doorway outside, out of this place, but I was disappointed when we found a courtyard. This is nothing but a closed in garden, with a hole cut in the roof so sun and rain can nourish the plant life.

I drop her hand and walk into the courtyard, squinting my eyes against the bright sun as it burns my eyes and warms my skin. I walk by a few flowers and bushes, staring off at the far wall, just high enough to show the tops of trees and a mountain in the distance. That tells me we're still on an upper floor and on a higher plane. A slight breeze wafts through the garden, tickling my skin and making the leaves sway back and forth as I walk by a bunch of white Narcissus flowers. I smile sadly, remembering my Grandmother.

"There's a staircase over there," I turn to Paige as she points towards the far wall and I look there as well, barely noticing the slight shadow change in the bricks.

"Good eye," I tell her, honestly impressed, I didn't notice the hidden stairway, it was set up like an optical illusion. We both start walking towards it but when I hear voices and someone mutter _Apóllōn_ again, I reluctantly turn around.

It's a group of men and they all drop to their knees when I look at them. I roll my eyes and I hear Paige snort behind me.

The slave boy from before is there, still shaking with his forehead against the dirt as he kneels in one of the flower beds. The other men are more impressive than him, and the way they're dressed lets me know they're of a higher social standing than the boy.

The man in front is obviously in charge because he's only down on one knee, with his head slightly bent, like he held a place of power and it hurt his body to be in that position for anyone else. He's wearing a crisp white tunic with a deep purple trim, and an equally deep plum colored cloak. Around his neck is a large golden necklace with jewels intertwined in the chain and sculpted into the end of a lion head, making him look all together impressive. The men behind him are all wearing matching midnight blue robes that reach their ankles without any embellishments on their bodies. As opposed to the man in front, who has the ruby incrusted rings on his fingers and a gold band around his head. He's boarding on gaudy, but I admit he makes quite an impression.

"They're waiting on you to say something," Paige whispers and I shake my head.

I have nothing to say to them and it's not like they'll understand me anyways. My fingers tighten around my wand and I debate whether I should just stun them all so Paige and I can make a run for it, but I don't know if that would be wise. That would be something Gavin would do and my brother has always been more decisive than me… sometimes to a fault.

"Tallis," I hear the bedazzled man in front say in a deep voice that seems familiar to me.

My hood falls back as the wind sweeps through and I watch as the crying boy who I thought was Gregorios stand up and run out of the room, only to come back with a smoking silver goblet. With shaky legs he makes his way over to me and kneels in front of my feet, offering the silver cup for me to take.

I look at the man in charge as he stares at me with a fire in his eyes. Hazel eyes that I recognize. I know him now. I know that strong jaw and dark hair. He was the man who touched my shoulder before I passed out by the orange tree.

This is so fucking weird.

"I'm not drinking that," I say out loud as I look down at the smoking liquid being offered to me. It's milky yellow in color with flecks of purple leaves floating around inside of it. It smells like rotten eggs and burnt bread so there is no way I'm taking it.

"They wouldn't give you something harmful if they truly thought you were a god," Paige says sensibly as she takes the goblet from the boy and she doesn't even hesitate before taking a big drink.

My nose crinkles in disgust as I watch her swallow and I almost gag for her. "Are you nuts?" I ask as she clears her throat and hands the goblet to me.

I ignore the hazel eyes that are burning into my skin as I stare at her, trying to figure out why she's so stupid. She gives me a look before bending down to the boy by my shoes and touching his shoulder.

"What is your name?" she asks, speaking clear English to me.

"Tallis," he answers shakily like he understood her question.

My eyebrows shoot up when she twists her neck to look at me. "Drink it, Cassius," she says. "I thought the Agnosco leaf was extinct, but it's in that."

I eye her for a few moments, wondering if this is some kind of trick because, after all ,we ate things that tasted and felt like oranges that ended up drugging us… but after she starts talking to the boy again, seeming to understand everything he's saying, I plug my nose and tilt the glass to my lips. I shoot it back quickly so it goes to the back of my throat, drinking it like I would a shot of alcohol that would burn my tongue. I feel it slide down my throat and then I close my eyes as I feel the magic turn my insides. When I open them everyone is staring at me.

"Where am I?" Is the first thing I say because I really want to know where this fucking place is and the pleased eyes of the richly dressed men reach mine as a ghost of a smile crosses his lips before it falls.

"An island and a people that have been blessed by the Gods," he answers in a straight and narrow voice.

I have to wonder how that translation potion works but I can't complain, not right now, not when things are weird enough. "I'm pleased the potion worked, my lord. Of course you would speak the language of the gods."

"Of course," I mutter with unease.

"My servant Tallis was sent to discern your mood." I think what that translates to— sent servant to the slaughter if you were pissed. "The Oracle told us of your arrival."

He has the confident voice of a leader and he kind of reminds me of my Dad. He's clean shaven and his hair is short, curled around his graying temples in the old fashion that I've seem many times on statues and coins. I think he's around the same age as my Dad as well, somewhere in his forties… but if this really is a different time.. which I am praying it is not because that's just ridiculous, than he might be closer to my age. People didn't fair too well in the ancient world with life being so tough,

"I'm not—" I start, but Paige grabs my arm to cut me off and she spins me around. "What are you doing?" I ask, her move was obvious, and it's not like our audience missed it.

Her eyes flick over her shoulder to the strange men who seem to think I'm important, then she looks at me. "We have to find out how to get out of here before you admit you're just a normal person to these people," she whispers fiercely.

I don't agree with that logic so I ask her why.

"If they find out you're nothing special," _Thanks Paige_. "What if they try to kill us like those guys did in the forest?" I think of the men with their bows and arrows and I pinch the bridge of my nose. "If they think you're that Apollo bloke than they'll do whatever you say. We could find a way back."

"I just want to go home," I whine, not liking the idea of pretending to be something I'm not.

"Me too and this will make it easier."

I look at her, it's nice that she can so easily make that decision but I guess in a warped way she's right. I could just tell those guys to bring me to the statue and figure the whole thing out with out having to do anything. If they really thought I was one of their gods they wouldn't… shouldn't… question me.

As a wizard, this shouldn't seem so crazy to me but this whole thing, this whole place, just seems so far fetched and I can't quite get my head around the idea. I don't understand what's happening and that pisses me off.

I just want to go home.

I turn around towards the men who were starting to fidget nervously because of our little discussion and Tallis the slave has disappeared again.

"You can stand up," I say in a voice that sounds unsure and shaky even to me. "What's your name?" I ask as the men stand to their feet.

"They call me Gregorios." Like on that slave's belt… naming his master, who he belongs to. "I'm the leader of the people here and these are the priests of the temple of the sun."

I wonder if to him I'm speaking Greek because his English sounds pretty damn good.

"Okay," I say to stall time because I don't know what else to say. I look to Paige who gives me an encouraging nod like this was a job I do every day. "That statue," I state, and hazel eyes snap to mine. "The one that over looks… everything." I'm trying to sound godly, but I'm just managing to come off as idiotic. "Who is it?"

Gregorios watches me, with a suspicious narrow in his eyes like he was weighing my words and their authenticity. His eyes slide over to Paige before resting on me again. Maybe I should set a bush on fire to impress them.

"The gatekeeper, of course," he answers in that deep confident voice of his.

"Of course," I mumble, because I feel like I should.

"Take us to it," Paige says and all heads turn towards her in so much fierce contempt that it surprises me.

"Your greatness," I have to stop myself from snorting at the title. "I mean no disrespect," he says, his voice laired with irritation as he looks at the girl by my side with disgust. I even find myself staring at her to see what she did to offend them. "But since your arrival the people have set up a celebration in your honor," _Figures._ "And the oracle has ordained offerings for your approval."

"Can I see this oracle?" I ask, since she seems to know everything around here.

I stare him down when he doesn't say anything and eventually he drops his eyes. "If that is what you wish," he says lightly.

Considering he thinks I'm a God he is being awfully condescending.

"She resides in the forest, by the sacred spring where you bestowed your gift of foresight to her."

Of course I did.

I hate this.

I don't know if they were expecting me to fly or Apparate to this place because they seemed a little confused when I made them show me where it was, but considering it was 'my secret spring' I shouldn't have had to ask, I guess. This was a terrible idea, and when we have to ride the snow white horses into the forest I can feel my heart fall into my stomach, making me feel sick. This whole thing makes me sick.

I'm good at riding horses, considering I've been around them my whole life, and I follow Gregorios and his team of priests and walking guards fairly easily, but Paige looks very uncomfortable on the mare they saddled up for her.

"Are you alright?" I whisper as I steer my horse closer to hers as we weave in and out of the trees of the forest behind the palace…. Temple… where we were staying.

"Fine," she mumbles and she makes a weird squeaking noise when her horse jumps over a small branch on the ground.

I give her a sideways look as she grips the reigns. Didn't she tell me and Byron all about her finds around the world… how did she manage all of that with such a weak stomach? As we get deeper into the woods I notice that blood red flowers have begun to litter the ground, growing in wildly everywhere around us and crunching under our horse's hooves. I've sat in my mother's garden enough summers to recognize them as Poppy's and I watch them with a knitted brow because they look so out of place.

The horses stop when we reach the mouth of a small cave, hidden underneath a mound of moss and plant life.

"This is it," Gregorios says as he hops off of his horse. I look at the cave opening with dread.

"This is it," I repeat, sounding much wearier and I send a disbelieving look to Paige when we reach the ridged cave.

When we all get off of our horses I reluctantly look inside at the damp darkness, not wanting to go in there at all and doubting a lumosspell would cover that much area. How can a person live there? Out of the corner of my eye I see that Gregorios man take something from a pouch along his belt. He walks a foot into the cave, putting the strange little stone against the wall, making torches light up inside so it lights a way. He pockets the stone and steps back out into the grass. I guess I'm not the only one with magic.

He makes a bowing motion with his head, signaling I can go in, and I bit my lip. I hate hate hate this and I give another look to Paige before taking out my wand and stepping inside. I hear a hiss behind me and I jump around, only to see Paige walk in behind me.

"Did you just hiss at them?" I ask as I watch the priests and their leader walk away from the cave opening.

"No," she says flatly, "Why would I do that."

I stare at her, but when she doesn't say anything else I shrug. "I thought I heard something."

The cave gets larger the farther in we go and the torches light up the damp walk way so we can see. Crusty stalagmites and stalactites are growing from the caves murky ground and ceiling and I try my best not to touch anything more than I have to. This place smells like water and grim and I find myself holding my sleeve up to my nose to avoid it.

The further in we go, the more water there is on the ground and when I'm ankle deep in it, I turn to Paige, remembering that she lost a shoe yesterday. When I look down at her feet I see leather sandals, strapping all the way up her calves and tying in knots just under her knees. Where did those come from?

"There she is," Paige distracts me by pointing to the center of the cave, where the ground dips down.

I can hear a voice chanting intelligible words and I survey my surroundings. I guess we're at the heart of the cave and there's a hole in the ceiling, letting a stream of light fall right down on a woman sitting on a three legged stool.

From here I can tell she's old, with ashen colored skin that's stretched tightly over her bones. I take a step closer just to study her because she looks so grotesque as she rocks back and forth chanting something that even with the translation potion, I can't make out, letting me know that it's probably gibberish. I climb down to get even closer to her and the closer I get the more insane she looks. Wild, frizzy hair flutters around her as she chants and rocks and I suspect she had dyed it with henna because her eyebrows are a dark bushy black, but her hair has taken on a bright orange color that would rival my Weasley cousin's hair.

I'm about ready to ask her a question, something like if she knows how I can get home, or I could awkwardly say hello, but I jump back when her eyes snap open. She stops rocking and stares right at me with wide, unblinking eyes.

She makes a frightening image with her torn dress and her fully dilated pupils, making her eyes seem black. She doesn't move for a long time and I start to become uncomfortable so I look over my shoulder to Paige, but she's no where to be bloody seen.

"Fraud," she whispers and my head snaps back to her. Her voice sounds deep and rusty with age. She licks her cracked lips before speaking again. "Beware the fraud."

I know I'm a fraud, there's no news in that. "Do you know how I can get home or how I got here?" I ask her, not caring in the least bit that she called me out on not really being who the people outside think I am.

"Everything crumbles," she mutters and she closes her eyes and starts rocking back and forth again. "Beware the fraud."

"Excuse me," I say to get her attention as she goes back to being crazy. "Do you know—"

"Fraud."

"I need to—"

"Beware."

"Listen—"

"Everything crumbles."

This is ridiculous.

I throw my hands up in frustration and turn around to rub my temples. This is going to be no help what so ever. When I hear a clanging I turn around with my wand at the ready, but when I see a little boy hobbling out of the shadows I sigh and pocket it once again. He's very small, not a day over six and in his arms he's carrying a small basket.

He ignores me totally as he walks over to the woman and puts something solid down on the brass plate underneath her seat. The plate flames to life and smoke starts to billow from it, engulfing the insane oracle in white smoke that she inhales with her mouth open and her nostrils flared. _Right._ The boy wobbles backwards and trips over the rocky floor of the cave, dropping his basket and skinning his knee.

I react with out thinking and I go over to him, grabbing his arm and lifting him up. It's now, by the hole in the ceiling, that I get a good look at the boy and I know now why he didn't acknowledge me when he came out from his hiding place. He didn't see me, because he's blind. His eyes are glazed over and the pupils are a gray color to go along with the murkiness of the rest of the iris. He seems scared and his breathing picks up as I look him over.

"I'm not going to hurt you," I tell him as I take in the bandages around his legs and the sores on his arms and face.

His hands seem to be disfigured by whatever disease he has, whatever sickness that's eating away at his fingers, and I feel something tug on my heart. What a sad existence for a child, to be this sick and have to stay in this cave with this old woman. His knee is bleeding from where he fell so I take out my wand and place it at the cut.

"I can heal this," I tell him.

He doesn't move as I close up the wound but as soon as I'm finished he runs off into the darkness where I can't see him. I stand up and strain my eyes to try to find him, but I can't and that stupid woman and her chanting is starting to get on my nerves. I sweep one more look around the cave before noticing the boy's basket by my feet and I bend down to gather his things because I feel bad for him. I find a jar of some kind of powdery residue so I place it in the basket and the rest are flowers, poppy's to be exact. I look at the jar again, and then I stare at the woman chanting and rocking on her chair as the smoke over takes her body.

The dilated pupils, the stupid chanting, the poppy flowers… Opium. This woman is high.

I stand up and shake my head, placing the basket in a dry part by my feet. I'm not the only fraud here, I think bitterly, as I go to walk out of the cave.

"Everything crumbles, everything crumbles," the high druggie on the chair says as I leave the cave. When I see Paige leaning against the cave wall towards the opening I glare at her.

"Where were you?"

"I thought you would like to talk to her yourself."

I shake my head and walk out of the cave and into the light. "Did you get what you came here for, my Lord?" Gregorios pushes off of the tree he was leaning on and raises an eyebrow.

I don't like him.

"Sure," I say instead of what I was thinking. "There's a boy in there," I state but everyone around me crinkles their nose and makes a disgusted face. "He's sick."

"The leper," he says flatly and I nod my head. That was it, the boils and disfigurement came from leprosy.

"Yes, him, can you bring him out for me?" I don't know much about healing things, but I'm sure there's a potion for leprosy that I could make. It just takes an antibiotic after all.

"He's a leper," Gregorios repeats like I was stupid and my eyes flash as I glare at him.

"I can heal him," I say solidly and that pleased look enters his eyes again before he makes a motion to one of his priests.

One of the dark robed men reluctantly goes back into the cave to fetch the boy for me as Gregorios smiles at me like I was a Christmas present who just did something right.

"Do you know what you're doing?" Paige whispers in my ear when she thinks no one is paying attention. "We need to get out of here, not heal the sick."

I glare at her and walk away, leaning against a tree with the poppy flowers all around me, waiting for them to bring out the boy. None of this feels good, none of this feels right…

I wish I was home.

_**Lavinia**_

Byron says he has to pay for our motel room and I look around the pitiful little place with unease creasing my brow line. I don't like it immediately, and I want to question why we were here, but Byron just told me we needed a place to stay so I'm not going to question him any further… not with him looking as excited and happy as he has been.

The outside of the dilapidated building is a bright teal color with paint curling away and chipping off the walls. The roof is orange, slanted, with some tiles hanging by one thread over the side, almost ready to crash to the ground or cut through someone's skull. It looks like it's about to collapse and when we enter the small little lobby room with the ripped brown furniture and stained carpet I find myself reaching for Byron's hand. He gives me a pleased smile when my hand clutches his, but I can't return it.

An old man in a stained tank top and plaid shorts comes out from a back room, wiping grease from his hands on an old cloth as he looks us over. I slide my feet and stand behind Byron a little more, trying not to be obvious about it, but Byron catches it and he gives me a weird look over his shoulder before turning back to the man. He asks us something in Spanish, and I almost answer him, because I'm sure Byron doesn't know the language very well, but he speaks before I can.

"English?" He asks simply and the man smiles and nods his head.

"What can I do for you?" you asks slowly, in a smokers voice with his Spanish accent.

"We'll need a room for a couple of nights," Byron answers smoothly, letting go of my hand so he can reach into his pocket to take out some money. The bags get in his way so I gingerly take mine back and he gives me a little smile, letting his eyes linger on my face.

"A couple. As in two days?" The old man asks in a wheezy voice as he looks me over and puts the dirty cloth into his back pocket. I tug my shirt down nervously and refuse to look at him as I sling my bag over my shoulder.

Byron answers his affirmative and the old man takes a key ring hanging from the wall behind him. "Room 13," he says. "Out the door and to your right."

Byron is too busy with getting his money out, leaving me to take the key from the old man. He smiles with crooked teeth and I return it tightly before looking down at the key in my hands. It's small and made out of ancient brass with an orange tag at the end that has a golden number 13 painted on it. It has obviously seen better days. I bring it a bit closer to my eyes to study it. Are those teeth marks?

"Ready?"

I look up to Byron and nod my head, following him out as he leads the way. The whole way I can feel that dirty man's eyes on my back and I walk closer to Byron because of how terribly uncomfortable it makes me feel. A stray cat runs past us and I cringe again at the state the poor thing was in. It looked starved and had some fur missing….again I remind myself that I don't like this place.

"Why here?" I ask softly as we walk down the crumbling sidewalk towards our room.

His eyes look to mine and my heart beats harder because he is so ridiculously handsome. It's almost not fair. "It's all I could afford," he mumbles quietly before looking away, like he was embarrassed.

I want to tell him that I could have paid for it, but then my Dad would be able to see what I was paying for on my account and I wouldn't want that. I can only imagine how they're reacting from my decision to do this. I can practically feel the howlers headed my way.

"Here we are," Byron takes the small key and turns the lock on the teal colored door. When we step inside the very small and very dingy room, I send another weary look at the dirty bed and cracked ceilings. "This isn't so bad."

I give him a look and the hopeful smile he had on his face crumbles. "I'm sorry," he says softly, not quite looking at me and it stirs something within me to see him so unsure.

"You're right," I say optimistically, and he searches my eyes. "It's not so bad," I comment as I walk over to the bed and put my bag down on the mattress, dust flies up but I try to pretend I don't notice.

I look around the room with my hands on my hips, trying to decide what I need to clean first to make this place livable but I scream out loud when something big black and furry swings into my line of vision. Like a crazy person I fall back on the bed and then I land with a thump on the tacky shag carpet as I stare at the spider making its way down from the middle of the ceiling fan.

"What is it, what's wrong?" Byron asks in alarm as he brandishes his wand and I get to my knees, watching the huge spider like it would attack me.

"I hate bugs," I say as I watch the descent of the fuzzy spider towards the bed. I really truly absolutely do hate bugs with a passion and that spider is flipping huge. "Oh, will you kill it?" I ask with a whine and I realize I'm being ridiculous, but I don't care.

He gives me another weird look before pocketing his wand and stepping towards the spider. I didn't even realize I was biting my nails, but I found I was when I had to take them out of my mouth to yell at him when he put his hand out towards the spider.

"Ew, don't touch it."

He gives me a stern look and it actually throws me for a second but I don't think on it too much because he cups the disgusting spider in his hands and starts walking towards the door.

"What are you doing?" I ask from my hiding spot but he ignores me as he opens the door and bends down, releasing the spider outside. When he walks in and shuts the door I still stay stupidly on my knees.

"It wasn't hurting you," he says and he reminds me of Evelyn because she never kills bugs, she just 'sets them free'. It's so annoying when people get righteous about bugs, but I won't mention that to Byron so I nod my head and stand up, nervously looking around the room, thinking I'll never be comfortable enough to sleep here.

"So," I start as I fiddle with my fingers, trying to pretend like I didn't just overreact and embarrass myself like a dolt. "What's our plan, then?"

He starts pulling things out of his bag, laying them on the dusty table against the wall. "Tonight we'll just stay here. It's getting too late to get anything done," he says softly as he pulls pills bottles out and lines them up on the wooden table top. My eyebrows knit together when I see so much medication and I send a questioning look to his back, but he doesn't turn.

"Oh," I whisper, looking around the room again. Suddenly the situation that I put myself in becomes very real and I look at the one bed against the wall with nervousness rattling my stomach.

I know that we've been together like_ that_, but this whole thing just seems so intimate right now. I watch him as he organizes his pill bottles, looking at the labels and writing something in his journal and I just stand here, doing nothing. We've never even been on a date, and I really can't recall a time when we had a conversation longer than half an hour. It seemed so right when it was in the moment but right now I'm very very nervous about being here with him. What if he doesn't like me anymore after getting to know me better? I mean, that look he gave me when I asked him to kill the spider might be just the beginning of the things he finds annoying in me.

"Tomorrow we'll go to the university. I've already tried to find out where they're keeping it, but they know me from Bailey's team so I couldn't get past the front door."

"What?"

He flicks a glance over his shoulder. "The statue head, remember? I told you all this." I blush and nod my head. "This is where I need your help," he tells me as he stands up straight. It's now that I notice the stubble growing on his face and the darkness under his eyes. He looks very tired. "There's a guy there, his name's Elias, and he's younger than the rest of the men I've seen in their department."

I'm terribly confused but I try to act like I understand so I nod my head.

"I think it would be good if you talked to him, maybe he'll show you where they keep it. That way you can tell me and I'll be able to get in there one night to study it. I'm sure Bailey will help if I bring my findings to him. He really liked Cassius."

I bite my lip as he looks at me. Why do I have to talk to this Elias guy? Byron should know how shy and awkward I can get around people, especially people I don't know.

"Why would he tell me?" I ask instead of my other thoughts.

He looks at me with his head tilted to the side and then a fond smile comes to his face. "You have no idea how you look, do you?"

I bring a hand up to my cheek and attempt to feel around my skin. "Do I have something on me?" I ask self consciously. God, what it I had food on my face this whole time and no one told me.

"No, you don't," he says with a laugh as he walks over to me. He shakes his head and tilts my chin up so I have to look at him. "You truly have no idea."

"I don't understand," I reply quietly.

He shakes his head again and drops his fingers. "I find that it's easier for pretty girls to get what they want," he says softly. "I wouldn't ask you to do this unless I had used up all my other options. They're really keeping it safe considering what a big find it is and they stole it right under our noises last time. I need to find out what room it's kept in so I can break their charms with out stumbling on a surprise along the way. Will you talk to this Elias guy and ask him about it? That's all you have to do."

"He's not going to tell me anything," I say, dreading the idea.

"You underestimate how talkative nerdy guys can be when a cute girl is around."

I want to help him and want him to be right. Not so much because of Cassius, because it all just seems too good to be true and I wouldn't want to get my hopes up… but I want this to be true more for Byron's sake. I think if he found out he was wrong, that he couldn't really do anything, then it would tear him up, and I believe Byron is already hanging on by a thin thread.

"Okay," I say softly and he smiles again before bending down and kissing my cheek. I think I've seen him smile more today than I have in all the years that I've known him.

"Wonderful. We'll go to the campus tomorrow. Elias is a teaching assistant in one of their carbon dating classes so we'll be able to find him easily."

"Okay," I repeat, feeling that weird twisting turning in my stomach again.

I look at him as he goes back to his bag and pulls some more things out, a few books and few potions bottle. I flick a glance to the small bottles of medication. I really want him to be okay. He sits down on one of the rickety wooden chairs and scoots up to the table as he flips open a book and starts sorting through it, running his hands through his already messy hair as his lips move with whatever he's reading.

I keep awkwardly standing in the middle of the room, not knowing what I should do with myself. He doesn't seem to be too bothered by me so I decide I might as well brush my teeth so I have something to do. I sort through my bag and pull out my tooth brush and a tube of toothpaste and I send one more worried look to Byron's preoccupied back before going over to the rest room.

If I thought the bedroom was bad, the bathroom surpassed anything I could ever think up.

The mirror is cracked and dirty, a few tiles on the floor are missing the toilet has been cracked in half. I clutch my toothbrush to my chest as I crinkle my nose at the yellow scum circling the bowl of the sink and the shower curtain that's so dirty I can't tell if it's actually brown, or if at one time it used to be white.

I hear a couple squeaking noises and my heart freezes. If spiders make me yell and jump, what I think that noise is will make me scream louder than anything. I try to pretend like I didn't hear the squeak, I try to be brave, as I turn to the sink and turn on the water. It comes out brown and I sigh before turning it off. This place is foul. The squeak happens again and I send another look towards the bathtub, covered with the shower curtain. With a tentative hand I reach out towards the yucky curtain to pull it back and when I see a couple rats burrowing in the bathtub, I scream out loud.

"What is it?" Byron asks for the second time of the day as he comes running into the bathroom. I go over to him and clench my eyes shut as I hug him around the waist.

"I can't stay here," I tell him and I can feel him crane his neck to look into the bathtub. "I thought I could do it, but I just can't."

"Come out here," he whispers into my ear and I let him pull me out of the bathroom where he closes the door. "Let me go talk to the guy who works here, maybe he can get us a better room."

"I doubt it gets any better than this," I state honestly and he nods his head. "I can get us a room. I have plenty of money so we can go to a decent place and stay…. Or you know, we could always just stay in England and Apparate here."

"It's too far to Apparate that distance. I can fix this, alright?" He tilts his head until I look at him, refusing to take my offer because even Byron suffers from male pride. "Just wait outside and I'll fix it."

I reluctantly nod my head and step outside, as I close the door I watch him take out his wand and walk into the bathroom. I can't imagine how he's going to make that stupid room livable. Right now I'm feeling like one of those high maintenance girls, but it's truly bad in there, right? That's a room a goblin wouldn't even live in.

I sit down on the curb of the side walk with my head in my hands as Byron does whatever it is he's doing in that bathroom. I feel very weird and unsure... like this is one of those big decisions that I'll never be comfortable with. It's a whole lot easier to stay at home and do nothing to move on with your life… but I'm here now and I chose this so I have to live with it. It feels like hours when he finally opens the door, but I don't turn around.

"Lavinia," I still get a weird chill every time he says my name in that deep voice of his, and I turn my neck to look at him as he peeks out of the door. "I think you'll find it livable now."

I take the hand he offers me and I go back inside. It's not nearly as bad as before. Byron obviously knows his stuff when it comes to cleaning spells because the dust is gone, the grim is clean, and I even poke my head into the bathroom to see about those rats. I have no idea what he did with them, but they seem to be gone as well.

"You'll have to forgive me," he says softly from behind me as I touch the now spotless sink. "I'm not use to being in these situations with women. You would think growing up with two sisters and a Mom would have taught me better."

"Thank you," I say, realizing this is yet another thing he has done for me. I turn around and face him. "I know I'm just getting in your way."

"No, you aren't really. It's just your brother and I have stayed in worse conditions than this… it didn't even register with me that it would bother you."

"Oh," I reply softly because I can't, for the life of me, think of what to say.

"Let's get ready for bed," he says, searching my eyes like it was a question. "We have an early day tomorrow."

"Alright," I whisper.

He goes to the right side of the room and I go to the left. I debate whether I should go into the bathroom to change, but he's already seen me naked twice so it would seem kind of pointless. I look over my shoulder as he pulls his shirt over his head, and I take in those long red scars on his back. He looks at me and I turn away quickly, pulling the night slip I packed out of my bag. I slowly peel out of my clothes, hyper aware of the boy on the other side of the bed as I pull the slip over my head and I quickly sit down on the newly cleaned bed so I can nervously braid my hair.

"Do you…" he starts and I look at him again as he pulls on a new t-shirt. "Do you want me to sleep on the floor?"

I shake my head and turn back around so I can stare at the peeling yellow wallpaper. This is terribly awkward, but I'm trying not to show it. "I think we'll both be fine on the bed."

"Right," he says softly. I feel the bed move as he pulls back covers and I close my eyes before building up my courage to face him.

"Byron," I call as I turn.

He looks surprised when I called his name and he raises an eyebrow as he sits on the bed, with a book in his hands. "Yes?"

"When my Dad came to give you your journal back," he nods his head so I'll continue. "How did he… how did he know you were writing about me? I didn't know, and I read it," I say as I turn back to the wall paper.

"I thought it was pretty obvious," he tells me. I feel movement again so I glance at him from the corner of my eyes. He has his journal and he's flipping through it. "He said he had his suspicions but one line really stood out to him."

"What line was that?" I ask softly, still unable to look at him fully. What's wrong with me?

"I mentioned something about the way you bite your nails," he mumbles. "You always start with your pinky and work your way down. I know that's creepy that I noticed it, but you Dad was able to tell it was you by that."

"I have to admit I'm still surprised he didn't kill you," I say and I hear him snort behind me so I look at him.

"Just because he didn't kill me, doesn't mean he didn't threaten to." That sounds more like Dad. I start nervously playing with the edge of the ugly blanket that lies on the bed. "He is probably going to kill me now, though. How did he take it when you told him what you were doing?"

"I didn't really tell him."

"What?" Byron sits up straight and stares at me.

"I left him a note," I say with a shrug.

"A note?"

"A note," I confirm and he groans.

"Lavinia…"

"I'm eighteen," I say, before he gets a chance to chastise me. "I'm of age now and I can do what I want."

"Of course," he says softly, not willing to fight me on this and we fall into another long bout of silence before I get up enough courage to speak again.

"Do you really believe Cass can be… helped," I ask, because I'm not sure how else to put it.

He nods his head. "No matter what, it's worth a try isn't it?"

"I guess so," I say answer softly.

We sit in silence for a long time but I refuse to move because I feel so awkward and I can feel him staring at me. I probably should have just stayed home. The bed shifts again and I tense when I feel him sit behind me. His chest presses into my back and his legs fall beside my own with his breath warm on my skin. I feel his lips press a kiss to the back of my neck and I close my eyes as his arms wrap around me.

"I like that I can do this," he says softly and he kisses me again, pulling me tighter against his chest. I still stay tense and I don't say anything as I tie off my braid and rest my hands on my thighs, so he sighs and puts his chin on my shoulder. "What's wrong?"

"I…I don't know," I say honestly and he scoots away from me and sits beside me on the bed, with his hands on his knees. "Doesn't this feel weird to you?"

"Everything feels weird to me."

I look at him and lick my lips as he stares into my eyes. "I just feel like… I feel like I don't know so much about you."

"What do you want to know?" he asks as his eyes tighten, like I was rejecting him, like he was upset.

"Well, um, those pills," I look back at the table where the small orange bottles of medication are lined up. "What are those for?"

"Is that really what you want to know?"

"Yes…" I trail off nervously.

He looks at me and he stands up, walking over the pills and picking the bottles up, one at a time. "This one is to balance my moods," He sets it down and picks up another one. "This one helps me sleep because of the side effects from the first one," He puts it down and takes another. "This one helps the suicidal thoughts I get when I take the sleeping one, this one thins my blood because the first one clogs my veins," He goes on, listening the purpose for the other pills before he looks me in the eyes and raises a dark eyebrow. "What else do you want to know?"

I just stare at him.

"So now you know I'm as crazy as everyone thinks I am and I have to take a lot of pills because of it," he says with a tight jaw and I shake my head.

"I don't think that…" I whisper as he puts his hands on his hips.

"I can tell by the way you're looking at me now that you do," he says softly and then his eyes tighten again. "What about you? Are you still dating that guy? Does he know you're here?"

"I told him about you," I say, nervous by his anger. He turns away and runs a hand through his hair. "Byron—"

"I bet. You've asked about my scars once," he says as he pulls his shirt off, revealing his chest and I stare at the scares and his smooth abdominal muscles that stand out sharply under his pale skin. I stand up and face him with my arms crossed as he glares at me. "I could tell you how I got them now."

"It's okay, you don't…"

"These on my back," he turns around and I wince at the long red scars. "Those are from Marcus, when I was little I use to wet the bed and he didn't like that." He turns so he faces me, pointing to the round scars that litter his upper arms. "Tim gave me these when I was nine. He was a drinker too and he use to think it was funny to use me as an ash tray."

I step around the bed, closer to him, because this is painful for me to hear.

"I got this one," he points to a long red scar, slashed across his torso, "because I was crying when Marcus killed one of the dogs in our house. The dog was sick, but I didn't think he should be killed for it. This one was for talking back. This one I got from one of my Mom's boyfriends because I was trying to get him to get off of her and he pushed me back against a heater. These on my wrists are pretty self explanatory…"

I walk over to him and put my hands on his face so he'll stop talking. It's actually scaring me because his voice sounds so strange, because his eyes look so clouded over. "I'm sorry, okay?" I say, not really sure why I'm apologizing but I don't want him to be upset. "Don't be angry with me, I'm just nervous."

"Why are you nervous?" he asks with cold eyes as I rest my hands on his shoulders.

"It's just… I don't make hasty decisions very often… and I've been making a lot of them recently and it just kind of messes me up, alright?"

He nods his head and lets his forehead fall to mine as he calms his breathing. "I'm sorry I snapped." I nod my head, but I have to wonder how often he lets himself get this worked up. "I haven't been sleeping well," he explains as he brings a hand up and touches my hip. "I'm nervous too, you know. I'm not very… good with people. Your brother always did all that stuff for me when we were traveling around."

A pang pierces me again at the mention of Cass and I nod my head. Byron probably needs Cassius more than I think he does. "Let's just go to bed, then," I mutter as I pull back.

Byron nods his head and he steps back. After I check to make sure the sheets are clean, I slide under the covers as he goes to the table that holds his medication. I watch him curiously as he takes a couple out of each bottle and downs them back with a tilt of his head. When he looks to me I look away and he turns off all of the lights before sliding into bed beside me.

We don't touch at first and I just lay there on my back with my fingers clutching the blanket. This is the first time we'll just be sleeping together… like really sleeping. It's actually seems more intimate than sex, to be honest and out of pure nerves I turn on my side with my back towards him. I can't help but think over all of this, over analyzing it, worrying about if this is the right move.

"Byron," I whisper to the darkness and I can practically feel him staring at me.

"Yes?"

"Can we…" I start and I try to stop myself by I can't. "Can we leave a light on?"

It's an embarrassing request but I hate this room and I've never really been on my own like this before. Away from my home and my family… it's kind of scary.

I feel his weight move and he stands beside the bed, walking over to the bathroom and clicking on the light. He partially shuts the door so only a sliver streams through the room, landing right on me.

"Will this be okay?" He asks, looking like a giant shadow as my eyes adjust to the light.

"Thank you," I say in a small and embarrassed voice. I feel foolish and exactly like the child I pretend that I'm not.

I try to get comfortable again when Byron slides back onto the other side of the bed, but I can't. He's too close and this is too weird for me to fall asleep so I just stare at the wall ahead of me, praying that I'll just pass out from exhaustion soon. My nerves seem to be on edge and every time Byron moves or breathes particularly loud, my heart jumps into my throat. Twenty minutes into the awkwardness of both of us pretending to sleep I get the distinct prickling at the back of my neck, signaling I'm being stared at.

"Thank you for coming with me," he says in a deep voice and I close my eyes. "I know it wasn't an easy decision for you to make."

"It wasn't hard," I mumble and I stop breathing all together when I feel his fingers brush my hair over my shoulder.

I tense like an idiot when he moves closer to me and I feel my face flush with heat when he places a gentle kiss at the base of my neck.

"Did you know that you have the most interesting gathering of freckles back here," he says softly, in a quiet voice as his fingers dance across my skin.

"No," I reply in a whisper because my throat is tight. I don't get a chance to look at the back of my neck very often, to be honest.

"There are about six of them," he adds another gentle kiss, "and I often found myself wondering what image they configured."

"You play connect the dots with my freckles." Despite my unease I can feel a pleased smile curling my lips when his hand finds my waist.

"Often."

"That's a little weird."

"I am weird," he says seriously and I glance at him over my shoulder while he props himself up with his hand.

"I'm weird too," I say honestly as I stare at his lips. I like how handsome he looks when he smiles so slightly like that. A full smile from him must be a rare occurrence.

He stares at me, like something was supposed to happen so out of nerves I look away. "Why do you like me?" I surprise myself by asking.

I'm not that beautiful or interesting, and I can't understand why someone so intriguing like Byron would ever look at me twice. It has that whole too good to be true feeling that makes it hard to believe.

"Is that a serious question?" he smiles as he bends down to kiss my shoulder, but when I don't say anything I guess he takes that as my answer because he pulls back and licks his lips. Pausing a moment before answering. "You're perfect. That's why."

He said that so simply, like it wasn't a ridiculous line, but I know that it is. I find myself snorting out loud.

"That's not even clever," I tell him while I shake my head.

"It's not supposed to be."

He has such a serious and flat way of answering things that I never know exactly what he's thinking, so I turn on my back to get a better view of him. The girlish part of me is pleased with his answer but the other, practical side is kind of irritated.

"Nobody's perfect," I say truthfully.

"It depends on who's looking." I roll my eyes. "See, even aggravation looks good on you."

The small smile he had on his face slowly fades, being replaced with another look altogether that clenches my insides and makes my heart skip. The look is so deep and intimate it scares me so I turn my head away like a coward.

"Do you want to know what I like most about you?" That gets my attention and I look up at him again. "I like that you stutter when you're nervous and that you're so shy, just about everything makes you blush." He searches my face and a slow smile tilts his lips as he touches my cheek. "Ah, and there it is."

That just makes me blush even more.

"Both admirable traits," I mumble sarcastically. He's not exactly rambling on about my beauty and my eyes like most girls imagine their lovers would admire openly. But I guess I wouldn't want Byron to.

"There's a whole list," he says in a joking voice that I've never heard from him. "I like that you bite your lip when you're thinking, but not in the middle. You always use your top teeth and catch your bottom lip at the corner," he does an impression to show me how I do it and I smile. I even find myself laughing. "I even like that you hate exercising."

Hate is an understatement.

"Tell my thighs that," I say with a smile and then suddenly his hand is under the blanket, on top of my leg working his way up. "What are you doing?" I ask in a shaky voice as he pulls back all of the covers and starts pulling up my night slip.

"These thighs?" he says as he works his way down my body and kisses me on top of my right knee. He looks to me and smirks with his eyes dark with lust, slowly nudging my legs open with his own. I don't think anyone has ever looked at me like that and I gulp. "There are plenty of things I'd like to say to your thighs," he says as he kisses his way up my leg.

I swear to god my heart stopped beating as he worked his way up to a spot on my body that was becoming increasing uncomfortable with every kiss. He pulls my slip up to my waist and he places soft kisses on my stomach and my hip, making his face dangerously close to _that_ area, so I panic.

"I would call those imperfections," I say quickly to stall time and to distract him from his work.

He shakes his head and places a kiss on my girlie—embarrassingly— white knickers before sitting up and hooking his fingers into the waistband.

"They make you real," he says as he licks his lips and looks into my eyes. The front of his pants are tented with his arousal and he's looking at me like he wants to eat me and when he starts to slide my panties down my legs I realize he wants to do just that. "I've been around enough fake people in my life."

I really wish he wasn't so close down there. Not only am I embarrassed by my body's response to his kisses but I'm not comfortable with him seeing… I don't even… I wish the stupid light wasn't on now because I think I would be more comfortable if I couldn't see what was happening but when he throws my knickers to the side and gets back down to do _that_ to me I panic and snap my legs shut, making him sit up straight and look down at me.

We've had sex before but this was different. I know that he has feelings for me now, and he knows that I like him…it's different.

"What's wrong?" he asks with his hands on my knees, although his eyes haven't lost that darkness.

I inhale deeply and stare at his throat.

"Lavinia, if you want to stop, all you have to do is say. I won't be mad."

"Will you just kiss me?" I ask in a small voice and he nods his head before resting beside me and cupping my face.

He searches my eyes like he was making sure it was okay, before bending down and giving me a hesitant kiss. He waits for me to deepen the kiss and when I do, I do with a vengeance, pulling him on top of me and locking my legs around his waist as I get carried away. I love to kiss him. I love the way he tastes, I love the way his stubble feels again my cheek when he pulls away to kiss my neck, I even love the way his heavy body feels on top of mine. Out of instinct I arch into him when he wraps a hand in my hair and I hear him make a noise in my ear. He starts slamming his clothed hips against mine and the feeling of his coarse pj's against my naked bottom half sends a jolt of electricity through my body.

So to keep the feeling going I start rubbing back against him and he makes another weird noise before he bites my ear and uses a free hand to find my breast under my night slip. I suck in a breath and arch again but he stops moving all together and I watch him curiously as he clenches his eyes shut and twitches his jaw… then he rolls off of me. I stare at him, pulling my slip down and covering my chest as he shakes his head and rubs his eyes.

"Are you okay?" I ask as he breathes heavily and stares at the ceiling.

"Let's go to sleep," he says briskly with his cheeks flushed and his very obvious arousal still…. there… He closes his eyes again and inhales deeply. "We have to wake up early in the morning."

I worry my lip between my teeth as I stare at him, trying to figure out why he's acting like this all of a sudden.

"Did I do something wrong?"

His eyes open and he turns to me, shaking his head. "No… No, I did," he says softly, grabbing me and pulling me closer to him so that my head rests on his shoulder. His heart is thumping so hard I can practically feel his whole body vibrating. "If you kept moving that way against me I wouldn't have been able to stop. I want you too much," he says seriously and I knit my eyebrows together as I stare at his chest. "Let's just go to sleep."

He kisses the top of my head and I close my eyes. When the heat and tingling from my body dies down, I begin to feel guilty about what happened and my reactions. My brother's dead, we're trying to find out the reason why and I'm acting like some horny teenager with his best friend. I shake my head to rid it of that thought. Eventually, I do manage to fall asleep and when I wake up in the morning there are five letters waiting for me, all from my parents.

_**Evelyn **_

"Miss Malfoy," I look toward Madam as she helps Kendra straighten her back. "See me after class, please."

"Yes, Madam," I say, even though I can't imagine why. I didn't do anything bad during class, did I?

Once practice is over I grab my water bottle and I slip out of my dance shoes as Madam talks to Xavier. He always talks to her after class and I have no idea what they talk about, but it must be important because they always look so terribly serious. I wait patiently by the door until they're done and when he leaves he walks right by me with out saying a word. He's been ignoring me since Cassius' viewing and he doesn't even insult me anymore… he doesn't even look at me.

"Come here, Miss Malfoy. I would like to have a word with you."

I take my mind off of Xavier and I walk towards Madam as she crosses her arms and leans against the piano.

"I've noticed you didn't sign up for the auditions."

Her coal eyes burn into mine, so I look down as I fiddle with the bag slung over my shoulders. "I've missed too many classes," I state honestly.

Since Cass' funeral I've missed a lot, and I'm way behind. Every summer Madam's studio holds auditions for the big production show she puts on at the end of August. The professional dancers help out, and all of the age groups can try out for a part… it's actually quite serious. Caesar Tani, Madam Violet's husband, owns the studio and the Velvet Theatre where most of the bigger shows in the wizarding world showcase themselves. He appears in his box seat on opening night every year, and if he likes you, than your career as a dancer is set for life.

"Do you want to be a dancer, Miss Malfoy?" She asks sharply with her purple shall wrapped around her shoulders.

"Yes," I answer softly. "But I'm too far behind this year."

They're going to be doing sleeping beauty and I would sorely love to try out, but I would just mess up. I know I would.

"I'm not overly fond of you," she says and I raise an eyebrow at her. I know she hates me. "I think you are very mouthy and you rarely listen, but I can't deny you're very talented."

"Thanks?" I think?

"Put your name on the list," she says and I almost argue with her again but she raises one of her sharp fingered hands. "Come here Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday mornings and I'll help catch you up to speed."

"But…"

"We'll start tomorrow. Six o'clock AM."

She walks out after that and I look at her back with my mouth hanging open. Six AM? I regain my composure and straighten my spine as I walk out to greet my Mom at the Apparition point. I suppose I can't let this opportunity slip by and my ego swells a little bit because of Madam's obvious faith in what I can do. I find myself smiling when I walk of the studio, but when I see Dad there, where Mom usually is, I knit my eyebrows together in confusion.

"I'm taking you home today," he states the obvious as he takes out his wand and grabs my hand.

"Where's Mom?" I ask as he wraps his hand around me and we Apparate home. I can't look at him. It's so hard to look at either of them after what I witnessed in the library and I've been doing my best to avoid them altogether.

When we get inside the Manor Dad looks towards me. "She's at her studio," he says simply and then he walks off with out saying another thing.

That was strange.

Mom's 'studio' isn't like the dance studio I just left. It's in America at her beach house. She likes painting in the attic there, where Dad had put all of her art supplies so long ago.

I want to see her and I want to talk to her. With Lavinia gone, she's the only other girl I can really talk to and I can't get that night in the library out of my mind. It made me think of that memory in that pensive I saw… the one with her and Dad disguised as Harry Potter.

After I change out of my dance clothes I go towards Dad's study. He's always there now with his ever constant glass of brandy. It started when Cassius died, but now that Lavinia is gone it seems to be worse. Especially because Mom and Dad are constantly fighting over Liv— what decisions she can or can't make now that she's of age. Since my sister is eighteen, there really isn't much they can do… but I know it's killing them.

Especially my Father.

I lightly knock on the closed door and when he answers with a gruff voice I peek my head in. He's drinking, like always, and he as his feet propped up on his desk. The jacket, tie, and vest he was wearing when he picked me up have been discarded, leaving him in his crisp white dress shirt, sleeves rolled up to his elbows, and black suspenders that attach to his dark slacks.

"Dad?"

He shoots his eyes to mine and raises an eyebrow, like he didn't expect to see me.

I step into the room and close the door behind me as I look down at my feet. I think I can't look at him because I saw him and mom in such a vulnerable position… but they both are just people. Just parents who were grieving over their lost son. I can allow them that, can't I? Even though it was horrible for me...

"Tomorrow morning I have to go back to Madam's studio for extra practice." I tell him the days that she wants me there and when I'm finished I look into his eyes as he drops his feet on the floor.

"Why is that?" he asks as he looks me over.

I shrug. There's no point in telling him about the show… I'm not going to get it anyways. "Just to catch me up, I suppose."

"Alright, I'll make sure to tell your mother."

I go to walk out but I turn right back around. He looks surprised again. "Daddy?"

"Yes?" he says because I was obviously drawing out what I was about to say by calling him that, because I already had his attention.

I remember what Mom said to him in the library, about how angry he use to get, about how he killed those people, about how he… did other stuff to her.

"When did you know you loved Mom?"

He forces his eyebrows together and leans back in his chair. "Why do you ask that?"

"Just wondering," I say, with a one shoulder shrug. I start messing with the charms on my bracelet. That's my family heirloom, that's the thing my parents gave me to go along with my brothers… brother now, I guess… and sister.

"I suppose I always did," he answers as he sits forward and looks through some papers so he appears busy.

I know better. I can see the glass of brandy beside him and the half empty bottle beside that.

"Always?" He flicks me a glance and nods his head. "Even before you really knew her?"

"Why?" he asks, and this time his voice is sharp with irritation.

I really don't think love works that way. You can't love someone with out truly knowing them first, can you? I know people say there is such a thing as love at first sight… but I don't think that's true. I think you have to build a relationship.

"In the showing room," I start, as I put my hands behind my back to still my nervousness at this topic. "I saw a memory in the pensive. I thought it was going to be a good memory of when we were little kids. You usually leave those in there," I say quickly, to cover that I was sneaking around. "Well, this memory was of you and Mom… and you were telling her to not go back to school, but you weren't you, you took a potion that made you Harry Potter."

"What do you really want to know?" he asks coldly after the pause in my story. His eyes are flat now and his jaw is tight. "Well, Evelyn?"

"Why did you do that… if you loved her? Didn't you feel bad that you were lying?" I almost mention what Mom had said in the library, but I stop myself because they didn't know I was there. .. and I wish I hadn't been there.

He looks away and then back at me, searching my eyes as he formulates an answer. "No, I do not feel bad about that particular moment," he answers and I'm about ready to argue with him but he stands up and walks around his desk to lean against the front. "There was a war going on at that time, Evelyn. People were dying and getting killed left and right and Hogwarts wasn't safe anymore. If she didn't go home then, after I told her to, she might have been killed."

I look him in the eyes, noticing how stony he looks. That means he's uncomfortable, that means he's upset that I brought it up, but I don't care.

"Why did you do it as Harry Potter? Why couldn't you just tell her yourself, then?"

"She wouldn't have listened to me. In fact, she probably would have cursed me before she even got through the door." He sighs, and the tension in him melts a little as he puts his hands in his pockets. "I might have always loved her, but it took a very long time for her to feel the same way about me."

"But you weren't always sweet to her, like a man in love should be," I say boldly and that cold look is back.

"Love can make a person cruel," is all he says as he turns his back to me, pouring brandy into his empty glass. "I have work to do now."

He's trying to dismiss me, but I'm not finished questioning him. "Why was that memory in that pensive, anyways?"

"Goodbye Evelyn."

"Just answer my question, Dad."

He glares at me over his shoulder and I step back by the intensity in it. "I'll see you at dinner."

He waits for me to leave, but I don't. I don't want him to think that I'm angry with him, that I hold anything against him. He might have done some bad things, but Mom loves him now, so that's enough for me. I walk up to his tense back and I hug him around the waist.

"I love you, Dad," I say sweetly, just so he knows I'm not angry with him, just so he knows I don't hate him for the things that he's done.

He sighs and I feel his hands wrap around mine in front of his chest. "Your Mom and I had an argument over the first time I kissed her. She kept on saying it was a bad experience in one of the rooms in the west wing, but I disagreed and to prove my point I showed her the memory."

I let my hands drop from his and I take a step back to give him space. "Was she mad at you?" I ask curiously. Relationships have always fascinated me. It's intriguing the way they work… or don't work in some cases.

"She wasn't surprised," he says flatly, after taking a drink. "Now," he turns around and faces me, looking much lighter and more human. "I really do have some papers I have to go through, sweetheart."

"Can I go see Mom?"

He looks me over and then he nods his head, going over to his fireplace and turning the knob. "Let her know I sent out those papers," he tells me and I cock my head to the side.

"What papers?" I question as he hands me the pot that has the floo powder in it.

He shakes his head and a little smile comes to his face. "You don't get to know everything, little one."

I pout before going into the flames and shouting the address of Mom's beach house. I find her in the attic, drawing the beginning sketch onto a large white canvas. I step over the bottles of gesso, and the tubes of paint as I walk over to her. She's humming to herself as she makes bold strokes with the charcoal stick and in the corner, taped to the canvas, I see a little sketch of a small boy, knee deep in a pond with his jeans rolled up to his knees. The boy in the pencil sketch is looking down at the water, oblivious to the viewer… and he looks familiar.

"Is that Cassius?" I ask and it startles my Mom who jumps and drops the charcoal stick on the ground.

"Good Lord, Evelyn," she says as she faces me with her hand on her heart. "You scared the living daylights out of me."

"Sorry," I offer with a smile. I nod back to the sketch in the corner, her reference photo. "Is that him?"

She looks back to the small sketch and sighs as she stands up, wiping the charcoal from her hands on the messy shirt she's wearing. "Yeah, I drew that quite a long time ago," she says, looking at the little Cass in the picture. "I came across it last night and thought it would make a beautiful painting."

I step closer to the sketch, and then I look at the larger canvas that she's drawing on for her preliminary steps towards the painting. I've always been kind of amazed by my Mother's talent for art. Every one always talks about Dad… about his interesting past, about his success in politics and as a big business man, but I think Mom is sorely underrated in all of this. I think she is quite amazing.

"How old was he here?" I ask, as I look it over.

Her attention to detail, even in a quick drawing like the one in the corner, is very impressive. I can clearly see every fold and line in the little denims Cass is wearing, and the blonde hair that's falling over his eyes is shaded to reflect the sun—making it look real. Even Cassius' little boy features seem spot on, right down to his almond shaped eyes and the sharp little nose he inherited from Dad. It looks amazing, from the top of the sky down to the ripples in the water.

"I think he was about seven," she says as she walks over to one of the wooden shelves and takes out one of the jars that hold her brushes. "He loved the fish in the lake and he was always trying to catch them. He never succeeded, of course," she adds with a wistful smile as she comes back to the canvas. "He and Gavin moved around so much it was hard to draw them at all, but that day Gav had fallen asleep beside me while we were outside so I started to sketch him just for the heck of it. Cass took off his shirt and went into the water so I just thought I'd try because he looked so cute with his little jeans rolled up like that."

"You did a good job," I say with a sad smile. We're all still sad about Cassius. The wound is still fresh, but we're trying to heal.

She smiles at me and then sits down on the wooden stool she had been on before. "Why did you come here? I trust your father picked you up on time?"

"Yes, he did. I just wanted to see what you were doing," I tell her as she puts the brushes on the small table beside her and she starts unscrewing lids from the paint tubes to put on her pallet. "Can I help?"

"Well, I don't really need help with this, but if you want to stay here and paint something you can use one of the blank canvases over there."

She nods her head towards the side wall where blank canvases of all different sizes are resting. I look at her as she starts dabbing her brush in some clear liquid before smoothing it into some red paint. I decide to stay. I go over to the wall and pick up a smaller canvas before sitting it on the floor, right beside Mom.

"What paint should I use?" I ask as I look around the room.

"You don't want to use oil because that will take forever to dry… why don't you use the Acrylic paint over there," she points with the end of her brush towards some large jugs of paint on a far shelf. "It dries quickly, so you can do whatever you want."

"Okay," I say, I walk over to the jugs and I pick out three colors. Black, pink, and lime green. I bring the jugs back to my painting spot after grabbing a few brushes and filling a cup with water.

"What are you going to do?" Mom asks, looking at her own painting.

"I don't know yet."

I take the lids off of the jugs and I dip one of the paint brushes in water before putting it in the jug that holds the black paint.

"Don't contaminate the colors," Mom scolds. "Pour what you want out in one of those little cups."

I roll my eyes before doing what she demands; carefully pouring a small amount of each color in a small plastic cup so I don't mix them. I paint the whole canvas black and after it dries I bite my lip, trying to decide what I want to do. I glance up to Mom as she blocks in the colors on her picture and I smirk before dipping my whole hand into the bright pink paint. I rub my hands together and then I start walking them across the canvas, leaving my hand prints all over it. The black background makes the pink stand out like a neon light and when I'm done I pull back with a smile at my handy work.

I bring a hand up to push that aggravating curl that always pops out away from my forehead and when I realize I just got pink paint all over my face I laugh out loud.

"What is it?" Mom turns around and when she sees me she smiles. "That's a good look for you."

I grin at her before taking one of the lids from the jugs and using a paint brush to paint the under rim of it lime green. When I finish with that I press it down on the canvas. It makes a perfect circle on top of the black and pink hands, so I do it a few more times until I decide that's enough.

I sit back on my knees when I finish and almost snort at how silly it looks. "I like it," Mom says as she stands up from her stool and looks down at me from my place on the floor. "It's very interesting."

"Thanks," I say proudly, even though I think she's just being nice. As she's cleaning off one of her brushes I tell her about my morning dance sessions Madam Violet wants me to have. "It starts at six in the morning," I whine. "Can you imagine that?"

She glances up at the clock and then back to me. "You better get home, then. It's getting late there and I bet you want to sleep before you have to get up so early."

"I guess you're right," I say with a sigh as I stand up. Dried paint covers my hands and face but I don't make a move to wash it off. "Are you coming home too?"

"Not yet," she answers softly, looking back to her picture. "Tell your Dad I'll be home later." I nod my head and then look down at my painting. "It should be completely dry in an hour or so," she says as she looks down as well. "I'll bring it home with me."

I nod my head and smile at her. "Oh, Dad said that he sent those papers out."

Her reaction changes and the light in her eyes dim the slightest bit. It perks my interest and I watch her closely as she turns around and puts her hands on her hips.

"Good," she mumbles to herself.

"Mom?" She looks at me and raises an eyebrow, looking so much like Dad. "When did you first realize you loved Dad?" I ask her the same question I asked my father earlier. I think it's good to get both perspectives.

She knits her eyebrows together as she studies me, confused that I asked. "Well, I like to think a part of me always kind of did."

_Always_… there's that word again. I wonder if I will always kind of love that person I am supposed to be with.

I leave her there and go back home. Dad snorts at the paint that's covering my body when I floointo his study, but I don't say anything to him as I go upstairs to shower. I go to bed early and wake at five thirty to get ready for dance. Waiting for me in the main hallway is Dad, with a mug of coffee in his hands. He's already dressed and ready for work and I have to say it was very nice of him to let Mom sleep in so she wouldn't have to take me.

"Ready?" he asks as he hands me some toast. I realize I took longer than I should have getting ready, because I only have a few minutes before I have to get there.

I nod my head and eat the food he brought me as we walk outside, towards the Apparation point. It's cold out side this morning and I shiver against the morning chill when he closes the front door. He sees it and he sighs before handing me his suit jacket, letting it hang over my shoulders.

I do love my father.

I smile at him and he Apparates me to Madam's dance studio, mug still steaming in his hands, and he gives me a kiss on the forehead as I hand him back his jacket. When I enter the building, I throw my half eaten toast into a trash bin and then I walk through the lobby, towards the dance room where my class usually is.

On the way there I see Xavier and it throws me for a second. Why would he be here? When I notice that he's wearing a pair dark denim jeans and a black tank top with a broom in his hands, I look away. He's cleaning. I realize now that he's here because he has to do work to make up for the tuition he can't pay. I walk into the room quickly so he doesn't see me. I don't want him to be embarrassed.

"You're late," Madam says in a crisp voice. I apologize as I put on my dance shoes and meet her in the center of the floor.

She keeps me for over an hour and she works me hard. I got yelled at more than once and she made me hold positions with my pointe shoes that were very difficult for me. I felt the urge to snap back at her on several occasions, but I kept it to myself as my face blushed and my body started to sweat from all the work she was putting me through.

"You let your posture slouch too much," she scolds as I hold a position on my toes. It hurts and my arms start to shake. "Ballet dancers don't shake, Miss Malfoy."

I fall down on my feet and sigh. "It's just very hard," I tell her honestly. This is the hardest she has ever worked me and I doubt this is what I missed from class. "And it hurts," I add as I look down at my poor feet. Now doubt I'll have to ice them when I get home.

"Beauty always hurts, Miss Malfoy. You should know that," I stare at her and she raises one of those dark, menacing eyebrows. "Do it again."

She makes me repeat all of these different dance sequences and when she gets a floo call and has to leave the room I fall to the ground in a tired heap.

"You're done for the day," she says sharply, before storming out of the room.

Crazy dictator that she is.

I start pulling off my ballet shoes and when I see the state that my poor feet are in, I sigh sadly. There are patches of red, where the shoes had rubbed my skin raw and I touch it hesitantly. When it stings I pull back quickly and wince when I stand up, walking over to my bag so I can slip on a more comfortable pair of shoes so I can leave.

I pass by the younger children's dance room on my way out, and I stop walking when I see Xavier in there. He's off against the side wall with a bottle of cleaning solution in his hands as he wipes off the tall mirrors that line it. I turn to leave, but I stop myself, figuring if I had to clean dirty little kid finger prints off a wall I would like some company. So I put my bag down and walk over to him, when he sees my reflection his eyes narrow the slightest bit.

"Do you need any help?" I ask as he stands up straight, still glaring at me through the mirror.

"Non," he says flatly, spraying the mirror and wiping it off, pretending that I'm not here.

I don't care what he says. I grab the bandanna he had sticking out of his back pocket and when he turns to me in surprise, I smile.

"Can I use this?" He doesn't say anything so I grab the cleaning solution from his hand and I get down on my knees, cleaning off the grim and fingerprints that the children put there from all the touching.

He stares at me for a long time while I clean the mirror until he finally accepts the situation and he takes the bottle from me and starts cleaning the area above me, the area I can't reach.

"I saw you dancing," he says softly after a long time of silence. I look up to him in surprise as he wipes away at the mirror. "Madame Violette yelled at you very many times."

"Indeed she did," I state bitterly, remembering it and thinking he's making fun of me.

"You are over thinking it," he tells me in that French accent of his. I look up at his profile. "You need to find your...er.. center of gravity," he says, stumbling as he tries to find the right words. "and let it balance you."

I roll my eyes and go back to cleaning. "What do you know, you don't have to wear the toe shoes," I tell him honestly, the men get it easy.

"I'm the one that ez going to have to lift you. I would prefer you not fall on top of me with your clumsiness."

I snort out loud and shake my head. "I won't get the main part anyways," I tell him, thinking it's funny that he said that. "And you are awfully confident thinking you'll get the lead male part," I tell him in jest, watching him out of the corner of my eyes. His face remains serious. "There are a bunch of boys older than you who will try out. You are only fourteen."

"Oui," he says softly. "But I am dze best and I am age fifteen."

I can't argue with him on that, he's telling the truth. When I realize that, a jolt of something like anger goes through me towards the Madame for making Xavier work like this. He is probably the best dancer here. She should just give him a free ride because of his talent. I scoot down a little, still on my knees as I spray the mirror and wipe it off. My face scrunches up in disgust at something there.

"I think that's a booger," I say with my nose crinkling as I wipe it off.

"Dzere are a lot of those in dzis room," he says and I look up at him again as he smirks at me. "But the worst ez over dzere," he points towards the door, towards the room across the hall. "For some reason, dzere ez a girl who can not reach the trash when she spits out her gum."

I know he's talking about me and I smile at him. "Sorry," I say with a laugh and he shrugs before turning back to his work.

A silence falls over us again and I send little glances towards him when I think he's not looking. I have to admit he is quite attractive and the fact that he's not constantly scowling at me now has definitely made me look at him differently. His brown hair is slight curled at the ends, his jaw is strong and sharp, and his eyes can't decide if they want to be brown or green, but I believe they are very handsome none the less. My eyes fall over his body and I blush a little… I can't figure out why.

Say what you will about Quidditch players, or others who play athletic sports, I don't think anything compares to the male dancer's body. Xavier's arms are strong and defined for when he has to lift up little ballerinas, and his legs havelong, thick muscles that he uses when he dances. My eyes travel over his waist that tapers down into a perfect V and I suspect he has the most attractive muscles defined under that shirt of his.

I drop the bandanna I was using and he looks down at me as I quickly pick it up and look away.

"So, why did you start dancing?" I ask quickly, to cover the fact that my body is tingling and my face is blushing.

"Quoi?

"Dancing, why did you start dancing?" I repeat as I clean the mirror. I always want to know how boys get into these classes… with girls it's easy to understand. The visions of pink tutus and graceful movements are hard to refuse, but boys usually get made fun of.

"My mère," he mutters softly, but doesn't elaborate further, so I question again.

"Is she a dancer?"

"Non," he answers gently as he takes the cleaning solution from me. "She was a seamstress."

"Oh," I say softly, looking down. "So she just started to put you in classes for the heck of it?"

He gets down on his knees beside me and his closeness sends a jolt through my body, but I ignore it.

"Dzere was a studio by my…er… flat?" he looks at me to see if he got that right and I nod my head. "I would sneak over and watch the dancers when I was a boy," he says softly and I watch his profile again. "My mère saw it, so she put me in classes."

"That was nice of her."

He nods his head. "I don't know 'ow she paid for it," he says with a shrug as he cleans off the barre attached to the mirror. "but after she left, my père saw dzat I was good, so he made sure I stayed doing it."

I want to kiss him.

I want to kiss him but I know I shouldn't so I turn away from him. "What does your father do for a living?" I ask for a distraction.

"He does work in a factory," he says with a knitted brow, as he cleans. "Dzey move around to different jobs often."

"Oh, I bet your father is a charming man," I say brightly and he gives me a look from the corner of his eyes. "I believe it takes a lot for a man to let his son do ballet."

"Oui," he whispers, more to himself than to me.

"You say your Mother left… where did she go?" I ask curiously, and when his eyes narrow I realize it was a nosy question to ask… I always ask nosy questions.

"Away," he answers flatly and we leave it at that.

I hear voices coming from the hallway so I turn towards the door and see Madam Violet walking by with a younger man, who has his hand on her back as she smiles at him.

"Who do you suppose that is?" I ask out loud and Xavier follows my gaze.

"Perhaps it ez 'er lover," he says and I find that I love the way he says lover. Lovar sounds much more romantic.

"But she's married," I say as I turn back to him with a smile.

He raises his eyebrows. "Dzat does not stop people. Most are unhappy in dzair marriage."

"It's still quite rude to do to the person that you are with, don't you agree?" I ask, but he doesn't say anything. "I suppose on some level I can agree with you. Jeremiah and I have a pact that if we're both unmarried by the time we're thirty we'll just marry each other so we won't be lonely. I couldn't blame him if he took a lover then, if he didn't love me."

"Would you love him?" he asks carefully and I look to him as he looks away.

"I suspect I would. He is very dear to me now, and even though he is skinny, I think he'll grow into the most handsome man."

He jaw ticks, he looks angry, and I tilt my head to the side as I watch him. "Why do you look like that?" I ask and he sends a heated glance at me before standing up.

"I don't think dzat you can _suspect_to love someone," he says and I stand up as well. "You do, or you don't, anything in-between ez called friendship."

He's being awfully dramatic about the whole thing. "I don't know if that's true," I say as I mess with the dirty bandanna. "I don't think there's much of a difference between the different types of love. I think people marry each other because they're friends who like to have sex." Besides my parents… but that's a different story.

He knits his eyebrows together because I said the s word and he shakes his head. "You 'ave not been in love. You would understand the difference if you 'ave."

I search his eyes because of the intense way he's looking at me. "Have you?" I ask, because he's talking like he's an expert.

His cheeks redden the slightest bit and he looks away. When he looks back at me he's about ready to speak again, but a sharp voice cuts him off before he can.

"I have been waiting outside for half an hour, Evelyn," I turn to my Mom and give her an apologetic smile.

"I am sorry," I tell her honestly, I go to retrieve my bag and I turn back to Xavier who's looking at the ground. "I'll see you later, Xavier," I tell him and he nods his head before going back to the mirror.

When I get home, I fall down onto my bed, totally confused, but I can't take a nap, and I don't feel like doing much else. So I get up and throw on a pair or shoes to take a walk in the garden. On the way towards Mom's rose bushes I step on something hard and I pull my foot away to inspect what it was. I notice a small rock so I pick it up, studying it in my hands. It's the most interesting shade of brownish red and on one of the sides a small symbol is etched into it. I try to figure out what it may be, but I give up and put it in my pocket, promising myself to look it up later.

X

_**Gavin **_

"I don't care. We'll do what we need to do because I want to buy the fucking thing now."

Theo sits back and shakes his head. "The spoiled Malfoy rant won't work for you against me," he says darkly but I just roll my eyes. "I want this just as badly as you do, but she won't sell. Especially not to Draco Malfoy's son."

"Who is this Pansy White woman anyways? I'm sure I could talk to her and change her mind."

"I doubt it, she really is a stubborn witch and you look an awful lot like your Dad."

I sit back in my chair and cross my arms as I glare out at the people on the sidewalk. I want to buy the Daily Prophet now. I am determined to own it. That way I can build up a separate company from my father's so I can get out from under his thumb. I guess this Pansy lady's husband bought the paper like ten years ago and after he died she's been kind of sitting on it, letting it turn into more of a tabloid than a real newspaper.

"Why does she hate my Dad so much?" I ask as I take a drink from my glass. We're in a small restaurant in London, sitting out side under one of the giant white umbrellas that shade the customers from the hot sun.

"Everyone has a reason to hate your Father for one thing or another," he says with a smirk but I don't return it so he sighs. "They have a history together and he left her for your Mother."

"That had to be a blow to her ego, considering he had to steal another woman than be with her willingly," I joke and he smiles.

"She's a piece of work, though, and as soon as I mentioned your name she cut off the floo call. She won't sell to us, Gavin. I think we should look into buying another paper."

I shake my head. "No, even though it's terrible now it's still the most recognized publication in the wizardingworld. Even your up and coming paper hasn't been able to out sell it." He shrugs. "Give me her address, maybe I can talk some sense into her. She obviously doesn't know what she's doing and I know she's been shopping it around to others to sell. So it's not a matter of not wanting to get rid of it."

"It's your funeral," he says with a sigh as he grabs a napkin and takes a pen out of the front pocket of his jacket. "Be careful, she's as slippery as they come."

"You underestimate my charm with women." I tell him seriously as he hands me the address.

"And you underestimate how psychotic said women can be when men piss them off."

"Whatever," I say with a dismissive wave of my hand. "I've got to get going. We'll set up another meeting later," I tell him as I stand up and take my jacket that I had resting around the back of my chair. "See you around, Mr. Nott."

He sips his tea and crosses his legs. "Good luck, Mr. Malfoy."

I pay my bill and I leave Theo there as I Apperate to Addison's parents house to discuss the upcoming wedding. Personally, I'm not one for big weddings. I think they're awfully boring and quite pointless, to be honest, but for some reason women think they're necessary. I knock on the blue door when I get there and Addison's father, Kyle Prescot, answers the door and reluctantly lets me inside.

He hates me. I suppose I can't blame him because most men hate me in one way or another and I did knock up his little girl— it makes sense.

"Gavin," he greets with a tight nod of his head as he steps aside so I can walk in.

"Mr. Prescot, always a pleasure," I say pleasantly, extending my hand for him to shake. He does so with furrowed brows and grabs my hand in a limp kind of way. Addie got that blonde red hair color from him and his eyebrows are large and bushy, looking like two caterpillars stuck on his face. I hope my daughter doesn't inherit those. "How have you been?"

"They're all in there," he points off to another room before walking away.

I smile at his back and then follow in the direction he pointed to. I find myself walking into a regular paisley printed sitting room colored all in Easter pastels. Addison's family is modestly middle class and her home, while seemingly small to someone like me, I guess is average to every one else.

When I enter the room the two women who were sitting on the couch stand up to greet me. Her mother is a rather portly woman with more chins than a person should have and dyed hair the color of sour milk. Her Aunt Gertrude, who I have had the displeasure of meeting many times, is rail thin, with facial hair that rivals anything I could grow. I ignore them and turn to the only bright spot in the room… and Addison smiles because I'm on time.

"Gavin," she says sweetly as she walks over to me and gives me a hug. I kiss her neck as her Mother and Aunt whisper to each other about how good looking our child is going to be. Hopefully the baby's genetics skip their DNA input. "I think we've decided who we want our marriage wizard to be."

"Joy," I mutter and sit down beside her when she pulls me into the room.

"Of course, your Mother was gracious enough to offer up your home for the reception," Mrs. Prescot tells me with a sickly sweet smile. She loves me.

You know, I can't really blame Addison for having atrocious relatives considering she's capable of loving me with the family that I have. I guess a few Death Eaters are a fair trade for badly groomed irritating women.

"Right," I say as I reach towards the table and I take a scone off of the tray. I really don't know why I have to be here but I had been ditching out on the wedding plans for a while now. So I figure I might as well make an appearance.

"Addison, let's make a list of your bridesmaids," her Aunt, the one with the mustache, says as she picks up a pad of paper and a quill. Her face is intense with hooded eyes and a thin lipped mouth that just screams for cosmetic reconstruction. Ugh. "Your cousin Genie is going to be your maid of honor, right?"

Addison sends me a sideways look and then she nods her head. "That will be fine."

Addison might have been adopted… I think that as I look over the two women sitting across from us. There's no way that woman produced the lovely girl at my side, but than again, maybe I'm being too harsh. I finish off the scone and pick up another one so I don't stare at the ugly bitty's across from me.

"Who else?"

"Um, well my other cousins.... maybe Steph and Danna... friends from school," she explains as she sips her tea. I sigh and eat another scone.

"Alright," her aunt scribbles something down. "What about you, Gavin?"

"What?" I ask distractedly because I wasn't paying attention.

"Who do you want to be your groomsmen?"

"Oh," I say, and I sit back in my seat while going through the list of friends in my head. "I have a few guys I can ask." I say seriously before picking up another scone.

"Well, I think Addie will have about five, right?" Her mother looks towards her and Addison nods her head. Women rule the roost here at her house and her Mother is like the queen bee. "So you need to match that. Who will be your best man?"

I open my mouth to answer, but then I stop. I was going to say Cassius, it just seemed so natural to do so. I mean, for weddings it's easy to have one brother because that way you don't have to choose a friend and get all caught up in that kind of drama... but I don't have a brother anymore... and that thought upsets me. I put the half eaten scone down and stand up.

"I'll think about it," I say as I dust off my pants.

"The sooner we get all of this planned the faster we can get this wedding into motion. I know your parents, as well as Mr. Prescot and I, want to have this out before the baby is born," she continues talking but I start walking out of the room before she can finish.

When I make it to the Apparation point outside, Addison catches up with me. "What's wrong?" she asks breathlessly with flushed cheeks.

I look at her as I take out my wand. It's windy out today and she's wearing a loose fitting yellow summer dress that blows in the wind. Her hair whips in her face and I think she looks impossibly pretty right now.

"Do you need a big wedding?" I ask as I put some hair behind her ear.

"What do you mean?" she asks softly as she searches my face.

"Do you honestly need all this pomp and circumstance to be my wife?" I ask seriously. "Do you need the huge service and the hundreds of guests that you don't know?"

"I don't understand," she says as she looks into my eyes.

I look down at her stomach, that's starting to show now, no matter what she tries to wear to cover it up. "I don't care about that stuff," I tell her as I stare at the baby we've made. "I don't even care if my parents are present."

"Where are you going with this?"

"Let's just screw all of this planning business and lets just get married. Just you and me, no one else is going to be a part of our marriage anyways." She stares at me and I shake my head, running a hand through my hair. "If you want the big wedding... I don't care, we can do that too. I just don't think we need it."

We're silent for a while and then she takes a stop closer to me and takes my hand. "Do I at least get to wear a pretty white dress?" she asks in my ear as she tilts up on her toes.

"What?"

I feel her smile against my neck and she kisses my cheek. "When we get hitched, can I at least wear a pretty white dress?"

I turn to her and give her a sweet kiss on the lips. "You can wear whatever you want."

We go home then, and spend the rest of the day and night and bed, I must say I do quite enjoy her baby bump, knowing that there's something of mine growing in there. Sometimes I feel very possessive of her and the baby. When the morning rolls around I stretch and get dressed with my eyes half open from sleep. I spend a couple hours in my office, signing off on projects and papers before going to my father to ask for some days off so Addison and I can get away for a while. I have to wait in his waiting room for fifteen minutes before his assistant ushers me into his office. He's sitting behind his desk with a letter in his hands, gripping it in an obvious show of anger.

"Dad?"

He puts the letter down and then looks to me. "What do you want, Gavin?"

"I was wondering if I could take all of next week off."

He looks me in the eyes and then he scoots up to his desk, taking out his quill and writing something down on a parchment in front of him. "Why?"

I debate whether I should tell him the truth, but eh, no, I won't. "I think I need a small vacation."

"What are you going to do with your accounts?"

I sigh. "I'll just have to cancel my appointments and then the paper work I can do at home."

"What are you really going to be doing?" he asks suspiciously, looking up at me and taking off his glasses.

"Why are you so upset?" I ask, craning my neck to try to look at that letter he was gripping. "What's wrong?"

"You haven't heard yet?" he asks with an eyebrow raised and I shake my head. "Your sister decided to run off."

"Lavinia?" I question because if it was Evelyn I would have heard about that. When he nods his head I furrow my brows. "Run off?" I repeat flatly because, really, that doesn't make any sense to me right now. Not Lavinia. "With who?"

He picks up the letter and waves it around. "Byron Flint."

Like an ice cube had been dropped down my back, that name made my insides freeze. "What?" I say to cover the fact that I want to say so many other things. "She just ran off with him... what are they doing?"

He shrugs. "They're both of age, so there really isn't much we can do… but she let me know that they're in Spain. Not that I wouldn't be able to find that out for myself, but still, it was nice of her to write," he says in a tight voice that doesn't match his statement.

"Spain," I repeat back like an idiot, but I can't really say much else.

Suddenly I remember a drunken Byron Flint telling me a story about how he fucked my little sister at the Manor when we were all there. My eyes narrow. "They're in Spain?"

"That's what I said."

"That's interesting."

"No," Dad snaps and my eyes shoot to his. "It's not interesting, it's fucking irritating.

"But Flint's unstable," I say darkly.

"They're both adults," he waves the letter at me. "And your sister claims she's fine and she can take care of herself. Of course, your Mother seems to think we should just let things be."

I'm going to kill fucking Byron Flint. I sit back in my chair and shake my head, glaring off into space at the prospect of finding Flint and castrating him myself but I snap out of it when my Dad stands up and walks over to his filing cabinet. I watch him as he pulls a folder out of it and thumbs through the papers inside.

"I'll have Tabor take on your bigger accounts," he says and I look into his eyes.

"What?" I say because I was too busy picturing different ways to kill Byron Flint.

"You're accounts, for when you're gone," he says like I was stupid before sitting down and putting the folder on the desk in front of him. "Go ahead and take off two weeks. Have your assistant reschedule your meetings and I would talk to Terrance. Have him take your floo calls when you're away."

"Not him," I say with a glare, remembering how much I hate him. Dad looks to me with a tilted head and I clear my throat, sitting up straight. "I'll ask Nick."

"Just ask someone," Dad replies with a wave of his hand. "Let me know when you get back so we can talk, alright?"

"Alright."

I wait for a few moments and when he doesn't say anything I stand up. "Thanks, Dad."

"I think we could all use some vacation time," he mutters before waving me off.

I only feel a little bit guilty that I'm going to use this vacation time to go get married with out telling him, but oh well. I finish up the work that needs to be done in my office and that night when I get home; I go straight to my bed room and start packing. Addison comes in to watch me and as I fold my invisibility cloak I send her a look.

"Why are you staring at me?" I ask impatiently. I want to get out of England for a while. There are too many shadows here for me. "Get packed."

"Gavin," she says as she sits down on the chair by the door. I look at her again with irritation clearly written on my face. "Can't we wait?"

"Why? I thought you agreed. We can buy you a pretty white dress in France."

"I know and I do, but do we have to leave tonight?" She puts her hand over her pregnant stomach and I rest my shoulder against the bed post so I can give her my full attention. "I only have a few more days left of school and I have a big test tomorrow." She says, pointing to the text books that are open and on the desk by the bed. "A few days won't hurt, will it?"

I sigh and throw the cloak down on the bed. "I guess not," I say before walking out of the room with a very childish sulk. I hate when I don't get my way, even if she is right.

When I make it into our steel blue kitchen I take out a bottle of bourbon and pour myself a glass. We have a whole cabinet of liquor stocked away from a party we had way back when we first moved into this flat, but that seems like another lifetime now. I find myself judging things based on a timeline of things that happened before my brother died and after he passed away. Like the BC and AD of the Christian calendar. I feel like a different person now, different from before. The older I get, the more like my Father I become and with as messed up as my life has been recently I've find myself drinking more and more.

"You know, it's never healthy to drink by yourself." I hear Addison say from behind me as I down a glass and pour another one. I guess she's right. The difference between an alcoholic and social drinker is that an alcoholic doesn't mind drinking alone.

"A lot of things aren't healthy."

"That's true."

We're silent for a while as she takes a seat on one of the expensive black chairs and I drink another glass. "I didn't tell you that my sister ran off," I say as the alcohol heats my cheeks.

"Ran off?" she questions and I nod my head.

"With Byron Flint."

"Good for her," she says and I glare at her over my shoulder.

"What?"

"I think Byron Flint is really handsome."

A flair of jealously goes through me at those words, but I dismiss it because I don't think Flint is much competition. "He's insane."

I turn around and rest my back against the counter ledge as I hold the half empty glass of bourbon in my hand.

"Cassius held him in high regard," she says carefully with her eyes taking me in. "I would trust your brother's judgment."

"You know if Cassius wouldn't have died this wouldn't have happened. He usually keeps Flint in check," I state harshly as Addison stares at me. "You know," I say lightly as I turn around and pour myself another drink. "I always thought I'd die before Cassius did."

"That's just silly," she says softly.

"Not really," I comment with a shrug. I've been thinking about it since the night Dad told me about my brother. It doesn't make sense to me. "I'm the reckless one."

She shakes her head when I turn around again. "Wasn't your brother living in caves and deep sea diving after cursed objects? That sounds pretty dangerous."

"He was smarter than me," I say as I hold the brown liquid up to the light, making it seem yellow before taking a big drink. I look to Addison when she laughs.

"You were third in our class," she says as she stands up and makes her way over to me.

"Because I cheated."

"Well," she says, putting her hands on my chest. "It takes a lot of smarts to cheat that well." She smiles at me and I smirk back. "When Emma died I always thought it should have been me, you know. All those what if's… that guilt never goes away."

I hate talking about it like this. I hate it when she looks at me like I'm a wounded animal so I put my hand on her bare neck, just because I like the way her skin feels. "I have an idea," I tell her as I put the glass down behind me. "Let's go to bed and stay there until tomorrow night."

When alcohol doesn't work, losing myself in sex usually does.

"That sounds wonderful," she replies as she kisses me and then she starts pulling my polo shirt over my head so she can run her fingers down my chest. She seems to like doing that and I can't complain. "But I have to wake up early for that test so we can't stay in bed the whole time."

"Hmm," I mumble as I bend down to kiss her neck, lifting her up bridal style because her pregnant stomach won't let me carry her the way I favor. "I'll just have to write you a note to get out of it."

"I don't think notes from my boyfriend will convince the professor to let me skip the test."

"How about a doctor's note?" I say when I reach our room and throw her on the bed.

She snorts and shakes her head as she rest on her elbows. "I doubt Dr. Landwear would be up for lying."

I smirk as I unbuckle my pants and I see her eyes darken as she watches me. "You underestimate my forging abilities," I tell her as I let my pants fall to the ground and go to her skirt, unzipping it with my knowledgeable fingers.

I have mastered the forged signature because of Hogwarts. My last two years were pretty tough and the Headmaster sent home monthly behavioral progress reports for my parents to sign. Needless to say, those owls never left the building… but the papers were returned to his desk signed and dated every four weeks. If you need Draco Malfoy's signature for anything, I'm pretty much an expert at it.

Before I get a chance to bend down and kiss her, Addison gets up on her knees and crawls towards the bedside table to grab her wand. "What are you doing?" I ask as she lifts it and turns off the lights.

Annoyance filters thought me so I dig through my pants on the floor, taking out my own wand and turning the lights back on. "I want to see your body," I tell her honestly. I'm very visual and I enjoy the changes her body is going through. She's always been one of those skinny girls, so the fact that her body is curvier now is pretty exciting for me—and her breasts are getting larger so that's a plus.

"You aren't the pregnant one," she snaps as she turns off the lights again.

I turn them back on.

She huffs and turns them off.

I wonder if anyone outside is walking by and watching our window because we're putting on quite a light show. I can tell by her body language that she's getting angry and my chances at getting lucky are dwindling with each flick of my wrist, so I give up and crawl into bed beside her in the dark, laying my wand on the table. I kiss her shoulder and she turns her back on me.

"Are you serious?" I snap when she remains tense under my touches. When she doesn't say anything I lay back and shake my head. "Fine, I'm going for a walk," I tell her angrily.

I get up and throw on my pants, upset that she's upset with me and I grab a pair of shoes and I throw on a shirt before storming out of the flat. We live in a higher class neighborhood in a small wizarding town, so the streets are always clean and the buildings are a part of the historic district, standing tall and made out of brick with white carved wood for decoration and green ivy climbing the walls.

When I get outside I take a moment to inhale the crisp night hair, letting it cool my cheeks and sober up my senses. I stuff my hands in my pockets as I walk around the block, trying to think about everything and nothing at all and when I get half way around the second street by our flat complex I realize I'm overreacting. I should just go home and tell Addison that I appreciate the journey her body is going through and that she's right to be upset with me or some rot like that.

With a sigh I start heading back to the flat but what I see when I get there is very very wrong. People are running out of the building and I hear a loud alarm going on from the inside. In a panic I look up towards the top floor and when I see smoke pouring out of my bed room window my heart stops beating.

"What the hell is going on?" I ask one of the tenants as they make their way out.

"Fire," she says breathlessly before running to get away from it, stumbling over a bush and into a tree.

My eyes scan the crowd, trying to find a head of reddish blonde hair and when I can't see Addison anywhere I put my hand in my pocket for my wand. I cuss out loud when I realize I left it in the room and I look up once again at the building before deciding I'm going in to look for her. It was a stupid move, but I didn't know what else to do and as I was pushing past people who glared at me and told me I was going the wrong way, Bob Binger, the rich lawyer who lives across from me caught my eyes.

"Hey Mouth, you're going the wrong way," he says as I run towards him. He thinks mouth is a clever nickname because if you shorten Malfoy to Malf it sounds like mouth, and he thinks I'm mouthy. Genius, he is. "Our insurance should cover all of our things," he says with a smile, but I don't return it.

"Do you know where Addison is?" I ask and his face falls.

"I haven't seen her."

I cuss again and push past more people until I get into the lobby of the building. Sirens are going off and lights are flashing inside when I get there. Most of the people are out by now, leaving the place eerily empty and the only noise is the loud blaring coming from the red boxes on the walls. I start jogging towards the stairway to the left but a hand on my shoulder stops me and I turn around, confused when I don't see anyone there.

"I have your wand." My eyes narrow when I hear Addison's voice but I don't see anything. "It's me," she says softly as her hand appears in mid air and her head materializes before me.

"You're wearing my cloak," I sigh in relief and hug her where her body should be. "Are you okay?"

"I'm in my underwear," she mumbles as an explanation

Modesty in the face of death is always an admirable trait.

I kiss her softly, happy that she's out and not burning up in our flat like I was dreading, but my joy was short lived because we get knocked over when fire wizards with their wands drawn wearing their flame retardant robes stomp by us and yell at us to leave the building.

There's nothing keeping us in there so we leave and sit on the curb across from the flat complex as they try to kill the fire. Addison keeps on getting sideways glances from all the people surrounding us because of the cloak…she's just a floating head, after all, and that weirds people out. When she takes it off, I pull off my own shirt for her to wear and it goes to her mid thigh, fitting her like a dress. She gives me a thankful smile while I tuck the cloak under my naked arm and let her lean into me. She smells like fire and burnt fabric.

Aurors show up not too long after that and interview most of the people that were in the building. Apparently it was an intentional fire; someone had purposely thrown a gasoline soaked wine bottle into my living room and lit it on fire. Addison trembled when she heard that and when the Aurorquestioned her, she wasn't able to answer their questions because she was too shook up— and lucky to be alive, I think, as I keep a protective arm around her waist.

The Auror's face was almost comical when I gave him a list when he asked if I had any enemies.

"I'm afraid to say most of the things in your flat are ruined," he told us like an idiot. It was obvious by all the smoke. "The place is mostly ash by now."

"Who did this?" Addison asked as her eyes watered, probably thinking about all of the things she just lost.

"We're looking into it," he says, handing her his card. "If you think of anything."

With that he left us and I kissed Addison's temple as she cried into my bare chest. "On a good note, you now have a real excuse for not taking that test tomorrow," I tell her lightly and she looks at me with a confused tilt of her head. "Your books are probably all melted together," I say, nodding to our burned out flat.

That just makes her cry harder and I sigh before pulling her into a full hug.

"I'll buy you new ones," I whisper into her ear. "I'll buy you anything you want," I tell her honestly.

We stand there for a few more moments, watching the fire wizards march in and out of the building before I look down at Addison. "Where do you want to go?" I ask her. It's not like we can get a hotel right now, my gringotts key was in that fucking fire. All that I have is the clothes that I'm wearing, my invisibility cloak, and my wand.

"We could always call my parents," she says, wiping her nose on my shirt sleeve.

I cringe, not because of the snot but because of her parents. "There's more room at the Manor," I tell her as I take her hand and lead her to one of the floo connection buildings on the far side of the street.

The man at the counter isn't charging anyone for floouse because of the fire and I give him a thankful smile as I pull Addison into the fire place with me. Her whole being pregnant thing can be inconvenient sometimes, I think to myself, as we floo to the Manor.

My Dad;s working in his study when we floo in and he takes one look at us and calls for a house-elf.

"What happened?" he asks as the elf comes back, carrying chocolate and calming potions. He looks me over, taking in my bare chest and the fact that Addison shaking and covered in soot—only wearing my shirt.

"There was a fire," I tell him, looking down to Addison because her eyes are getting droopy. "Let me take her to bed and then we'll talk," I say and he nods his head.

"It's alright. I can—"

"The elf will check the baby too," I cut her off as I lead her out of the room. My Dad calls to us, saying my old room is open so I lead her up the stairs and into my old bedroom decorated in greens and blues.

"Just lay down and Milton will be up in a little it," I tell her as I move pillows around so she can comfortably lie on the bed.

"Miltion?" she croaks, looking more tired by the second as she takes a seat on the mattress.

"He's one of the house-elves… one of the more tolerable ones," I reassure her as I move hair away from her face and kiss her cheek. I let my hand linger on her stomach before standing up straight and putting my cloak on the bedside table.

"I need to call my parents," she mumbles and I kiss her again.

"I'll be up in a little bit."

She wants to ask me where I'm going, but I'm too angry to listen as I leave the room and close the door. I pause a second to collect myself before heading towards my Father's study. It's not really in my nature to sooth or to calm people. In fact, I usually have the opposite affect and as I head down the stairs two at a time I think of all the possible people who could have done this and why…. And what I'm going to do when I find them.

It really was a very stupid thing to do.

I stop mid-step when I think that. It was stupid. It was so stupid, in fact, that I think I know who did this and I narrow my eyes as my jaw twitches.

You fight fire with fire after all, right?


	8. Chapter 8

_**Lavinia **_

Byron was right. It had been fairly easy to convince that Elias boy to show me where the statue was being held. I was so ridiculously nervous when I woke up in the morning because of what I had to do, and my stomach was growling at an alarming level because of my lack of food consumption the previous day. It was enough to make me want to vomit. So, I tried to slip out of bed with out waking Byron, but it was just my bed head, morning breath, blurry eyed luck that he was already awake, sitting in front of the small desk by the bed—and staring right at me.

"Hi," he said softly as his eyes roamed my face. It made me blush and turn away as I sat up and tried to pat away the fly always that had come loose from my braid. "Are you hungry?"

I looked at him.

"I got you something," he said as he handed me a bagel slathered in cream cheese. I gave him a thankful smile and took it from him, pulling it apart with my fingers, but not able to actually take a bite from it. I slept through him getting up and leaving the room, what else did I sleep through? "Your parent's wrote," he told me seriously and then he sat a few envelopes down on the bed.

I sorted through them with my lip worried between my teeth. Some of them were addressed to me in my father's smooth script, the others were my Mother's loopy handwriting. I couldn't bring myself to open any of them so I stood up from the bed, letting the mutilated bagel rest on the bed spread.

Byron did a weird gentlemanly thing and stood up when I did as well and it made me blush again when I realized he was already dressed for the day in a pair of dark slacks and a grayish blue collard shirt that covered his scars. It made me look down at my own wrinkled night slip and I mumbled something about going to the bathroom as I grabbed my bag and nearly tripped over myself trying to get there.

As I brushed my teeth and brushed my hair, I tried to think of what I would say to my parents, what I was going to write in the letter I needed to send them. The note I had left for them when I went to go to Byron had been short and abrupt, telling them where I was going and not to worry because I would be okay. I realized it was a stupid and insensitive letter to leave for my parents, who just lost their oldest son in such a tragic way.

I had only packed a few items in my haste to leave the Manor so my options for clothes were limited down to a couple sun dresses, a few shirts, and a pair or designer jeans. Now, I usually don't wear pants because… well… because I don't. But I opted to wear the jeans that morning because I hadn't shaved my legs in a few days and that made me self conscious. Byron knocked on the door as I pulled them on and I nearly jumped out of my skin because of the surprise.

"Lavinia?" I tried to catch my breath from the shock before I buttoned my pants. "Do you want to talk about what we're doing today?" he asked seriously and I hooked on my bra as I thought about it.

"We're going to the college and I have to talk to Elias to get him to show me where that statue is, right?" I answered flatly as I dug through my bag and pulled out a red cap sleeved peasant shirt to wear.

I could feel his presence on the other side of the door and a perverted side of me almost wished he would just storm in and kiss me. "If you don't want to do it, you don't have to," he told me in that smooth, quiet voice of his and I found myself staring at the mirror. "I don't want you to feel like you have to."

I pulled my hair up in a pony tail before answering. "I'll do it," I said softly and I couldn't see him but I like to think it made him smile. "I want to help you."

I took a few more minutes to carefully apply my makeup, and the whole time I could tell Byron was still there, on the other side of the door. God knows why.

"It won't be hard," he said when I was finished. "You just have to pay attention to where he's taking you."

I nodded my head even though he couldn't see it and when I opened the door he stepped back a few passes, looking me over with an appreciative glance.

"I like the color red," he stated plainly and I tugged on the bottom of the shirt just so I had something to do with my hands. "Thank you for doing this, Lavinia," he mentioned again and I nodded my head and tried to shrug like it wasn't a big deal.

I wrote a quick letter to my parents as Byron told me ways I should approach Elias what's-his-face and then we had left the dingy little motel. I didn't even get a chance to appreciate the beauty of the university's campus because as soon as Byron Apparated us there, he pulled me behind a large tree to hide us from view.

"There he is," Byron told me as he nodded his head towards a nerdy looking bloke sitting in front of a large statue of the founding wizard of the school. "He's Canadian, so you won't have to speak Spanish."

"Joy," I had mumbled sarcastically as I craned my neck to look at Elias.

He was reading a comic book and he had very dark skin with cork screw curls making up his hair. My eyes drifted over his body and I found my nose crinkling the slightest bit. He was wearing white tube socks that reached his knees with leather sandals on his feet with Khaki shorts and a gray t-shirt that had some kind of cartoon character on the front. I sent a weary look to Byron who was too busy studying Elias to care.

"I know you're shy," he said deeply as his breath tickled my ear because we were so close.

I looked up at him again and let my eyes fall onto the gray newsboy cap he had put on before we left. He was wearing it backwards so strands of his jet black hair fell around his face in the most attractive way and the light was hitting his face just right, making his eyes look like two pieces of cobalt blue sea glass. I stopped myself before I sighed out loud. He will always look so much cooler than me.

He didn't notice my pathetic longing look because he kept talking about our stupid plan. "Just pretend that you're someone else," He put his hand on the small of my back and my skin began prickling under his touch. "Like an actress."

That was easy for him to say because he didn't have to do it, but I didn't say anything as he gave me a gentle smile and kissed me sweetly, right under my ear. That gave me a little more courage so I straightened my spine and squared my shoulders.

"Are you ready?" He asked as his eyes flicked towards Elias again.

"I guess," I didn't sound as sure as I would have liked.

"I'll be right over there if you need me," he had told me as he pointed towards another tree across from us.

I nodded my head and watched him walk towards it. He sat down on the grass and placed his journal on his lap as he pretended it flip through it. I hesitated a few minutes before deciding that I really couldn't back out now and with determined steps I made my way over to the nerdy man and his comic book. I wasn't totally sure what I should say when I got there, so I just stood in front of him for a while, putting him in shadow because I was blocking out the sun.

After a few awkward moments he looked up and squinted. I could see the acne scars that riddled his face, a tell tale sign of difficult teenage years.

"Hi," I said in a chirpy and annoying voice that I get when I'm nervous.

He looked behind him to make sure there was no one there and then he turned back to me. "Hi?"

"How are you?" I was so terribly uncomfortable, and I managed a little glance over my shoulder to Byron who looked immensely fascinated by a blade of grass.

"Er, I'm fine," he said in an accent that reminded me of Byron's Mother. "So, you're British?" He asked as he closed his comic and looked me over in a very obvious way.

"Yes." I tried to smile but it felt like a grimace. I was terrible at that kind of thing.

"Are you a student here?" He asked when I didn't say anything else.

A strand came loose from my pony tail so I put it behind my ear as I thought up an excuse.

"I'm just looking around actually. Do you go here?"

He told me about how he was a senior and he was an assistant to one of the top professors. The way he said it, he made it seem like I should be impressed so I pretended that I was. He let his eyes roam my body again and I almost smacked him, but I refrained.

"Elias Green," he said, holding out his hand for me to shake after he decided that I was decent company to have around. "What's your name?"

I took his hand and shook it as my insides panicked. I didn't want to just give him my name and because my family was so highly recognized in the wizarding world. I figured it was a terrible idea, to be honest, so I said the first thing that came to my mind.

"Ginny…." I said softly and then when I realized I just took my Mom's name I added more. "Ginny-fur… Jennifer."

I almost slapped my forehead, but he didn't notice my foolishness. "Jennifer," he repeated like he was rolling it around in his mouth. "What a pretty name."

And then I was in. He scooted over so I could take a seat beside him and he began to tell me all about himself. His home life, his cat, his major… It was actually really easy because I didn't have to utter one word. He was one of those self involved smart people who think they are totally interesting, but my ears perked up when he mentioned something about a new discovery his department had found off the Greek isles that he was privileged enough to be apart of.

"What is it?" I asked curiously and he smiled because he thought I found him so interesting.

He looked around before leaning closer to me so he could whisper like it was something so important no one else could hear. "Well, it's a statue, or part of one, that might actually be from _the_ Island."

Any wizard worth a salt knows what island he's talking about and I lean in closer, trying to seem intrigued. "So, you must be important, then," I said, to boost his ego. "Because you get to be one of the first people to study it?"

He sat up straight and puffed out his chest a bit like a stupid proud bird. "I suppose you could say that."

I tried to smile seductively, but I realized I have no idea how to do that, so I just managed to smile uncomfortably. He didn't seem to notice, though, as he looked down at my chest. The way I was leaning over and the way the top was cut must have given him a good view of my cleavage. Creeper.

"Can I see it?" I asked when he told me that it was housed in one of these buildings.

He looked me in the eyes and then at my lips. "You really want to see it?" I nodded my head, feeling suspiciously like a prostitute. He looked away and brought his hand up to his chin. "Sal does owe me a favor."

I watched him silently debate his options with his thick eyebrows knitted and his lips pursed together. He started making annoying thinking noises, so to speed up the process I put my hand on his knee and smiled at him. Lavinia would never do such a thing, but I figure my alter ego Jennifer was a little on the slutty side.

"Please?"

He looked at me and then down to my hand. "Well, I suppose I could get you in there for a little while."

I almost clapped my hands at my success and I looked to Byron once more before following Elias into the steel building behind us that was full of large, different shaped windows. I tried to file into memory the way we went, I tried to remember every detail about the stair way he took me down, and the doorways we passed through. When we got to the end of one brightly painted hallway, we stopped in front of a large locked door that had a sign on the front that translated into _secured area- privileged personnel only_.

I watched Elias closely as he took out an ID card and slid it into the slot by the wall. When it popped back out after being scanned, the light above the door went from red to green and then the door opened. Elias gave me a pleased smile before stepping aside and making a sweeping motion with his arm.

"Ladies first." I had to stop myself from rolling my eyes.

The door led into another tight hallway that was a clinical white color with fluorescent lights hovering overhead. At the end of the hall was another locked door and to the left was a small window. Behind the window was a man at a desk and he was glaring at me and Elias.

"Sal," Elias said in a jovial voice as he walked over to the window and spoke to the man through the talking screen.

They started arguing in hushed voices and I pretended to find the stucco ceiling fascinating as I eaves dropped on their heated Spanish discussion. Basically the man behind the desk was telling Elias that I wasn't allowed to go through with out a pre approved ID and Elias was begging because he rarely ever looks cool in front of girls. Then they both stopped talking to look at me and I looked down as the man behind the glass agreed that I was good looking. Neither of them seemed to care that there was a possibility that I could hear and understand what they were saying.

Then he said something that made me look at them. He asked Elias for his white wizard. I had no idea what that was, but it must have been important because Elias shook his head and looked upset. They had another heated discussion before Elias looked at me and ran his eyes over my body again, in a very obvious and disgusting way, I might add. And then with a loud sigh he reached into his pocket and took something out. I craned my neck to see what this very important thing was and I almost laughed out loud when I saw Elias reluctantly hand over one his collectable chocolate frog cards.

Honestly.

Elias handed his ID to the man behind the glass and the man smirked as he pressed a button so the locked door would pop open. Elias grumbled as he made a motion for me to follow him and I figured that white wizard card must have been important to him. I watched as he lifted his wand and made crazy movements with it to take down the wards that were blocking us and protecting the find, at least, that's what he said, and when we entered another empty white room I looked around me until settling my gaze at the viewing window at the far end.

Behind it, in a darker room, was a large ancient statue head and my breath caught as I looked at it. I could practically feel the old magic rolling off of it and the blank eyes made this eerie feeling over take me as I stared at it. I didn't even realize I walked closer to it until my breath fogged up the window in front of me.

"Beauty, isn't it?" Elias commented as I stared at the object that had killed my brother.

The serene expression, the braided hair, the giant pearl earring—all the things that Byron had described to me were on the other side of the glass.

"Can I go in there?" I asked, never once taking my eyes off the statue.

The room it was in was similar to the one we had been standing it. It was just a regular empty room, but the statue was set up in the middle, put up on a stand where the neck had crumbled off of it's body.

I flicked a glance to Elias for his answer, but he looked uneasy. "You probably don't want to do that," he said seriously as he looked at the statue as well. "It's full of ancient dark curses. The last people who touched it ended up dead." My eyes tightened but he didn't notice. "You know Draco Malfoy, right? He used to be the British Minister of Magic… like six years ago."

I nodded my head and my cheeks reddened at the prospect at getting caught.

"It was _his_ son," He said in an exaggerated whisper, like he thought he as discussing a big secret. "The papers kept it silent because it was such an important find for our race, but he and some girl ended up dying after they found it. Unbelievable, right? I heard that the Malfoy's are filthy rich and they own half of Europe."

I couldn't quite look at him then because if he knew of my family, there was the possibility that he could have recognized me.

"Coward, that Draco Malfoy," he said and my head snapped to his then.

"What?" I asked coldly, unable to hold back my displeasure. "Why would you call him that?"

"Well, because he resigned after one assassination attempt. That's why. What kind of leader does that?"

That made me angry and I wanted to hex him, but I reigned in my temper and looked away. "That's not why he resigned," I muttered hatefully. He didn't resign out of fear, he resigned for us. That much I know. "I want to see it," I said solidly, nodding to the statue.

Elias didn't say anything for a few moments and when I raised an eyebrow at him he nodded his head. "Alright, but you can't touch anything," he said as he lifted his wand and mumbled another spell that I tried to remember. A door materialized by the viewing glass and he opened it for me. "I'm serious. I could get into so much trouble if anyone knew."

"Okay," I said flatly as I strolled past him and into the stupid room. The stale air hit me like a blundger and I took a moment to regain myself before walking over to the statue and glaring at it.

I hated it.

I hated everything about it.

Elias was talking then, trying to impress me with his knowledge of ancient civilizations, but I wasn't paying attention as I walked towards the pearl earring and got close to study it. It looked just like the pictures Byron had showed me, with the runes that I didn't understand etched around the perimeter. The closer I looked, I realized there were small gray cracks in the stone and, I could be wrong, but to me it looked like they were outlining landmasses… like a map. I found myself wanting to touch it and that scared me, so I stepped away from it.

I looked towards Elias as he checked his watch and looked at the door.

"Is your friend always behind that glass?" I asked.

"Who, Sal?" I nodded my head and he shrugged. "Not always, but someone is always there to make sure people who shouldn't get through, don't. There are many people who would want to claim finding this," he said, nodding towards the statue.

The way I understood it, they did the same thing to Byron and his team.

He smiled at me in a flirtatious way, at least—that's what I think he was doing, because he stepped closer to me and asked me if I wanted to go to lunch with him. I didn't answer but I did notice one of his curly hairs resting on his shirt sleeve. I smiled before getting it off for him and I made a show of dropping it on the ground, even though I actually placed it in my pocket.

When we left, I made sure to take in every detail along the way and when we got outside I asked to see his ID. When he handed it to me, I laughed at the picture of him on the front because he had a big goofy grin on his face and his eyes were embarrassingly-and hilariously- closed. It wasn't a good photo of him, and I doubted it could get much better, but he didn't notice when I didn't give it back.

We passed a broom rack, where students had chained up their brooms after they landed for class and I smiled at them. The building connected to the sidewalk in by a small little concrete bridge, underneath there was an outdoor herbology class and I found myself walking over to the edge to stare at the college students getting a lecture from a professor. I liked the atmosphere.

"So, are you thinking about coming here for school?" Elias asked when I realized he was still by me. I put my hands against the steel railing and smirked when I saw a girl smoking a cigarette right in front of a teacher. College must be fun.

"I might," I said distractingly, because I didn't know what to do next. I didn't want to be conned into having lunch with him as well.

"What will your major be?"

"Um, I don't know," I answered because I didn't know what else to say. I took my focus off of the class below and looked around for Byron. I couldn't find him anywhere.

Students walked by us with their heavy book bags on their backs and I turned back to the railing and let my hands rest there.

"I have to ask you a question," Elias said seriously then and a little jolt of panic went through me. What if he knew who I was?

"Okay,'" I said hesitantly when he slithered up beside me.

"Did it hurt?"

I looked at him questionably because I didn't know what he meant. Did I look like I was in pain? "Did what hurt?"

Then he said the cheesiest, corniest, lamest, thing I've ever heard in my life.

"Did it hurt when you fell down from heaven?" I think I cringed because he sighed. "Too much?"

I nodded my head. "Just a little."

"A lot."

We both turned to that voice and I nearly sighed in relief to see Byron behind us. He was standing casually like a model in a magazine with his weight resting on his left foot and his right hand in his pocket. Sandwiched between his forearm and his hip was his ever present journal and he had rolled his shirt sleeves up to his elbows. I caught myself sighing again and I felt like such a moron.

"You." Elias seemed to be acquainted with Byron, and he didn't seem to be too thrilled with that fact. "You're not allowed here."

"You stole that find," Byron said steadily and he wasn't looking at me, so I guessed that I wasn't supposed to acknowledge him. "It wasn't yours."

"I'm surprised you'd still want it after it killed your boyfriend." I hated Elias then and Byron's cold eyes flared with fire. "If you'll excuse me, Jennifer and I were headed off to lunch," he said as he put his hand on my elbow.

"We are?" I asked, sounding bitchy as I glared at him. He didn't seem to notice, and Byron followed the hand that was on my arm as it slid down to the small of my back.

"You're not going anywhere," Byron said coldly with his eyes boring into the nerd by my side. His eyes finally slid over to me and I gave him a pleading look because I just wanted to leave.

Elias caught us looking at each other and his hand dropped from my back as he looked at me with suspicious eyes. "Do you two know each other?" He asked briskly while crossing his arms, seemingly to find it strange that two British people were in Madrid, at the same place at the same time.

I didn't know what to say, but Byron did and he mirrored the shorter mans stance. "Do you know Beatrice Young?" I was confused because that was his mother's name…. or at least, Beatrice was… I didn't know about Young.

"No, I don't," Elias hissed. "How is that relevant?"

Byron shrugged, but his eyes didn't waver. "That was my Mom's name when she lived in Canada. I just thought you might know her because you grew up there…. considering you think all English people are acquainted with one another, I thought the same would apply."

I smiled but tried to hide it.

"Well—" He started, but Byron cut him off.

"I just got finished speaking to Ari Emmanuel, he wants to see you in his office."

Ari Emmanual must be important because Elias' back straightened and his eyes widened. "Ari," he whispered wistfully before turning to me and taking my hand. "I'm sorry, my lady." I resisted the urge to roll my eyes and sigh. "But I have to go. Will you wait right here until I come back?"

I flicked a glance to Byron. "Sure," I mumbled before he took off running towards one of the large white buildings that surrounded us. I watched him go with my eyebrows raised. "Who is Ari Emmanuel?" I asked softly as we both followed his progression through the quad.

"I have no idea," I turned to Byron as he smirked at me. "I read it on a door."

We stayed silent for a few moments before Byron coughed. "I'm sorry, Lavinia," he said seriously and he sounded so remorseful that it worried me.

I've found that when people say they're sorry with out you really knowing what they're sorry for… their next sentence is usually pretty painful to hear.

"Why?" I asked reluctantly.

He shook his head and looked up at the sky with his eyes squinted against the sun. "I didn't know he'd be groping you the whole time," he said and I felt a smile come to my face because my heart wasn't broken.

"That was hardly a grope," I said as I turned to him, because I wanted to face him, because I wanted to be close to him. "Just a stupid boy trying to claim territory."

I've been around a lot of men in my life and I grew up with two brothers. I know how boys act and their behavior falls right along the lines of primitive when they're met with competition.

"Do you still consider yourself up for grabs?" Byron asked softly as he searched my eyes.

I didn't know how to answer that because I didn't know what Byron and I were. We're not exactly boyfriend and girlfriend, but we're together… I had no idea what to say so I didn't say anything and Byron looked away.

"I don't think you'll have to break in," I told him to break the awkward silence.

"Why is that?" He asked with a weird tone to his voice.

I pulled Elias' ID out of my pocket and showed him. "This will make things easier… and we can buy a ready made poly juice potion from a shop somewhere, can't we?"

He nodded his head and when he looked at me he seemed generally impressed as I smiled at him.

We went back to the motel after that, and I told Byron everything I remembered from the building and the about the wards. I wasn't sure what counter charms Elias had to use but Byron asked me to show him the wand movements he made and I reenacted them to the best of my ability until he said he was pretty sure what they were. I showed him the hair I had taken from Elias clothes, telling him we'd have to do the polyjuice potion because they had image recorders every where in the building, and I was glad that I didn't have to touch it again. There's something very gross about hair and fingernails when they're not attached to the body anymore.

"You did very well," he said as he sat down on the bed and I took a seat on one of the wooden desk chairs. "Thank you."

"You don't have to thank me," I said softly. "We're in this together, now, right?"

He looked at me and the expression on his face I could only describe as warm. "Right."

He told me that he would go back to the campus alone during the night and I was kind of disappointed that I couldn't go, but I didn't argue with it because there really was no reason for me to be there. When he left to go buy the potion he would need I went into the bathroom and checked the water in the shower. It seemed clean enough, and I sorely needed a shower so I gathered up all of my things and turned on the shower head to warm.

I made sure the door was locked before I stripped out of my clothes and I sent another cleaning spells towards the towels because I didn't trust their cleanliness. I even let myself pretend that rats weren't once in the bathtub. Of course, there were no little shampoos or soaps like normal motels would have, so I had to dig out the travel size toilet trees from my own bag that I thankfully packed.

The shower felt good and I was glad that I was clean, but I really wanted to shave my legs just in case we had another night like the night before… but I didn't think to bring my razor… I pulled the curtain back and looked towards the busted sink where Byron put his toothbrush and his small traveling bag. I bit my lip before stepping out of the shower and carefully walking over to it and zipping it open.

He did have a razor, and I hesitated for one second before grabbing it and bringing it back to the shower with me. I only felt a little bit guilty when I started to use it with out asking but that soon died when I realized that his black multi-blade razor was ten times better than the pink one I owned. I just might steal his more often, I thought to myself, as I finished up my legs.

When I got out of the shower I dried off and wrapped one towel around my body and another around my head to dry my hair. I propped my foot up on the shower ledge to lotion up my legs when a knock sounded on the door. It made me jump and then I thought that Byron must have forgotten his key when he left so I didn't even bother to throw on any clothes as I tightened the towel around my body and went to open the door.

It wasn't Byron.

"I know who you are," the old man who ran the motel said with a leer down my towel clad body. He blocked out most of the door way and I nervously looked at him with a heavy lump gathering in my throat. "You're Draco Malfoy's daughter."

I wanted to close the door on his face, but I was too shocked to move so I just stared at him, tightening the towel more in hopes that it covered more of my skin.

"I thought you looked familiar," he said as he looked at my face. I was frightened and I didn't know what to do so I shot a look behind me at my wand which I carelessly left on the bed. He took a step into the room and I panicked and tried to close the door, but he stopped it with his hands. "No need to be scared, little lady," he said in a voice that did nothing but scare me more.

I started to back up as he walked in. "What… what do you want?" I managed to ask, even though I thought I was going to have a heart attack.

He wiped his hands off on his already soiled tank top and smiled at me. "I knew your Grandfather," he said when the back of my legs hit the bed. "Well, I knew of him. Lucius Malfoy was a great wizard."

I know enough about my Grandpa Malfoy to know that I should be afraid when someone thinks he's great.

"The Dark Lord held him in high regard," he said like a crazy person as I sat down and put my hand on the bedspread so I could carefully reach my wand. I didn't take my eyes off of him. "I heard he killed ten muggles with one spell."

I could tell I was sweating and my breathing was heavy as he stood in front of me. The towel I had around my head slipped and it came unraveled. I took the distraction to take it off and grab my wand, hiding it under the towel as I rested it on my lap.

"I was never high enough to get the mark," he told me as he showed me his bare forearm. I gripped my wand and tried to remember a good stunning spell as the water from my hair dripped down my body. "But I once saw your father, Draconis, crucio this one mudblood traitor until he went mad. It was beautiful."

He smiled at me with broken teeth and I furrowed my brows. "My Dad knows I'm here," I said solidly because I didn't know what his intentions were, but if he knew my Dad was capable of horrific things, than maybe he wouldn't hurt me. "He knows."

He ignored me as he stepped closer and I gripped my wand so tight I thought I would break it. "You know, they said your father was going to be the new Dark Lord. Us true followers of he-who-must-not-be-named were so excited when he became the minister in Britain. We even tried to contact him, you know, those of us that were left."

I nodded my head to show that I was following what he was saying as I sent a look towards the open doorway, trying to decide how I was going to get out of here. My insides froze when he took out his wand from his pocket.

"But he didn't care anymore. He wasn't like his father. Lucius Malfoy would have done all that he could for our pure race but your…" he sneered, like he couldn't bare to say it. "he was poisoned by your blood traitor bitch of a mother."

My Mom always gets blamed for everything one way or another. It's not fair, considering she never does anything wrong. He lifted his wand so I reacted and lifted mine as well but before either of us had a chance to curse each other the motel owner had been thrown back and slammed against the side wall. It all happened so fast that I just stood there and stared at his unconscious body until someone touched my arm.

"Are you okay?" I looked at Byron. He looked frightening and he had his wand gripped in his hands. Behind him I saw a bag he had discarded on the ground. "Did he hurt you?"

He said that all in a weird calm voice that actually worried me more than if he was all emotional. I shook my head and gripped my dress towel again so it wouldn't fall.

"There's nothing like an old pureblood Voldemort supporter to brighten my day," I said sarcastically and I tried to laugh, but it didn't work.

Byron looked me over, looking for wounds or curse marks and when he didn't find any he sighed. "Why did you let him in?" he asked fiercely like it was all my fault.

I went to my bag and started gathering up my clothes so I could put them on. I felt very vulnerable just wearing the towel and nothing else. "I thought he was you," I whispered as I held the dress I chose up to my chest. I looked at the man who was lying on the floor. "Is he… is he dead?"

Byron looked at the man and then he looked at me with a blank expression on his face. "Do you want him to be?"

That comment sent a chill up my spine and I shook my head vigorously. I didn't want him dead, would Byron actually do that?

"Get dressed and pack your things. We're leaving," he said flatly and I ran into the bathroom and threw on the dress without even bothering with any underwear because I just wanted to get out of the freaking room.

I had grabbed all of my things in the bathroom, including Byron's, and I pulled on a sweater as I walked out into the main room, leaving my hair wet because I didn't think I could do a proper drying charm with my hands shaking so badly.

"Where are we going?" I asked as Byron kneeled in front of the motel owner's body.

"Dr. Bailey was very fond of Cassius," He explained as he sat up straight. "England's only an hour ahead of Madrid time zone wise so we can go there and speak with him before we leave. Maybe he'll have more insight after you tell him what you saw."

I had the feeling this was all a last minute plan and I nodded my head while Byron packed up all of his books and papers. I held my own bag and double checked the room to make sure we wouldn't forget anything. I barely even looked at the old motel keeper as I stepped over his body to leave…. Although I did kick him a little bit. He deserved it after scaring me so badly.

I followed Byron to the floo fireplace in the main office of the motel and I held on to Byron, because I had no idea where we were going and floo'd into the university's public floo network I grabbed Byron's hand. When we walked up the stairs towards the building where this Dr. Bailey was suppose to be I felt my stomach ache. I was hungry. I didn't eat anything today nor did I eat much the day before. It was starting to hurt but I was too nervous, excited, worried, to eat anything.

When we reached Dr. Bailey's office Byron gingerly knocked on the door. I was expecting someone at eyelevel, so when a short old man opened the door I looked down at him and tried not to laugh. He looked like a child, well, like a child who was very old. He had more wrinkles than a prune and his glasses magnified his eyes by ten. He looked ridiculous and when he smiled at us with obviously false teeth I couldn't help but smile back.

"Mr. Flint," he said, stepping aside to let us in. "You brought a lady friend."

"Dr. Bailey, this is Lavinia," he introduced me and Bailey's dry old hands took one of mine for a polite shake. I wished I would have dried my hair and worn a bra. "She's Cassius' little sister." I don't know why I was disappointed that that was all he said…. All he labeled me as.

Bailey shook my hand until my arm grew tired as his magnified eyes searched my face. "Ah, yes, I can see him in you. Cassius was one of my best students," he said softly as he let go of my hand.

I thought I should say something, but I couldn't come up with anything as I looked around the room. It looked like a gypsy fortune teller lived in here. There were no chairs, just over stuffed pillows on the ground, and all the lamps had orange and red scarves thrown over them, making the room look warm with different colors. He told us to take a seat, but I didn't move right away, not until Byron put his hand on my back and lifted his eyebrows.

"Are you okay?"

I nodded and sat my bag on the floor as I lowered myself down on the large green pillow. I folded my legs underneath me, wishing I would have thrown on knickers considering I was wearing a dress.

"So, have you been able to talk any sense into those tossers from Madrid?" He asked as he lit the tip of his wand to burn some incense.

Byron sat beside me after taking off his shoes. I didn't even bother. "No, but Lavinia was able to view the statue today, she got up close to it."

"Really?" He turned around with a light in his eyes. "How was it?"

They both looked at me and I shrugged. Sometimes I wish I was more articulate, but I'm not…

"She didn't know what to look for," Byron said, "but she said there were cracks in the stone that reminded her of a map," They both shared a look that went way over my head. I felt stupid… I rarely ever feel stupid in an academic sense and it irritated me. "I'm going back later tonight to check it out."

The professor made a big show of covering his large ears. "I didn't hear that, Mr. Flint."

Byron smiled and looked down. I was confused. "So," I said and they looked at me again. "Do you believe my brother is… that he's not really dead?"

Bailey turned his back on us as he started to pour tea into three small cups. "I like to think anything is possible," he said softly before turning around and smiling. "Tea?"

I didn't want tea, but it seemed impolite to say no, so I accepted and sat the little cup down on my lap. Byron didn't want any and Bailey frowned before dumping his portion into the zen garden he was growing along the wall.

"Well, what brings you in here?"

Byron sat forward and I stared at his profile as Bailey took a seat on the pillow across from us and folded his legs Indian style. He was quite nimble for an old man. "You mentioned before that there was an artifact that some muggle fishers found. That's what led you to the statue, right?"

Bailey nodded his head behind his tea cup. "Indeed."

"Can I see it?"

Bailey studied Byron's serious face and then a slow smile broke his lips. "Why, Mr. Flint, quite the amateur sleuth you're turning out to be."

"I just want my friend back," he answered softly and out of instinct I reached out and put my hand on his. He didn't look at me but he turned his hand until it was holding mine and he squeezed gently.

Dr. Bailey caught the movement and he smiled again, this time more warmly. "Hold on a minute and I'll get it."

He left the room for a few moments to retrieve whatever it was he was going to get and Byron finally looked at me. He looked like he was going to say something and then he stopped himself as he glanced down at my lips and then back up to my eyes. He reached over and gave me a sweet light kiss on the lips before pulling away. That's the kind of kiss that makes girl's hearts melt because it's not full of lust or extreme -in the moment- passion… it was just a love kiss.

Love.

Sigh.

Then my stomach growled—loudly. I tried to cover it with a cough but it didn't work and Byron smiled at me.

"I need to feed you."

I was about ready to open my mouth and tell him that I wasn't a baby or a dog that needed to be fed by an outside source, but someone came in before I was able to.

"Here we are!" We jumped further apart when Bailey came into the room, holding a large metal box. "I hope I wasn't interrupting anything," he added saucily as he looked in-between me and Byron as we both looked opposite ways.

He sat back down and unlocked the box by typing in a few numbers on a keypad on the front. "I hope that you'll be using all of this to help out Paige Montgomery as well." I looked at Byron and he nodded his head. We never even talked about her. "She was the one who led us to the fishermen who found this."

He opened the box and then turned it around so we could see it. Nestled inside the velvet lining was a large golden necklace that had a carved lion's head attached to it. It looked very gaudy and I caught myself leaning forward to study it closer. The lions head had emerald eyes and it was snarling, like it was ready to attack.

"What spells were on this?" Byron asked curiously as he looked down at the necklace as well.

My head started to hurt, and the room seemed to be getting hotter. I wished he didn't burn that incense and I wanted to open a window but I didn't dare ask.

"Well, the men who found it all started hallucinating, and one of the poor muggles is still a little bonkers."

"It was a personal possession of someone very important," Byron said as he looked at it.

"That description matches curses from other ancient relics. Indeed, someone didn't want their necklace stolen," Bailey adds with a smile.

I started to fan myself with my hand and I could feel sweat bead on my forehead.

"You said Paige led you to this?" Byron asked curiously as I took off my sweater because I was so hot.

Bailey nodded his head. "Of course, that's why she went with us on the boat. She wasn't one of my students, but her resume was quite impressive so I was excited to have her." Byron knitted his brows but Bailey didn't notice. "She was top of her class at Durmstrang as well."

"Durmstrang?" Byron shook his head and Bailey nodded. "No, she went to Hogwarts."

"No, she went to Durmstrang, it's all in her file."

"She told me and Cass that she went to Hogwarts… She was a Ravenclaw two years ahead of us. That's what she said."

They exchanged a weird little look and I closed my eyes and inhaled deeply. "Can I see her file," Byron asked as I tried to calm my dizziness. I should have eaten something, at least some water….

"Of course…"

I felt a hand on my neck and I opened my eyes and turned to Byron. He looked concerned. "You look ill."

He obviously doesn't know the rule. You never tell a girl that, no matter how sick they look. But I didn't answer because I couldn't… because as soon as I thought that, I fainted.

_**Gavin**_

"You look like your father," Pansy Parkinson White sneers at me from behind her desk.

_And you look like an old bitter bitch who wishes she was twenty again._

I smile instead of saying what I was thinking and then I cross my legs. "Lucky for my father, then," I answer smugly.

She takes a slim cigarette out of the silver carrying case on her desk and she lights up, blowing smoke out of the corner of her mouth. I scheduled this meeting with Mrs. White so I can convince her to sell me and Theo the bloody Daily Prophet, but I can tell the old cougar is going to give me a hard time just by the way she's eyeing me. She's had a lot of cosmetic surgery done because there's not one wrinkle on her face, even though she's as old as my Father is. Somehow it makes her look even older… I don't know how that works, but it does.

Her hair is cut in a short stylish bob, and she's wearing a tight white -down to business- type dress. It matches her office, everything is white. The curtains, the floor, the art work, even the quill holder on her desk… I guess she takes her last name to heart. I smile at my own joke and she glares.

"I'm going to tell you the same thing I told Theodore Nott—get the hell out of my office."

"You're charming," I say with a smile, not missing a beat. "No wonder my father loved you… no wait, he didn't." I pretend to look sympathetic. "Sorry, I forgot that he dumped you for someone else and I don't believe you said that to Mr. Nott," I add as I fold my hands on my lap. "You talked to him through the floo line."

"I can see you inherited Drake's sense of humor," she says flatly while puffing on her cancer stick. "Apparently your mother's stupidity, as well. Leave."

I lean forward and smile at her again. "You are awfully grouchy, ma'am. Are you having a hot flash? I know it's not healthy to rile up the elderly."

Old women hate it when you bring up that they're old and Pansy White is not immune to that slight either. Her nostrils flair and she snubs out her cigarette on the top of her pristine white desk, letting the smoke dwindle out in the air.

"I have more important matters to deal with than messing with Weasel-Malfoy offspring. If you don't leave now, I will have security come and remove you."

"I want to buy the Daily Prophet from you," I state my purpose simply and try to ignore the way she's glowering at me. "You can even over charge me and I won't mind."

"Why…" She starts, but then she stops herself as she leans back and survey's me with a cruel smirk on her bright red lips. "I see."

She crosses her arms as she rakes her eyes over my body. I refuse to be unnerved by it. Slytherin survival 101—don't flinch over a stare down.

"I understand now. You are going to prove to Daddy that you can run your own life and your perfect older brother is dead, so everyone thinks he's some kind of martyr… and then there's you. Plain-uninteresting-you, who wants to prove something to the world. Well, let me tell you something, you sniveling little brat. I have more important things to deal with than a snotty little rich boy trying to make a point."

I smile again, not caring about what she said. "But I hear that you are quite fond of dealing with little boys," I say, enunciating each word to make my point.

Her eyes narrow and I smirk. "You know, I heard that your younger sister ran off to another country with Harry Potter's step son. I bet Draco is_ loving_ that, isn't he? Considering his feelings on Mr. Potter, I bet he's _thrilled_."

I grimace a bit at the thought of Flint but I try to hide it. "That's beside the point."

"Is it?" She asks curiously with a little girl pout that looks ridiculous on her plastic face. "The daily prophet has turned into quite the gossip rag." I know it has, that's why I want to buy it. It's turning into a joke because of her… and it's started a few fights between me and Addison with the pictures that they publish of me and my weekend escapades. "I've kept your sisters out of it because they were under age… but Leanne is eighteen now."

"Her name is Lavinia and my Dad will kill you if you start writing about her," I say in a cold voice, so she knows I'm serious. "By the way, I figure if you don't want to sell to me, than I'll have to give this photo to another paper."

I pull out a picture from my pocket and put it on her desk so she can see. She looks at it and then back up to me with eyes on fire. "This was taken when I was on vacation. There's no harm in that," she says, pushing the photo back at me. "In fact, I look smashing in a bikini. I'm proud of it."

"Hm, well, that might be true, but the guy that you're about ready to suck off in this picture is only sixteen." She looks at me and I smile. "That's underage… that makes you a pedophile… and you could go to jail. Unfortunately for you I have more detailed photos of what you got _down_ to on your vacation, if you'd like to see."

I stand up and button up my suit jacket. "I'll let you think on it, now. I would accept my generous offer if I was you." I look down at the picture on the desk. "And you can keep that… I have copies," I say before turning around to leave.

I can feel her anger rolling off of her as I walk towards the door way. When charming, handsome guy doesn't work—Blackmail usually does. When I have my hand on the white door knob she finally speaks.

"I'm glad your brother died," she seethes and the hair on the back of my neck bristles, but I don't turn around. "Your family deserves to be miserable, you little prick."

I glance at her over my shoulder. "I'm sad that you feel that way considering I have the ability to make your life a living hell," I force a smile again. "Goodbye, and pleasant tomorrow, Mrs. White."

I slam my door on the way out and my tight smile falls as I storm out of the building. What an old hateful bitch. I go to the beach house we're all staying in and I can feel my wand hand shaking. I want to break something. The encounter with that whore did upset me and I'm already ready to kill someone because of my fucking apartment.

My mind has been lurking into dangerous territory lately and I find myself wanting to kill someone…. Literally kill. I mean, it's only fair right? That retard Kalvin Marcello and his two bastard friends almost killed Addison and my baby because I set fire to his guitar and a few of their pointless possessions. It's almost scary that my mind has been developing different ideas and different plans that would help me get away with it…

I have enough money; maybe I could hire someone to do it.

"When does it stop?"

I hear Addison's sad whiney voice as I climb the stairs and I walk a little faster. Time is different in America, here it's early morning. My parents wanted a change of scenery and they thought with the fire it would be good for me to get away as well. Instead of going on vacation to marry Addison, we're all here with my parents.

"It depends," I hear my Mom say softly. When I reach the upstairs hallway I see the bathroom door slightly ajar and they're both sitting on the tiled floor, facing each other as Addison leans her head against the cabinets by the toilet. She looks like she got sick again. "Do you want some more potion?"

Addison shakes her head and then she bends over the toilet and vomits again as Mom holds her hair back. Yuck. I shake my head before walking to my room and stripping out of my business clothes. I hope my meeting was a success because if I fail at this I might explode. It's chilly here, so I put on a hooded sweat shirt and some sweat pants before I go downstairs and grab something to eat.

Dad's not home, I have no idea where he is, and Evelyn is staying with some girlfriend from her ballet class for the weekend, so I sit at the counter in the bright kitchen and eat all by myself. My anger is starting to get overwhelming so I decide I should go for a run to try to tramp down that burning feeling that has seeded itself inside of my chest. I throw on a pair of gym shoes and I don't even bother telling Addie or my Mom where I'm going because they didn't even notice me when I came in.

I begin jogging off when I reach the front porch and I stay to the side of the paved road as I run. The sky is over cast and gray, making everything seem dull and miserable… just like me. I jog past two girls on roller blades who are wearing swim suits despite the weather and I sneer before running faster.

Maybe I could just go and kill them myself and then hide their bodies… I wonder if my dad would help if I actually told him what really happened. I didn't mention to him that I knew who caused the fire because I wanted to deal with it myself, the less witnesses the better, but now I think he might be useful. I might be able to poison them, put something in the crappy fast food they eat.

I start running faster until I'm at a full sprint and people on the side walk jump out of my way to avoid me because there's no way in hell I'm stopping or moving for anyone. I'm too upset. I find my way heading back to the house after a while of running around the neighborhood and I can feel sweat on my face and heat in my cheeks. I don't want to go inside just yet, so I take the stone steps down to the boat house and I let myself land on the wooden planks to stretch out as I catch my breath and try to roll out the stitch that's in my side.

I close my eyes and breathe in heavily, trying to forget everything and just be still for one moment as my heart hammers at my chest. I feel like everything is crumbling around me and, for the first time in my life, I feel hopeless. It's not a good feeling.

"How was the run?"

I crack my eyes open and tilt my head back so I can see my father. He's standing over me with his hands stuffed into the pockets of his casual khaki slacks. He's wearing a gray fleece jacket, zipped halfway up his chest, just barely revealing the white shirt underneath and a pair of penny loafers rest on his feet.

"Exhilarating," I mutter as I sit up and wipe my face off with my hoodie sleeve.

"Take a walk with me," he says flatly, leaving no room for discussion as he takes off walking down the stone stairs towards our private beach.

The muscles in my legs scream in protest when I stand up, but I ignore the burning as I jog to catch up with my father. He didn't say anything when I fell into step beside him and when we made it to the sand he took off his loafers and rolled up his slacks so they wouldn't get wet by the foaming sea. I followed suit and stuffed my socks into my gym shoes, leaving them by the stairs as my bare feet sunk into the sand.

I hate sand.

This is our section of the beach, blocked from the public with large rocks, tall thick trees, and a few privacy charms… so no one can come in or see it if we don't want them to. It makes vacationing convenient. I follow my father as he walks closer to the water and I study his profile as the wind whips his hair around his head. It makes him look all disheveled and messy.

He looks like Cassius.

I miss Cassius.

And I didn't even realize I said it out loud until he said "me too."

I bit my lip and looked out at the sea with a worried line creasing my brow. It looked dark and dreary today, like my mood.

"I was supposed to marry Addison," I say out loud and Dad looks at me. "We were going to go get hitched in France. That's why I wanted to vacation time."

I don't know why I'm telling him, but I'm glad I'm telling the truth. "So, you weren't up for the large wedding?" He asks simply as we stop walking to face each other.

I shake my head in response. "It didn't feel right to get married in front of a bunch of people I didn't know or like…" and without my brother there, I wanted to add, but I didn't.

I see a rock on the ground so I pick it up and toss it around in my hands for a few moments as Dad studies my face.

"The whole fire business put a damper on my plans, obviously," I state bitterly as I look at the rock in my hands. "And now here I am," I sigh before throwing the rock out into the sea. The waves are rolling and violent so it barely makes a splash.

"Your mother would have been heartbroken if you went through with it," he says quietly and a sting of guilt hits me, but I try to ignore it. I'm good at ignoring things.

There's a long bout of silence between us, but I have nothing else to say so I pick up another rock and throw it again while Dad watches me. After a few more minutes of that he says my name to get my attention, so I look right at him with a questioning eyebrow raised.

"What's going on with you?" he asks.

That question kind of takes me off guard and I look at him with a cocked head as he searches my eyes.

"What do you mean?" I ask, unsure of why he asked and why he's looking so serious.

"You're my son, Gavin," he says as he walks away from the water and takes a seat on the dry sand. I follow his movements and take a seat beside him, with my knees drawn up so I can rest my elbows on my knees. "We're a lot alike, you and I," he says as he stares out at the horizon. "Cassius was always your mother's son. The way he acted and the things he thought about, but you," he looks at me and a sad little smile comes to his face. "You were always mine."

He looks away again and I stare at his profile. I was always his, I know that. I am most definitely my father's son and sometimes I think that's a good thing, it makes me proud, but other times… I know it's bad.

"I'm angry," I tell him and the flatness of my voice doesn't match that statement, but it's the truth, and if there's anyone who would understand, it would be him, right? "I'm angry about a lot of things."

"Like what?" He asks as that boiling white hot rage bubbles inside of me. I'm afraid it will consume me.

I look down at my knees. "I'm angry that some ancient curse killed my brother, I'm angry that a piece of Emo white trash nearly murdered my girl and ruined my flat. I'm angry that I have no idea what to do next." I confess and I take a deep breath with my jaw tight. "I'm just angry that I'm so angry all the time."

"Anger's a normal emotion," Dad says softly and I glare at him. "It's what you do with it that counts."

"Really?" I sneer sarcastically. Forgive me, but getting that kind of advice from Draco Malfoy seems a tad bit ridiculous. "What do you suggest I do?"

He looks right into my eyes and I try not to look away from the intensity of it. "I've done a lot of bad things in the past because I was angry, Gavin," he says seriously, to make me understand, to make me listen. Does he know my murderous thoughts? "I hurt a lot of people."

This subject sobers me up and it makes my stomach twist because I've never heard my father sound remorseful for the things that he's done before. I grab a hand full of sand, just to have something to do, and I start to sift it around with my fingers. I know my Dad has done terrible things, I've just never heard him admit that they were bad.

"How did you get over it?" I ask to the sand.

He sighs and runs a hand through his hair. "Well, when I was your age I was an idiot, but I eventually grew up and learned that just because I had the power—it didn't mean I had to abuse it. That was something my Father never told me… I guess he didn't understand it," he mumbled that last part, like it wasn't meant for me.

I look at him because I'm not totally sure what this is about or why he wanted to go on this walk in the first place, but I like that he seems to be revealing so much about himself. He seems more human somehow, sitting here on the beach with the overcast sky and the dark waves, talking so openly. I almost feel privileged that he's talking to me so honestly.

"Therapy helps," he adds and I shoot him a look.

When I see that he's serious I let a little laughter escape my lips. Therapy is for crazy lunatics like Byron Flint, not my Dad.

"You've got to be kidding," I say disbelievingly as he looks into my eyes and raises an eyebrow. "It's a joke, right?"

"Well," he says as a small smirk curves the corner of his mouth. "Once upon a time a certain four eyed git sent a pretty bad curse my way. It brought up a lot of bad memories, so it was suggested that I go."

"Potter," I bite out with an eye roll. "I remember him doing that."

I can feel him looking at me again. "I thought you'd be too young to remember," he says softly, like he wished I didn't know. I shrug. "Well, in any case, I went and your Mom threw in anger management classes because she knew I would finally go."

I want to laugh at the thought of him in anger management classes—but I can't. I remember when Cass had to take classes like that at Hogwarts and it makes me shake my head. My brother never needed anything like that.

"Do you still go?" I ask curiously but he shakes his head.

"No," He says seriously. "They just made me angry."

It takes me a moment to get his joke and when I do I snort out loud as he smiles.

"Funny," I say with a smirk.

"I am hilarious," he answers as the wind blows hard again, making me shiver, so I put up my hood and place my hands in the pocket at the front of my sweat shirt. "One thing I have learned, Gavin, is that the people you love should not be afraid of you."

We let the light feeling die off until we're both silent again and then my father asks me a question that I was waiting for.

"You know who caused the fire," he says seriously.

It wasn't really a question, more like a statement, but I nodded anyways.

"And you're not going to tell the Aurors who it was?"

I shake my head.

"Do you know why someone would do this to you?"

I stare out ahead of me, at the dull gray clouds. "I burned some of their things," I answer honestly as I think about the guitar, and the broom, and the Quidditch jersey I destroyed.

Dad's eyes are boring into the side of my head, but I refuse to face him. "Did they deserve it?" He surprises me by asking and I nod my head when I think about the picture of Cass from the funeral and the disgusting things written on that wall.

I'm not sure how he's going to react to that, but when he puts his hand on my shoulder, I close my eyes. He pulls down my hood and kisses my head before gently squeezing my shoulder and then letting his hand drop. I realize now what this whole talk was supposed to be about. He wants me to make my own decisions, but he wants me to make the right ones… whatever that may be. How very perceptive he can be.

I find myself biting my lip again but I try to stop myself because that's such a stupid unsure gesture to have. I flick a glance to Dad as his blank face watches the waves crash against the rocks. I can't help but feel like a child because he's accomplished so much in his life already.

At sixteen he became a marked Death Eater and by the time he was my age he had two children, he was vice president of Mafloy Enterprises during the day while working for Voldemort's army during the night. I don't know how he handled it when I can barely deal with the bloody things happening in my own fucked up life. He became president of the company at twenty four, minister at thirty one, and successful business and family man at forty. It's overwhelming when you think about it, and a lot to live of up.

I wonder if he believes in karma, because I'd say he's pretty much getting punched in the gut with it right now. His oldest son dead, his daughter run off with the step son of a person he hates with a passion, his other son being a complete wreck…. I wonder if he notices a pattern.

"Do you regret anything?" I blurt out.

His eyes flick to mine before he stands up and wipes the back off his pants with his hands to get rid of the clinging sand. I stay sitting and look up to him, like I have been doing my whole life.

"That's a loaded question," he says as he looks at the sea for the millionth time. "It's funny," He says as he squints, but his voice sounds flat, indicating that whatever it is, it's the opposite of funny. "Out of all the things I've done…The biggest regret I have right now is not being there when your brother was born."

That makes me sad, so to cover my reaction I stand up as well, taking my time to dust off my pants. He looks like he's thinking about something far away, so I try to stay quiet so I don't disturb him.

"Do you think…" He asks and then he stops himself, which is strange to see because he is usually so confident when he speaks. "Do you think Byron Flint will find any answers about your brother?"

I would scoff if he didn't sound so vulnerable, which is a trait I didn't know my father possessed. "I think Byron Flint is insane," I state honestly. Thinking about him and my little sister shacked up some where in Spain. "And I'm surprised you've let Lavinia stay with him this long."

I really am.

"I have nothing to do with it," he says seriously as he crosses his arms. He takes a moment to push up his glasses and then he looks at me. "She loves him," he says uncomfortably before looking away. "And I'm pretty sure he feels the same."

"Like that means anything," I snap with a glare. That makes him look at me.

He looks serious and he looks reluctant to speak. "It means everything, Gavin."

I'm about ready to respond, but Dad's focus shifts from me to something slightly over my shoulder so I turn to face whatever it is he's looking at. Mom and Addison are making their way down the stone steps towards the beach, towards us. Mom has a basket in her hands and Addison is holding a blanket, looking like they packed for a camping trip or something. They discard their shoes by ours and make their way over to us on the sand.

I look Addison over as she slips out of her sandals. She has most of her hair pulled back, but a few strands have escaped, flying around her face. The green dress she's wearing billows as she walks and over it she's wearing a knitted brown shawl that's dropping off of one of her shoulders, reveling her creamy skin. It's almost annoying that I noticed all of that, but she does look beautiful.

I manage to tear my eyes away from them so I can flick a glance at my dad. He has this warm, barely there, smile on his face as he gazes at Mom approaching us. I guess the right woman can make even the fiercest man into a love sick idiot.

"We thought you guys might be getting hungry," Mom says when she's close enough. Addison gives me a shy smile when I take the blanket from her arms. I like that she's still shy sometimes.

"You thought right," dad smirks as Mom puts the basket on the sand and I unravel the blanket so we can all sit on it.

I wait as Mom and Dad unpack the food and drinks from the basket with my arms crossed and my foot taping impatiently against the ground. Mom's wearing a pair of denim capri's and a large blue collared shirt that looks too big on her. She pauses a moment to roll up the sleeves and button a few buttons up the front before Dad tugs on the end and says it looks familiar. When I realize that it's his, I look away.

"I made you a turkey sandwich," Addison says as she carefully sits down on the blanket. "I know you hate mayonnaise so I put mustard on it," She says as she hands me the wrapped sandwich when I take a seat beside her. "I hope that's okay."

For some reason, the fact that she made it for me makes me feel very warm, so I smile and take her hand so I can kiss her knuckles. "Thank you," I tell her honestly and she smiles.

We all start eating in silence and I look around at every one as I take a drink of water, thinking that this little beach picnic we're having is kind of strange. I stay uncharacteristically quite as Addison and my Mom discuss books and music that they're both fond of since they seem to be bff's now. I sigh and try not to look bored as I look up at the sky, noting that the sun is starting to peak through the dreary fucking clouds.

"How do you manage to get food on your face no matter what you're eating," I hear Dad say in annoyance and I turn towards my parents as he sighs and wipes off the corner of Mom's mouth with one of his fingers.

She seems unperturbed. "Not all of us were privileged enough to have your prestigious upbringing, Mr. Malfoy," she teases, and it surprises me because she's been so depressed lately. "Watch your finger, or I may bite it next time."

Addison giggled behind her hand at the comment and I rolled my eyes. "You're lucky you're pretty or I wouldn't put up with your abuse," Dad tells her with a sly smirk as he leans his weight on one of his elbows.

"And you're lucky I'm so forgiving, because I'll let that shallow comment slide."

They both stare at each other and then they do something I haven't seen them do since Cassius died. They both smiled and then they laughed. I wasn't even aware that I missed the sound.

It was kind of weird, this little picnic double date we were having, but a part of me likes the picture perfect image of it. Things that this rarely happen in my family or if they do, they are few and far between. As I think the word family, I look at Addison as she chews on some pretzels. The crumbs tumble down to her protruding stomach and with an irritated sigh she dusts them off and frowns at her belly. I find myself smiling and when she notices me looking she blushes and looks away.

"You're not going to find any," I take my attention away from Addison to look at my Dad. He's sitting much closer to Mom than he was a few moments ago. "You never do."

Mom shrugs her shoulders and takes a drink from her water bottle. "What kind of beach doesn't have sea shells?" she comments after screwing the lid back on.

When we came here, mom refused to bring the elves so we've been living off of prepackaged foods and cold meat sandwiches because she is such a horrific cook. Dad's taken to ordering food from near by restaurants because he has such 'refined' tastes. I just think he's being a baby about the whole thing. Being the only son of Lucius and Narccissa Malfoy did spoil him, and no matter how old he gets I'm sure that will never change.

"You haven't found any shells here, Ginny?" It's weird that Addison calls my Mom by her first name.

Mom shakes her head and leans her body against Dad's chest. He shifts himself so she has more room. "It's pretty disappointing."

"She wants to make a picture frame out of the ones she finds. Even though she could just walk down the street and buy a handful of shells from the corner store."

"It wouldn't be the same," Mom replies simply, like Dad's tone didn't just imply that her idea was idiotic.

"I like that idea," Addison says, looking at my Mom and smiling and I give her a look before turning to my Dad who rolls his eyes. _Women_.

After a small and pointless discussion about the annoying weather Mom pulls a camera out from the basket. I almost groan, thinking she wants to take pictures of every one.

"I bought this yesterday," She explains to me when I ask her what it was for. She messes with the lens and the buttons on the top. "I thought you would like it."

I give her a curious look as she hands the camera to me. "Why would I like it?" I ask as I look at the world through the eye lens.

"I think it's very rewarding to create something," she says softly and I look at Addison's stomach, thinking I've created enough already.

"Works better than destroying," Dad adds and I look at him as I adjust the shoulder strap on the camera. His eyes are piercing as they look into mine and I get the feeling he knew I was planning something terrible to retaliate for the fire. I look away.

"I'm going to stretch my legs," Mom says before standing up and walking off towards the water.

Dad watches her go and I have the urge to ask him something I've never even thought to ask him before. I wanted to see if he was okay. If they were okay, both of them. Right now they weren't just my parents anymore. They were real people who had lost a son, real people who missed their daughter, and real people who worried about me. With a sigh I bring the thick camera up to my face and I look through the picture glass, aiming it around and messing with the focus before I settle on Addison, who's picking at a thread in her shawl.

"Smile, beautiful," I say gently and she looks at me in surprise.

"Don't—"

I click the button before she gets a chance to finish that sentence and she blinks as the flash momentarily blinds her. She huffs and puts her hand in front of the lens when I attempt to take another shot and I pout.

"I'm not wearing any makeup," she explains and I bring the camera down, barely even noticing my father stand up from the blanket.

"You're right," I say dejectedly as I look down at the camera and reel the film back. "I hope you didn't break my new present."

"Prat," she says as she pushes my shoulder. I smirk at her and to repeal my joke I give her a soft kiss on her unmakeuped lips.

"Thankfully you have such a good personality," I jest as she begins collecting everyone's plates so she can throw them away.

She snorts and throws a napkin at me. "What's your excuse, then?"

I raise an eyebrow and smile before she gets up to throw away everyone's discarded and finished meal in the blue trash bin resting among the rocks.

I look away from her and turn back to my Mom and Dad. She's made it pretty far down on the beach now, and she's standing ankle deep in the water with her arms crosses tightly over Dad's shirt as he approaches her from behind with his hands on his pockets.

The fact that he seems hesitant to get any closer confuses me and I bring the camera up to my face again as Dad reaches a hand out and touches a strand of her hair with his fingers. She tilts her head down and to the side, indicating that she knows he's there, and not all that surprised by his presence.

I snap a picture.

"Gavin," I turn to the breathless voice of my fiancée and raise a questioning eyebrow. "She's moving."

It takes me a moment to figure out who _she_ is and why Addison is standing there so awkwardly with a silly grin on her face and a hand on her stomach. When I get it, though, I stand up.

"You've got to feel this!" she says excitedly as she grabs my hand and pulls me closer to her. She puts my hand on top of her stomach and it takes a few moments before I feel a faint thump against my hand. "Did you feel that?"

It happens again and I feel a small smile on my face and I nod my head. "I do," I say honestly as the baby kicks against my palm.

"Oh, Gavin," she sighs as she puts her hand on my neck, letting her fingers run through the hair by my ear. "That's our daughter."

"Yeah," I say as I look into her eyes with a weird feeling settling on my chest. "It is."

_It means everything, Gavin_.

I roll my Dad's words around in my head as Addison smiles and kisses my cheek. I glance at my parents as Dad finally gets up the courage to step closer to Mom and he wraps his arms around her middle, letting his chin rest on her shoulder. I see her hand come up to touch his face as they both stare out at the ocean.

It means everything and when Addison puts her hand on top of mine and smiles excitedly as the baby we've made moves against our palms, I guess I can believe it.

_**Evelyn**_

"Just close your eyes and hold out your hand," I tell Jeremiah as he gives me a stern, distrustful look.

"Why?" He asks suspiciously as he cranes his neck, trying to see what I have hidden behind my back.

"Just do it, bunny rabbit," I say with a sigh.

Jeremiah narrows his eyes and stares at me. "The last time you said those words to me, I ended up with a handful of slugs that gave me a rash."

I can't help but giggle at that, but I try to reign in my laughter. "Honestly, Jeremiah," I say with another loud sigh, trying to seem serious. "You're going to like this. Now, just do what I say."

He looks me over and then he sighs as he closes his eyes and holds out his hands. When I move he cracks an eye open. "If it's slugs I'm going home and never talking to you again, Evelyn Malfoy," he says like some boring old lady and I nod my head.

"I cross my heart," I say, making a crossing motion with my fingers over my chest.

He nods and closes his eyes again and I wait to make sure he won't peek. "Ready?" I ask as I carefully take the clear ball from behind my back.

"Just get on with it, then," he snaps, apparently expecting the worst. His hopes are never set too high with me, poor dear.

"Alright, alright," I tell him and then I set the small ball in his hands and I take my wand, tapping it a few times until it glows a golden yellow. "What do you feel?" I ask him softly as I stare at the ball that I found in Lavinia's room.

"I feel…" He stops and then he smiles as he opens his eyes. "I feel very nice," he says with a pleased smile. "I feel like… we should go for a walk," he goes to stand up and I pull him down.

"Do you want to feel something else?"

"I'm pretty content right now," he says, as he looks down at the mood manipulator in his hands and he brings it up to his eyes to study the yellow glow, making it illuminate his face. "I like this ball and I like your hair. Have I ever told you how much I like your hair?"

"No, you haven't," I say with an amused smile as he grabs one of my curls and twirls it with his fingers. He studies it like it was the most fascinating thing in the world and I try so hard not to laugh right in his face.

"You know how, when the sun is setting, it turns into that pretty golden orange color," he says and I raise an eyebrow. "That's what your hair reminds me of."

I snort out loud but try to cover it. "Why, Jeremiah McCabe, I do believe that little ball has made you a poet," I tell him and he gives me a goofy smile before I tap the ball a few more times until it clouds over with black.

He sits back and shakes his head, letting his smile drop. "I don't feel well," he says and his frowns as he looks down. "I'm sad… why am I sad?"

His eyes begin to water so I take pity on the poor guy and I turn the mood manipulator off. When he's free of the magic he sits up straight and smiles as he tosses the ball in the air.

"What a cool trick," he says, seeming to not care that he compared my hair color to a sunset and that he almost started crying. "Where did you get this?"

"I swiped it from Lavinia's room. I figure that if she doesn't come back, than it's mine by default."

He tosses it back to me and I catch it, putting in my pocket for safe keeping. "That will come in handy one day, I'm sure," he says and then he stretches out his legs.

We're sitting on the floor in one of the sitting rooms in the beach house with the fire place roaring to life beside us as we face each other. "I'm sure," I repeat back as I cross my legs.

He sighs and looks around the room like he was bored and I wait to see what he'll say. "So, why did you all come out here then?" he asks when his gaze falls back on me.

I shrug. "Mom and Dad just wanted to be here, I suppose. The Manor can be so depressing sometimes." Especially with out Cass. I found all of his pictures that Daddy kept in his office all turned around before we left.

He nods like he understands and then he narrows his eyes. "Why am I here?"

I glare.

"I haven't spoken to you in over a week, Jeremiah. Is it so much to want to see my best friend every now and again?"

He looks sheepish and he looks away. "I just thought there was a reason, that's all."

"Well, there is a reason," I say and he smirks at me before reaching for one of the apples from the bowl on the table. They're for decoration, but I'll let him figure that out on his own.

"Thought so," he says smugly as he brings the fake apple up to his nose to sniff it.

I roll my eyes before pulling out that red stone I found in the yard from my pocket. "I found this the other day," I tell him as I look down at the symbol.

He bites into the wax fruit and curses.

"Why didn't you tell me this was fake?" He asks, scandalized that I let him take a bite, but honestly, if he's not smart enough to know the difference than he needs to learn these lessons himself.

"I won't always be there to tell you right from wrong," I tell him, talking to him like he was a little child as he crinkles his nose and glares at the apple. "There are just some things you have to experience yourself so you'll never do it again."

He throws the apple at me, but I catch it and smirk at the teeth marks in the wax. I think it will make the center piece even more charming I tell myself as I put it back in the bowl. I'm sure it will make my mother laugh.

"What's the point of having fake food," I hear Jay mumble crossly as he crosses his arms in a pout.

"Well, this rock, you see," I say to get his attention back on me. "It has this symbol on it and I would like some help to try to figure out what it means."

"Let me see it," he says, after he decided he was done being mad about the whole fake fruit thing. He runs his fingers over the symbol and looks at me. "This is a rune."

"Do you know what that means?"

He shakes his head and hands the rock back. "No, I don't."

"Well, lucky for us I brought these books from the manor."

I stand up and go to the stack of books from behind the couch. When Jeremiah sees all the thick volumes on rune translations in my hands, his jaw drops and he shakes his head.

"Stop looking like a fish," I tell him as I sit back across from him and put the books in-between us. It is a pretty big stack, but Jeremiah is nerdy, so he should like it. "We just have to go through and compare the pictures."

"Where did you get that stone anyways?" He asked, sounding irritated that I asked for his help.

"I found it," I say with a shrug as I open up one of the books and skim through some of the pages. "I bet it's something interesting."

He rolls his eyes but I try to pretend like I ignore it. I make him go through another book as I try to compare the pictures with the symbol on the rock and after an hour of finding nothing I sigh and sit back. Jeremiah had barely gotten to the fourth page, letting me know he wasn't really helping in the first place.

"Do you remember Kendra?" I ask, just because I'm bored of looking in that book.

I stayed the night at Kendra's house over the weekend and all she talked about was Jeremiah. Much to my annoyance, he is _my_ Jeremiah, after all. I hate it when he has a girlfriend… well, he's only had one, but she took precious time away from me and I shall never forgive her for it.

"The one with the mole?"

"No, she's not the one with the mole," I huff, sometimes I think he does things to get on my nerves. "She's the one who I tried to hook up with Xavier at my birthday party."

He crinkles his nose at the mention of Xavier, but then he smiles. "The girl who did the dive into the water?"

I nod my head and cringe, remembering the smack noise that was heard around the world when Kendra's stomach collided with the water.

"Is her skin still bright red?"

"I'm sure it's faded to a light pink by now," I say with a half smile and Jeremiah snorts.

"What about her?"

"She's been asking about you," I say, watching him closely to see his reaction. "She wanted to know if you were my boyfriend."

I was expecting him to laugh or look smug because of the statement. I didn't expect him to look so serious as he searched my face. "What did you say?" He asks quietly like a weird-o.

"I told her we were madly in love and planned on eloping as soon as we were old enough."

I thought he would laugh, but he didn't. He just looked down at his lap and bit his thumb nail as he rested his back against the bottom of the chair behind him. I sigh, thinking he's irritated that I ruined his chances.

"I told her you were single, of course. Don't be such a sour puss," I tell him, but he just flicks a glance to me before looking at the fire. "Don't be angry with me. I gave her your address and everything so she could owl you."

"I thought you said that _Kender _girl was in love with the French toad," he says nastily.

"_Kendra_ was in love with Xavier, but he can be such a bother and I think he made her cry once or twice because he can sure be mean. She said she thought your impressions were awfully funny and she might have mentioned something about how cute your nose was."

"My nose?" he repeats, sounding irritated. "Whoever admires people's noses?" he mumbles crossly.

"It is a pretty good nose," I say seriously and when he looks at me I smile.

He smiles too before sitting forward, pretending to read from one of the books as he shrugs. "Well, this Kendra sounds like a hussy, and I don't go for hussy's."

"She is hardly a hussy," I say with a giggle. "And you are one to talk. I distinctly remember you snogging the face off of Pricilla King last fall, and she is the biggest hussy in Hogwarts."

"Pricilla was nice," he defends himself and I shake my head. "And I never snogged her, we just hung out a few times and then she dumped me."

I look at him and smirk. "I don't believe that for one second."

He sighs and rolls his eyes. "Honestly, Evelyn, don't you think I would have told you if that happened?"

"No, you wouldn't," I state. Even though we are best friends, we are still different genders. Sometimes you just can't talk about certain things with someone of the opposite sex. "I didn't tell you when I snogged Tyler Roscoe."

He narrows his eyes. "You kissed _Tyler Roscoe_?" He said his name like Tyler was some kind of terrible disease that would surely kill me, or at least cause heinous disfigurement of some kind. "When?"

I shrug and pluck a piece of lint from my shirt. "Right before Christmas break," I say and Jeremiah huffs.

"I heard that Tyler Roscoe has athletes foot and his hair is always greasy. He doesn't shower often."

I laugh. "Hardly," I say.

Tyler Roscoe was the fifth year beater on the Syltherin Quidditch team and one the most beautiful boys in the school. In fact, he's so well groomed that he's almost effeminate, which kind of put a damper on the crush he claimed he had on me. It was like kissing a girl.

"Wait," I say with my eyes flashing as I sit up straight. "If you didn't snog Pricilla, than that means you've never been kissed, which means I have more experience than you," I sit back with a smug smile. "I win."

"You don't win anything," he says with a blush staining his cheeks. "Just because you go around kissing greasy haired blokes all the time, it's nothing to be proud of and just because I didn't kiss Pricilla, doesn't mean I haven't kissed at all."

"Oh, really?" I say, not believing him. "Who was it?"

He looks uncomfortable. "You wouldn't know her."

"Because she's made up?"

That earns me a glare. "No, she's real; she just goes to another school."

"What school? The Jeremiah McCabe Academy of make believe."

He bristles and then he gives me the silent treatment for ten minutes until I apologize and tell him I believe him—even though I don't.

"I still can't believe you let Tyler Roscoe touch you. I thought he liked boys."

"Oh, are you jealous, Jay?" I ask slyly. "If you wanted to I could teach you how to snog properly." He scoffs and rolls his eyes as I get on all fours and start crawling towards him. "There's nothing much to it," I say teasingly as he watches me approach him with weary eyes. "Close your eyes."

"I already closed my eyes once around you tonight," he states solidly as I get so close to his face I could count every freckle. "That took enough of my trust."

"Just close your eyes."

He glares before doing what I ask, and when his eyes slam shut I lick my lips before staring at his own. It's really not very good for a fourteen year old boy to be unkissed, right? I'm all about helping out my friends, especially my best mate.

I smile as I look at his face and then I lean in and give him a light kiss on the lips. I feel him tilt his head and when I pull back he has his eyes open as he stares right at me with his blue eyes looking dark and his breath warm on my face. I feel my heart leap as he licks his lips, but I jump back when the door opens.

It's my Dad.

Jeremiah pulls a book to his lap and I stand up, trying not to look guilty.

"What are you two doing?" He asks coldly as his eyes flick to Jeremiah who's still sitting on the floor, looking everywhere but at him.

"We're just reading, Daddy," I say with a smile as I gesture to the stack of books.

Dad's eyes narrow and he looks in-between Jay and I for a few moments before resting his gaze back on me. "This door," he says, rapping his knuckles against the white wood of the door. "Stays open at all times."

"Of course," I say even though I'm disappointed. It's hard to talk with the door wide open like that.

Dad glares at me and then he gets a potted plant to make sure the door stays propped open. No gust of wind or shadow will be able to move that door from its place now. Oh, he is tiresome.

"I'm serious, Evelyn. If I walk by again to see this door closed, your friend's going to have to go home."

"Of course, Daddy," I say lightly.

"Don't sit on the floor, you aren't animals." He sends one more scathing look to Jeremiah before leaving the room.

I put my hands on my hips and frown at the open door way. "What a bore he is," I say before looking down at Jeremiah who still has that big book on his lap. "Well, you heard the dictator, stand up."

He looks to me and then away with an embarrassed expression turning his face. "Er, I can't right now," he says, clutching the book a little tighter to his lap.

"Well, why not?" I inquire as I take a seat on the couch and raise an eyebrow at his flushed face.

"Just stop talking to me," he snaps and I cross my arms.

"Why, what's wrong?"

"Evelyn," He snaps hatefully and I glare.

"Fine, I'm going to get something to drink, do you want anything?"

"A butterbeer." He says with a tight throat and I send him another weird look before going to the kitchen to fetch the drinks.

When I come back with two butterbeer bottles in my hands, Jeremiah is off the floor and in one of the arm chairs. "Your father hates me," he says as I hand him the bottle. It seems that snappish mood he was in before I left is gone.

"Don't feel bad," I say as I twist the cap on my own and sit back down on the couch with my feet propped up on the coffee table. "He doesn't like a lot of people, and with Lavinia running off with Byron Flint, I think most boys are getting a bad rep with him."

"So, is Lavinia going to marry that bloke now or what?"

I can hear a bit of sadness lingering in his voice. Lavinia was his first crush and it has to hurt a little to see her off with another man. If he was five years older I'm sure he would have chased her to Spain and he would have been quite dramatic and romantic. Not she would have cared at all, but still.

"She had better. She's already caused enough of a scandal." I take a drink from the bottle and I smile. "Could you imagine if she came back pregnant? Dad would pop a few blood vessels, I'm sure."

"Interesting things always happen to beautiful people," he says as he peels the label off his butterbeer.

"You think Byron Flint is beautiful?" I joke and he glares.

"I was talking about your sister. All you Malfoy women are good looking."

Aw, Jeremiah is full of compliments tonight. "Well, I think Byron is beautiful. He always looks so serious and tortured, he's like a character right out of a gothic novel," I muse but Jeremiah looks disgusted.

"You know, why don't girls just like normal blokes? I'm just as interesting as the tortured gothic hero's and snooty foreigners of the world. Why don't they just like normal and safe?"

I bite the rim of my bottle as I watch him fume and shake his head. "Kendra thinks normal and safe is good," I say with a raised eyebrow.

He shoots me a look. "Well, she also has a uni-brow."

I laugh. "She does not!"

He shrugs.

A silence falls over us for a few moments before Jeremiah cranes his neck to look at one of the open books on the floor. "Hey, let me see that rock." He says as he gets down on his knees to get a closer to look at the book.

I hand him the red stone I had placed on the table and he sets it down to the page to compare one of the rune etchings in the book.

"I think this is a match," he says as I jump off of the couch and sit beside him, pulling my hair back so it doesn't get in my way as I lean over the book.

"It is," I say as I look at the rock and then the lined drawing on the page. I read the small paragraph beside the rune and I knit my eyebrows together. "Desire?" I say out loud.

Jeremiah nods his head and puts his finger down on the page so he can use it to skim the words. "Desire— When this rune is placed on an object, it holds various magical abilities for it's owner if used with the proper charm." We share a look before looking back at the rock and then Jay starts reading again. "It helps unravel all inhibitions and pushes the holder of the object into expressing and acting on their various urges and wants. Whether it is economical ambitions, ownership of certain goods, or the longing for another person, the rune will make the owner's desires so overwhelming that they try to achieve it."

"Mostly associated with the ancient harems in India where it was etched into the bedroom walls to encourage sexual desire," I finish as Jeremiah snorts and we both look at the rock with out touching it.

"Where did you say you found this?"

"I found it outside," I answer as I tilt my head and stare at the little stone. I wonder if it actually works. "By my Mother's garden."

"Do you think it's your parents?" he asks and then we both crinkle our noses in disgust at the thought.

"I surely hope not," I state, even though it probably is. That figures.

"What are you going to do with it?" he asks, looking troubled as I pick up the rock and throw it up before catching it again.

"I don't know, but it might come in handy one day too," I say with a mischievous smile as Jeremiah rolls his eyes.

For some reason I think of Xavier, and I blush, hoping Jay doesn't see it.

_**Cassius **_

I sneer as I sift through the herbs and various plants that are hanging upside down in the healer's room to dry. When I said I would heal the boy I told that stupid Gregorios man that I would need some potion supplies and a room if they had it. They brought me to this little stone carved room that was home to some old witch with a hook nose, they told me she was the main healer of the temple and I shooed them all out while I tried to remember something from my healers classes I took in college when I thought I wanted to be a medi-wizard for one semester.

That obviously didn't last long.

"I just don't understand why no one will answer that question," I huff as I open a drawer and cringe when I see it overflowing with old, crackling snake skins.

"Maybe, they don't know," Paige answers and I glare at her over my shoulder and tell her to gather up a pot and light a fire underneath it, handing her my wand so she can use it.

"How can they not know what year it is?" I ask with a disbelieving voice. In another drawer I find human mandibles of various sizes lined up in a row. I pick a smaller one up and shake my head. "And what kind of people keep the lower jaw bone of a baby in a drawer?" I yell in irritation as I put the bone back and slam the drawer shut.

"Cassius, calm down," she says, sounding more annoyed than concerned. I should have kicked her out of the room as well. "This place is different from what we know. Things aren't the same."

"Thank you for pointing out the bloody obvious," I snap. I'm angry, I'm annoyed, and I am hungry. Not good combinations. "Boil some water in that pot, please," I say, trying to cool my temper. "I think I'll be able to make a pretty decent healing potion that will help the boy," I say, closing my eyes and trying to remember something about healing potions that would possibly help with leprosy.

"Why do you care about this kid anyways?" she asks as she takes one of the clay vases full of water and pours it into the pot. The paint on the vase is from the 7th century, BC. I became an archeologist to piece together a narrative of the past… not to actually fucking live it. "It's not like you know him."

"Excuse me for not being heartless," I say as I find a jar full of aloe leaves. I bet those will help. I think I remember part of a healing potion now.

I gather up a few more materials that I vaguely remember from one of my classes, something that helped skin lesions, brought about by disease. I chop up the plants and I add random shelf ingredients, stirring counterclockwise and then clockwise, praying that this won't be a total bust. The whole while I can feel Paige's eyes on me as I work and I find myself wishing she would leave.

She hops on one of the tables to sit and looks me over before breaking the silence…. And my concentration. "Your friend, the one with the black hair…"

"Byron," I state solidly as I roll up my sleeves and wipe my forehead on my shirt because I'm sweating. She nods. "What about him?"

She hesitates a second and when I look at her, she looks away. "Is he your boyfriend?"

"No," I state harshly. "He's not my boyfriend." I say and then I sneer, thinking the idea so distasteful that I almost gag at the thought. Paige is not gaining any good points with me right now. "He's just my friend."

"Oh, well, I thought—"

"You thought wrong," I snap again and then I nod my head to the jar of goats milk by her side. "Hand that to me."

She does so with a pink tinted face. "I didn't mean to upset you."

"Of course not," I reply as I add the milk and stir the potion. Goats milk… I think that will work. "Questioning a man's sexuality always makes them happy."

"I'm sorry."

I sigh.

"So, you've been friends for a while, then?"

"Yes," I state sharply and then I look up to her while my potion boils. "He fancies my sister."

"Is your sister pretty?" she asks another annoying question and I shrug.

"I guess so. She's my sister, so I really don't look at her that way."

"Oh, I'm sure she is," she says quietly. "That Byron boy was very attractive."

Considering she couldn't even get his bloody name right, I find that statement ridiculous. "Whatever."

"How many siblings do you have?"

"Three."

"What are their names?"

"Gavin, Lavinia, and Evelyn," I answer, but I don't ask her the same question, which would be polite when making conversation. I just want her to help with the potion or stop talking all together.

"How old are they?"

I sigh in irritation again, but she doesn't seem to care as she stands on the other side of the table and looks at me. "Gavin is twenty one, Lavinia is eighteen, and Evelyn… she's…" How old is Evelyn now? "Well, I think she's fourteen now."

"Are you close with them?"

I glare at her but she raises her eyebrows. "Not so much any more, I guess." I answer honestly. "My sisters are a lot younger than me and Gavin is…" I laugh a little as I think about my little brother. "We're just very different."

"How so?"

I smirk. "Well, let's put it this way. If I'm Apollo than he's my Dionysus."

"But you love them all?"

"Of course." Why would she ask me that?

"And your parents?"

"Yes, I love them as well. Why are you asking me so many questions?" I ask as I look down at the potion. I can't remember if it's supposed to turn black… or green… it's just a putrid brown right now. I ask for my wand back and she hands it to me so I can place it in my pocket.

"I bet you miss them."

I look at her as she stares at me with blank eyes. "We haven't even been here that long," I answer as I put my hands on the table and I knit my brows together, thinking that's she's acting awfully strange. "But, yes, I miss them."

She takes off her glasses and cleans them on her dress as I study her. Trying to figure her out. "What about you?" I ask, finally giving in and letting my potion simmer. "What about your family?"

"Well, I was adopted when I was twelve by an old couple in England, so they're the only family that I have."

"The mom that gave you that wonderful dress seems like an interesting character," I say, nodding to the ruffled mess she's still wearing. She was adopted when she was twelve? Isn't that a little late?

"She liked to make clothes, this one is one of her favorite masterpieces," she says as she adds a twirl.

I laugh.

Then I stop myself.

"You know, this place doesn't make any sense," I say as I step away from the steaming pot. "It seems like Greece, but this place isn't anything like the Greece I know. They have magic here, but not the same magic I remember reading about from ancient times, the pottery and the architecture are a mixture of different eras and even different cultures." I say as I nod to one of the Egyptian style urns on the shelf that's right next to the Greek carved cutting knife.

"And this whole God business… even Aristotle questioned their existence, so why would the people, who seem even more advanced, believe it. No one will tell me what year it is… or what the date is… and that Gregorios guy… " I shake my head.

"What about him?"

"My father owns the Falmouth Falcons." I put my hands on my hips. "Once, when I was a teenager my Dad took me to meet Hank Boothe. The seeker on their team," I explain because she's looking at me like she has no idea. "Anyways, the point of me telling you this is that Hank Boothe was like a god to me. When I met him I could barely talk and all I did was stare at him and stutter like an idiot when Dad told me to say hello."

"And?"

"And?" I repeat back, letting my hands drop. "If those men outside think I'm truly one of their… gods, than that Gregorios doesn't seem to be acting like he's met a divine being on earth."

"Well, being the leader he probably thinks he's closer to the gods than the regular people," she sounds bitter, I have no idea why.

"His reactions still don't make any sense," I say as I stare at the wall in thought. "And Apollo could be pretty cruel if I remember my mythology correctly." Paige blinks. "He flayed a satyr alive for losing a music contest against him. I don't think Gregorios should be so confident if that's who he thinks I am."

"He was also the patron of medicine and healing," she adds nodding her head down to the healing potion I was attempting to make.

I nod my head, but then I send a sharp glance to her. "I thought you didn't know must about any of that," I say with an eyebrow raised as she shrugs.

"I remember some."

Curious, that Paige. I shake it off and stir my potion again. "I think this is almost finished."

"Should I tell them to send the boy in?"

I nod my head and she thankfully leaves the room. I take a wooden spoon and scoop some of the potion up so I can take a closer look at it. I hope it doesn't kill the poor boy. When she returns, she has the poor deformed child behind her and I look back at the potion again, praying that it works.

"Can you help him up to lay on the table," I say and Paige looks hesitant so I sigh and go over to the boy, kneeling in front of him, even though the can't see me. "I'm going to lift you now, so don't be afraid," I say as I look into his milky blind eyes. He doesn't acknowledge me, but his breathing quickens again.

I nod my head and stand up so I can clear off one of the old wooden tables. "He's probably retarded too," Paige says I face her.

"Get out."

"What?" She looks generally confused by my cold tone and I glare.

"Get out of the room. You can wait out side."

"Fine, whatever," she stomps out and I watch her go, shaking my head.

"Okay," I clean off the table and kneel in front of the kid again. "What's your name?"

He's stares over my shoulder and breathes in deeply through his nostrils. I know he heard me. I know he's not deaf, he's just afraid.

"My name is Cassius," I tell him, figuring there's no point in lying to this little boy. "And I'm going to help you with these sores," I lift him up and he stay's tense but he doesn't stop me as I lay him down on the table. I start to take off one of the bandages on his arm and I cringe because of the smell and because it looks so disgusting. "Does this hurt?" I ask softly.

He didn't answer, but it wasn't like I was expecting him to. He started to sweat as I looked over his other wounds, taking off bandages as I go. The disease was starting to take over both hands and it was climbing up his legs. He started to whimper when I moved his hair away to see the soars on his face. He was really young and I had to wonder who his parents were. His tunic was ragged and dirty, his hair was tangled and unkept, and he was barefoot… which wouldn't be so odd if he wasn't living in a cave with jagged rocks.

"I'm going to put something on your sores," I tell him gently as I go over to my potion. I look around me for a clean cloth or something to use, but when I find nothing to use I take out my tie and dip it into the potion. "It's going to feel warm, but it won't hurt," I go back to his side and stare down at him. "Do you understand?"

Again he doesn't say anything so I send another silent prayer to whoever's out there before tabbing my potion soaked tie on the boy's diseased skin. He hisses and arches his back and I give him a troubled look, but he doesn't move. I rub the potion over his skin, and then I scorgify his bandages the best I can so I can wrap them back around his sores so they have time to heal. The sores on his face have to be left open, but I hope it heals them none the less.

"I don't know much about leprosy," I say to him, even though it's more like speaking to myself as I set my soaked tie on an empty space on the table. "I think you should drink some too. It won't taste very good, but I think it might get rid of anything that's internal... Like antibiotics, maybe… I don't know. I hope this works."

I scope some potion out with the wooden stirring spoon and I tilt his head up. "Could you open your mouth for me?"

When he does, I know he can understand me and my annoyance with Paige deepens. He crinkles his nose when he drinks the potion and he gags a little. I know that even if it doesn't help him totally, it won't hurt him either so I can feel safe with that.

He coughs a few times and then lets his head fall back against the wood. "You did a wonderful job." I feel like I should give him a lolly pop like most doctors do, but there are no sweets like that here. Just old dried herbs and crusty body parts.

I help him up, and lift him from the table so he's standing on the floor again. I ask him to wait while I peek my head outside to see what everyone is doing. Paige is leaning against the wall with her arms crossed and a haughty look on her face while a few of the dark robed priests stand in a circle and whisper to each other. Gregorios is no longer there.

"He'll need a place to stay," I say and everyone looks at me. "He needs a bed to rest in while the potion heals him."

One of the robed priests agrees. "We'll find a room for him," he says, not looking me in the eyes. No one here looks me in the eyes.

I nod my head and sigh with my hands on my hips when I feel a little tug on the back of my shirt. I turn around and look down at the little boy as he brings a bit of my shirt to his lips so he can kiss it. The visible sores on his face are already starting to heal and in his hands I notice my tie. He's looking at my stomach when he opens his palm to give it back to me and I pat his head.

"You can keep it," I tell him as I dry the tie with my wand and hand it back to him. I kisses it again and clutches it to his chest.

I look at Paige. We need to find a way home now, or I'll get stuck here forever.

"Where is that one guy?" I ask and Paige raises an eyebrow. "That one Greg guy."

"He is making sure the alter is ready in the temple, lord of light." Lord of light… that's a new one. When I raise my eyebrow the priest who spoke falls to his knees and begs forgiveness for talking out of turn.

"Well, I'm hungry," Paige says and I nod my head, ignoring the man's groveling.

"I'm hungry too…"

"A Feast then!" I look up and scowl at Gregorius as he makes his way towards us. Walking down the stone steps to the little stone room with ease. "A feast fit for a God," He says as he smirks at me.

I roll my eyes and when he makes a motion with his hand I follow him after I make sure one of the priests will take care of the kid. A large dinning hall is set up in one of the large marble temples and when I follow the leader and priests in there I inhale deeply, taking in all the delicious smells. A long table is set up in the center full of steaming meats and cooked vegetables. Freshly baked bread and dipping oil are beside the golden goblets full of wine. My stomach growls loudly at the sight and I realize how very hungry I am.

"Is this to your liking?" Gregorios asks as I take in the food.

"You can leave us now," Paige says and it surprises me so I look at her as she glares at Gregorios and his priests. She looks at me. "Right?"

"Right," I nod my head, because I don't want to eat with all of those people around me, staring at me, judging me, worshipping me. It gives me the creeps.

Gregorios bows. "As you wish," he says with an irritated tone to his voice before leaving the room with his priests trailing behind him.

"You can leave too," Paige says to the servants who are holding the jugs of wine against the wall. "We can handle it."

They keep their heads down as they set the wine on the table and then they leave the room with quiet steps. Paige sits down on one of the lounge couches and grabs a glass of wine while popping a grape into her mouth. I watch her with my brows knitted together.

"I can't figure you out," I say as I take a seat on the red chaise lounge and I grab a piece of cut up bread.

"What do you mean?" she asks as I dip the bread into the oil. She sits up and pours wine into my goblet. I give her a funny look for the move but she ignores it.

"I mean that you have these bouts of... you act like you know nothing and then you turn around and act like… I don't know. You know everything," I say because I can't really think of a better way to put it. "You just don't make any sense."

"I've been thinking," she says and I take a drink of wine. It tastes funny so I sniff it before taking another drink because I'm too thirsty to care.

"Oh?"

She nods her head and sits forward so she's facing me. "Maybe you should stun Gregorios and start ordering those priests around."

"Why would I do that?"

"They only listen to him," she says, like she was knowledgeable on all things here. "And you were right about him being suspicious. I think he's using you."

I look at her and drink more wine.

"I think that will be the only way to get out of here. He would want to keep you here."

"Why?" I ask.

"Well," she says as she eats a few more grapes… I drink more wine. "The little people will listen to him more if he has someone like you on his side."

"The little people?" I repeat as I stare at her. My cheeks are starting to heat up and my eyes are starting to blur.

"Everyone else," she says with a shrug. She grabs a piece of bread and breaks it apart.

I pour myself another glass… goblet… of wine and I down that in one gulp. I take out my wand from my pocket and start twirling it between my fingers. I feel like using it.

"Don't you agree?"

"Don't I agree?"

"To stun Gregorios and take over."

"Take over," it actually doesn't sound like such a terrible idea as I drink my wine.

"I think you should go do it now. You know he's waiting outside."

"Yes," I say. "I should do it now."

"Maybe you could even kill him?"

I look at her and she raises an eyebrow. She has her glasses off and her eyes look so dark, they're almost black. "Yeah," it sounds like a good idea. I stand up and grip my wand in my hand as I narrow my eyes. "Maybe I should."

"You should."

"I should."

"You will."

I nod my head and smile. "I will."


	9. Chapter 9

_**Evelyn **_

I've been using that Mood Manipulator to my advantage and I only feel a little bit guilty about it…. Well, in all honestly I don't feel guilty at all. In fact, I feel quite okay with the whole thing. Every morning when I had to go to one of those morning ballet classes with the Madam I would tap that ball a few times and keep it hidden in my bag before she entered the room. It kept everyone in a good mood and she barely yelled at me at all. It was wonderful.

It made me miss my sister as well… but I'm glad she left most of her things for me to use. They did come in handy.

I packed the ball this morning, ready to have a leisurely dance lesson with a very mellow Madam Violet, but when I got to the studio I soon found out that my Mood Manipulator would not be used today. The building is usually empty at six in the morning when I arrive, so when I saw dancers of all different ages stretching and gossiping with each other in the hallways, I frowned.

I had forgotten that today was the start of the auditions. That was kind of stupid of me and I think my forgetfulness goes along with me not being excited about it at all.

"Evie!" Kendra waves to me and runs over with a flushed face. "What are you trying out for?" She asks as she smiles at me. I yawn behind my hand and wish Daddy would have made me some toast this morning, but he was running late too and forgot. "I'm going to try out for one of the flower girls," she says with a smile. "I figure since it's not such a big part I might actually get it. Can you imagine actually being on that stage with all those people watching!"

"Exciting," I say as I tie up my hair. I have no idea what I'm going to try out for actually. Madam never really specified who she wanted me to do and when Kendra hands me the casting pamphlet, I lazily flip through it.

"The longest line is for Sleeping Beauty, of course," she says as I read the character descriptions next to the names.

This version of sleeping beauty is going to be more modern in it's telling and the music is more contemporary, with more characters to be filled. She nudges my shoulder and I look up as she points to one of the dance rooms where girls from all the classes are standing in line, stretching out their legs and fixing their makeup so they look prettier.

"I don't even understand why half those girls are in that line," Kendra scoffs.

I look at the sign above the door that says _Sleeping Beauty-Aurora_ and I glance at the door next to it, where the boys are shuffling in with their bags slung over their shoulders. _Prince Florimund _is written above that door… I don't see Xavier, not that I was looking for him, of course.

"Who does Pearl Hunnington think she is, anyways? You're ten times a better dancer than she is," she says. "She can't even do a proper plie."

I look at Pearl Hunnington as she rolls her shoulders and stretches out her arms, her honey colored hair has been curled into ringlets today and they fall around her face. I don't understand why she did that because she'll have to put her hair up anyways. Stupid girls make me roll my eyes.

"You know, I think I'll try for one of the flower girls as well," I say as I look at the description, they're in one scene and I could picture myself as a little spinning ballerina with flowers in my hair. "Where's the room for that?"

Kendra takes my arm and we walk down the brightly lit hallway until we reach the last door on the left. Most of the girls in line are younger than us and that's a little embarrassing, but I don't care. We might actually get a chance to get in as opposed to the stupid girls in line for the main part who will never be on stage.

I lean against the wall and cross my arms as Kendra stands beside me. I'm not feeling particularly into this right now and after a few moments I unzip my sweat shirt and stuff it into my bag for safe keeping.

"You could have dressed up a little more," Kendra comments as she glances over my perfectly plain black leotard. "Something to catch the judges eye, you know?"

I look at her sparkly pink number and I shrug. "I kind of forgot," I state honestly. A curl pops free of my hair tie and lands on my forehead. I glare at it hatefully before sighing and blowing it up before it settles back down into place. I have half a mind to cut the annoying off so it ceases to bother me. "I usually have practice with Madam in the mornings. The auditions slipped my mind."

"Why were you taking classes with her?" She asks, since I was still taking the regular classes with the whole class, the one on one sessions did seem a little strange.

"To catch me up for the time I missed," I answer as I prop my foot up on the wall and look at the little girls beside me who are helping each other tie ribbons in their hair.

She nods her head in acceptance and then she leans her shoulder against the wall as she takes a strand of hair from her pony tail and starts chewing on it. "So…" she says, trailing off until I glance at her. "I sent Jeremiah an owl."

"Really?" I state simply. I can't help but feel an itching of irritation in my chest at her casual comment.

She nods her head and smiles at me. "Do you think he'll write back?"

"Oh, I suppose so," I say with a sigh, "But poor Jeremiah has terrible carpel tunnel, so don't expect a hasty reply." That was a lie, but oh well.

"Do you think—"

She stops talking when the line moves forward and we trudge further a few steps before falling back against the wall. I wonder what moves they'll ask to see… or will I have to come up with my own try out routine? I should have put more thought into this.

"Evelyn!" Kendra pinches my arm and I glare at her. "You're not listening to me."

"I'm sorry," I say with an apologetic smile. "What were you saying?"

"I was asking if you thought that Jeremiah would be a good boyfriend."

That irritation is back and I have an urge to tell her no, that he would be a terrible boyfriend and she should never think of him again, but that's irrational and not fair, so I sigh again.

"I imagine he will be a splendid boyfriend," I say as I stare at the wall ahead of me thinking of my silly Jeremiah. "He's awfully sweet and funny."

Kendra looks proud and she lets the hair she was chewing on drop as she smiles in a wistful kind of way. "I think so too."

"I am pretty sure that I adore him," I tell her as I look into her eyes. She nods her head and smiles again. An irritating smile, I might add. "So if he does end up being your boyfriend." What a distasteful sentence. "You must treat him well or I will be sorely upset with you."

"I think I would be a terrific girlfriend," she says and she blinks her eyes while bringing her hands to her chest. "Do you think Jay would like moonlit broom rides?"

I crinkle my nose at that because: A) Jeremiah would hate moonlit broom rides because he's not some sappy idiot, nor does he feel particularly safe on a broom and B) She is not allowed to call him Jay.

"He's afraid of heights," I snap, suddenly too upset to mask my displeasure and I start to stretch so I can get out of talking to her directly anymore because I might hit her upside the head with my bag if I do.

She keeps talking anyways, listing off all of the romantic things she has in mind for my Jeremiah and I find myself glaring a hole into the polished floor. When she starts wondering if he is a good kisser I stand up straight and grab my bag.

"Hey, where are you going?"

"I think I've going to try out for the evil fairy," I say briskly, nodding my head down towards one of the other audition rooms.

She laughs, but when she sees I'm serious she lets her smile fall. "But Evie, you are much too small for that role."

"There are no size requirements," I sniff and start heading that way.

"Why would you want that?" she asks in confusion and I turn around with a smile.

"I just feel like I have a lot of pent up aggression that will come across nicely in that role," I say with a smirk and then I head down there and join the end of the line.

The evil fairy Carabosse is usually played by a male because they're bigger and more menacing looking, but I'm going to try anyways. Maybe it will give the judges a laugh. The other boys in line give me sideways looks as I slip on my shoes and take off my warm up pants, but I pay them no attention. When the line finally dwindles down and it's my turn to step into the room I keep my chin tilted up as I put my bag against the wall. I walk to the center of the room and rest my hands in front of me as the three judges from the main company scribble things down on the papers before them, probably a critique of the boy who went before me.

"Name?" One of the nasally voiced men asks with out looking up.

"Evelyn Grace Malfoy," I say proudly and all three of them look up at me.

I smile.

"Age fourteen," I add because I know that's the next question.

One of the men knits his eyebrows together before flipping through the page in front of him. "Are you sure you're in the correct room, Ms Malfoy?" asks the broad shouldered dancer on the left. I've seen him dance in many performances at the theatre, he is terribly good.

"This is the audition room for Carabosse, right?" I ask innocently and when he nods his head I smile pleasantly. "Then I'm in the right room."

"Er," the man who was sorting through his papers says and then he looks up at me. "It says right here that you should be in room 6A," he says and I frown.

"Well, why does it say that?" I ask as I walk towards the table. They all look taken aback by my bluntness because people are usually a sweaty, nervous wreck during auditions but I rarely ever get that way.

"It just says that you'll be auditioning in 6A."

I grab the paper from him and his eyebrows shoot up in surprise as I file down the page, looking for my name. When I spot it I make a hmf sound and then I look back at the judges.

"I didn't know people were assigned audition rooms," I say, annoyed with the idea.

"Well," the man takes the paper back and stands up to lean over the table to show me something. "People trying out for the main parts are written down here," he says pointing to my name on the list. "Because the process is going to be longer and you're paired with a partner." He points to the name beside mine and I scoff.

"Gabriel Hung?" I say, I know him, he's a year or two older than me and probably one of the most beautiful Asian men I had ever seen. "He's my partner?"

"Well, Violet matched up pairs for the people trying out for the prince and princess, you see," he's talking to me now like I was a handicapped person and I cross my arms. "To see if you have chemistry."

"Chemistry?" I repeat back. "I didn't want to try out for that anyways," I say with a huff because I'm out of the loop. "I'm not going to get the part."

"And you thought you were going to get this one?" the broad shouldered dancer said and I shot him a look as his eyes slid over my slight and skinny frame.

"I can be terribly devious and frightening, I will have you know," I told him with an eyebrow raised. "You shouldn't judge a person by their size."

He snorted.

And the other ones laughed.

"Anyways, you better get there now, or I'm sure Violet's going to have your head on a stick."

"How charming you are," I say with a smirk before I go and get my bag. Might as well go, because I doubt these men will see me dance now. "Toodles," I say with a wave and they look amused as I leave the room.

Well, darn.

I kick a discarded ribbon as I make my way to room 6A where girls are still lined up and I walk right towards the door. I'm not going to wait in another line, not if my name is on some bloody list. Pearl Hunnington glares at me as I stroll past her and I make sure to wave before walking into the room.

The wall that divided 6A from 6B had been torn down so the boys trying out for the prince's roll were on the left side, while the girls were on the right. I spotted Madam Violet sorting through papers on a fold out table and when she saw me she glared, of course she glared, and then she made a movement with her razor sharp hand for me to go to her.

"Where have you been?" she snapped when I was close enough, but I didn't answer, it didn't really matter anyways because she had people shut the doors. "Now, Gabe has been waiting for you all morning."

I look over to Gabriel Hung as he stretches out his legs on one of the barre's attached to the wall. He is one of those boys that have zero body fat, so every muscle looks like it was cut from stone and he wears his black hair shortly cropped to his head in combed back with a part down the side. I would be lying if I said I never fantasized about being married to Gabriel, he is quite good looking, and I always imagined we'd have the cutest little Asian babies.

"Evelyn," he greets as he walks over to me and kisses my hand. I snort at the properness of it all and Madam rolls her eyes. "Where have you been?"

"Trying to be the evil fairy," I stated honestly and he laughed.

He was about to ask me what I was talking about, but Madam clapped her hands so that we had to pay attention.

"Everyone find your assigned partner please!" she snapped and the fourteen people in the room began to mingle together until each was paired up with a person from the opposite sex. I had to wonder what was going to happen to all those poor souls still waiting in line. Did they even have a chance? "Alright, now this is how this is going to work," she starts as she stands in front of all of us with her hands on her slim hips. "We're going to have two dancers from the company come in to show you some moves and then we'll judge you on how you perform together."

I smile at Gabe, even though I feel sorry for him. He is awfully good and I feel bad that he's stuck with me. After he smiles back I look away and I spot Xavier towards the back with his arms crossed, in front of him is a girl with honey blonde hair and I scowl when I notice it's Pearl Hunnington. Now I feel bad for Xavier.

"This process will stretch out over a few weeks, so you'll be judged individually and together," she is making this much more serious than it truly needs to be and I find myself shifting my weight to my left leg and popping my hip. "Those who do not get chosen could end up as understudies, or they could fill other parts that are needed, so no matter what, always try your best."

She made a motion to some short looking bloke who nodded his head and left the room. While he was gone the kids in the room started talking and I turned to Gabriel to apologize to him before we even started, but he beat me to it.

"I heard that Madam is extending the scenes and letting dancers from the official company make up new moves," he says with an excited smile. I notice he has the most endearing gap between his front teeth which makes him even more adorable. "There will be a lot more lifts." He places his hands on my hips and playfully shifts them back and forth. "I think I'm quite lucky to have you as a partner, you are quite small."

"Only in size," I say with a smile as I push his hands off of my hips. "But I have the biggest personality."

"Ah, that's what underfed people always say," he jokes and I scoff.

"Underfed," I repeat with a huff. "I could out eat you any day," I tell him honestly. It's not my fault I have a good metabolism.

"Unlikely."

"Likely." I smile at him because I have decided that we shall be good friends. "Name the time and place and I'm there," I tell him bravely and he laughs.

"How about tomorrow afternoon at Jim's hotdog stand," he says with his dark eyes lit up and I hold out my hand.

"You're on," I say and when he shakes my hand I laugh again. Of course, I have to ask my parents if I can go and with everything that happened with Cass and Lavinia… well… Daddy will probably say no, but it's worth a try.

"It's a date," he said with a wink.

The conversation is cut off when the short man enters the room again, followed by a tall and slim ballerina with reddish blonde hair and an equally tall male with long hair, tied back in a pony tail at the nape of his neck. They must be the official company dancers and when Julie Weasley's eyes skim over the crowd and land on me, I smile and wave. We are related after all, I think it's quite rude that she doesn't return it.

"Do you know Julie?" Gabe asks at my side as the two older dancers warm up and situate themselves at the front of the room so they can show us our moves.

I nod my head. "She's my cousin," I say and I do the math in my head. "She was in my brother's grade in school."

"Really?" he says like it was interesting. "Are you part Veela then too?"

"Obviously not," I say as I take the place that the short man points to as he puts all of the younger dancers into place.

When Gabe falls in beside me he smirks. "Not so obvious," he says and I nudge him so he'll stop talking. It looks like a vein is going to pop in Madam's forehead because everyone is talking so loudly.

We do a quick warm up against the walls and then Julie Weasley and her dancing partner show us a small dance sequence that we'll all have two weeks to practice before we have to present it in front of the judges on the actual stage at the Velvet Theatre. How exciting is that? One of the moves involves a lift and I've never actually done one of those before so I was quite nervous to try, but Gabe is strong enough for me to trust him and my concentration was uncommonly focused to make it a success. A little practice and we won't be so wobbly, I tell myself.

Towards the end of the 'audition', or whatever you want to call it, I was pretty much convinced that I was in love with Gabriel, but when he told me that I had to meet his boyfriend I found myself a little put out, but I figure he will be a dreadfully fun friend to have, even if there was no hope in us getting married and having beautiful Asian children.

"Oh, Xavi isn't looking too good," Gabe whispered to me and I look towards the direction he was to see a sour looking Xavier snapping at his partner.

"He always looks like that," I comment and he laughs.

Gabe goes to get a towel from his bag so he can tab away at the sweat forming on his brow but I stay in my spot and glance at Xavier. He does look quite upset and when they try the beginning of the sequence again, Pearl trips and he cusses, stopping all together and throwing his hands up. He can be such a dramatic person. I look towards the table again, where Madam is talking to the older dancers and glancing at the people in the room who are practicing what we just learned. She officially dismissed us for a break, but barely anyone actually left the room. Most are too nervous to do anything but try to practice and perfect.

"You are not doing it right," I hear Xavier's harsh voice carry through the room and the silence is making his voice louder. "You do not over lap your feet," he scolds and Pearl turns bright red and she nods her head. "Dzink like a dancer— not an elephant."

He's being awfully mean.

I walk over to my bag as he scolds her some more and I take out two bottles of water that I had packed. Even though I'm not overly fond of Pearl Hunnington by any means, I do feel sorry for her having to deal with someone as intense as Xavier is, so I walk over to them and when I approach, they both scowl at me.

"Do you want to step outside with me, Xavier?"

He glares at me with his hands on his hips, like I was setting a trap for him to fall into. "Why?"

"Because it's hot in here," I tell him honestly and I tilt the bottle in front of him. "I brought you water, as well."

"My partner doesn't need your water," Pearl finds her voice so she can be hateful to me.

Sometimes girls just turn crazy around me when it has something to do with boys. I have no idea why, though. I've never even had a real boyfriend before, but just last year some girl in Slytherin told me she wanted to beat me up because I was flirting with her boyfriend… I was never totally sure who her boyfriend was… I was even fuzzy on her existence for a while until she made that threat very publicly in the great hall during breakfast one morning. Of course, I thought the whole thing was dreadfully funny and I laughed about it… that just made her angrier, but that's another story.

"He can have mine."

"Oh, honestly," I say with an eye roll. "I was just trying to help him cool down so he wouldn't yell at you anymore. If you want to continue to upset him then go ahead," I say before walking away. I'm not going to deal with any ones over possessive dance partner right now.

"Jeez, did you threaten to break their ankles or something?" I turn to Gabe and raise a questioning eyebrow when I reach him.

"What do you mean?"

"What did you say to those two?" he asks as he nods to the couple I just left. I look over my shoulder and see the aftermath of my small conversation with Pearl and Xavier. They both seem to agree that they hate me right now by the way I'm being glared at. Xavier sees me looking and he turns around, stomping to his bag to get something out. "They look like they want to hex you."

I shrug, trying not to care that Xavier is so hard to figure out. "So, I was thinking," I say as I unscrew my water bottle and I take a sip. "If we have this hot dog eating contest than they can't just be plain hot dogs," I say and Gabe tilts his head as he smirks at me. "They have to have the works. Relish, onions, mustard, ketchup, cheese…. Everything."

"That sounds disgusting," he says and I agree but what's the point of having a contest if it's not difficult?

"Who ever eats the most with out quitting or throwing up gets… well… they get…" I trail off thinking of what the prize will be. "Well, do you have anything worth having?" I ask and he thinks on it for a few moments with his lips scrunched together in thought.

"Well, I have a pretty decent chess set."

"How boring," I say and he scoffs.

"We can think up the prizes when we actually do it, how about that?"

"That's fine with me," I say smugly with my chin tilted up.

"Places people," Madam claps and we all fall back into our spots. "We're going to cover the last half of the dance before we send you home. Now remember, in two weeks you're going to have to present this dance to our judges. The solo's will be judged two weeks after that…"

Blah, blah, blah.

We learn the second half and I file the steps into memory as we're all dismissed to go home. I remind Gabe about our hot dog date and we schedule more dance practices before the big 'try out' in a couple weeks. I wave as he leaves as I sit on the wooden floor so I can take off my shoes. I hum to myself as I untie the ribbons and I feel a presence behind me so I tilt my head up and twist my neck.

"I 'ave a temper," Xavier admits and I scrunch up my eyebrows as I turn back to my bag and zip it up after I place all of my things back inside of it.

"Okay then," I say as I stand up and sling the bag over my shoulder as I slip into my flip flops.

"May I say somdzing to you," he says seriously and I turn to face him with an eyebrow raised. He looks uncomfortable and uneasy as he shifts his weight and rubs his neck. I like looking at him, so I really don't mind.

"Sure," I say brightly even though my stomach is tightening. Why is it doing that? Maybe I'm sick. "What do you have to say?"

"I don't dzink you should go on a date with dzat boy," he says softly with tightness in his voice.

"You were listening to my conversation?" I state and he looks away while running a hand through his hair.

I wonder what it feels like… I bet it's soft… but thick enough to really tug on it. If I ask him I wonder if he'll let me do it. I nearly ask him if I can touch his hair but he speaks before I get a chance.

"I overheard."

"It's surprising that you could hear anything over all the yelling you were doing," I reply with an eyebrow arched.

"She should not be my partner," he says angrily, like him being paired with Pearl was unjust and cruel. I would agree with him, of course. "Madam Violette is pairing dze weaker people with dze strong," he says and I frown. I am most definitely the weaker person with me and Gabe.

Well, darn again.

"But dzat does not matter," he says as he waves his hand dismissively. "You should not date him because I know dzat Gabriel likes men."

"Oh," I say because I already knew that and I tilt my head as Xavier shifts uncomfortably. Why in the world would he tell me that? I try to figure out what else to say but when Xavier's almost green, sometimes brown, eyes look into mine I think I figured it out. "Oh," I say again, like I understood.

This is the worst day in the world.

First it's the auditions, and then Kendra talking about my Jeremiah, and then charming Gabriel turning out to be gay, and now… now I find out that Xavier has a crush on my dancing partner. I'm not against homosexuality, but right now I find it annoying that _two_ beautiful boys in my class like the same sex. How unfair!

I find myself scowling just because I don't like the fact that even Xavier is so unattainable, so I cross my arms. "Don't worry, it's not a real date," I tell him crossly. He looks into my eyes again, searching my face. "We're just hanging out as friends."

He looks pleased and I roll my eyes.

"He has a boyfriend though, Xavier," I feel like being nice and warning him just in case he wants to make a move, because I'm a good person and all that rot, "but I could ask him what he thought about you. If you wanted, that is."

That's what girls do… I'm not sure how a gay male relationship would work, but I figure it's similar. It could be a good learning experience for me. Even though, I have admit, that my heart hurts a little at the idea of Xavier being with someone else.

He opens and closes his mouth a few times like he didn't understand what I said and was slowly processing it. Then his eyes widen.

"You… you dzink," he pauses a moment and rubs his face. "Non, you misunderstand. I am not… I do not like men." He looks terribly flustered right now and I figure it's because he hasn't come out of the closet yet and doesn't want anyone to know right away.

"It's okay," I tell him gently, trying to be nice. "I won't say anything."

Now he looks angry.

"Non, you, I am not homosexual," he says, his accent becoming thicker with his anger. "I did not want you going widz 'im, because I did not want _you_ to go."

I don't think that makes much sense, so I raise an eyebrow. "Well, why not?"

"Because," he looks away and tightens his jaw as his fingers fiddle with the strap of his bag. "Because." He starts and stops himself a few more times before his eyes flick to mine and then to a place slightly over my shoulder. "Because you should not have relationships with your partner, everyone knows dzat," he finishes sharply and now I'm more confused.

"But some of the best dance partners were lovers," I reply and Xavier narrows his eyes at me. "What? It's true. Flavia and Hadden Lacrosse were two of the best and they were married for years."

"Well, you cannot marry Gabriel because he does not like girls," he says angrily, like it would wound me, and then he brushes past me with an angry scowl on his face. "Even if you wanted to," he finished before leaving the room.

He probably said that to rub it in my face.

I follow him into the hallway because I refuse to let him leave me confused and upset like that. "You are very rude, did you know that?" I snap as we get into the hallway. He's walking so fast that I have to jog to keep up with him, but it's not like I'll just let him get away.

"And you are an insufferable flirt," he says and my eyebrows shoot up. I'm half tempted to laugh at him because of the way he pronounces flirt, but I'm too angry at the comment to.

"I am not a flirt," I tell him and he glances at me from the corners of his eyes as we practically run down the hallway, him to get away from me, and me to get closer to him.

"Oui, you are always laughing and smiling… and touching," he sneers and I laugh because he's ridiculous. "It makes me want to make sick."

"Well, how terribly horrible for you. Laughing… smiling… touching… how sickeningly horrid."

He mumbles something nasty in French under his breath and when we reach the front doors I grab his arm so I can look at him. "What's wrong with you?" I ask him, I finally ask him after years of atomicity. "Why don't you like me? I'll have you know that many people like me. I'm quite a lovely person."

He looks me over again and shakes his head. He's silent for a long time and then he finally sighs, giving me a warm searching look in the eyes. "J'adore—"

"Xavi?"

We both turn towards the voice that just walked into the studio. A middle aged man in a dirty blue jump suit looks at us and he quickly takes off his hat and wrings it with his hands. He looks very uncomfortable and parts of his jump suit and skin are covered in oil like grease, like he was working hard on a machine all day. I would be able to recognize those eyes any where, though, they're the same hazel ones that Xavier has. This must be his father.

Xavier nods to the man and then flicks a glance at me after the man asks him if he's ready to leave. "Oui," he comments softly before walking over to the man, but I won't let them get away that fast.

"Bonjour," I say brightly as I walk over to Xavier and the older gentleman. "Je m'appelle Evleyn."

The man smiles at me as Xavier looks away and pretends like I'm not walking over to shake his father's hand. "Louis," he answers in response.

He has a kind smile and a nice face. He's also very tall, almost taller than my father and his body is thick, with sun tanned hands and wrinkles around his eyes. I smile at the sprinkles of grey in his hair as I hold out my hand for him to take. He goes to it, but then he holds up his hand and smiles.

"I am not so clean or I would take your hand," he says in the same thick accent that Xavier has.

"Well, it's nice to meet you anyways. Are you Xavier's father?" I ask, kind of already knowing the answer to that question.

He nods his head and smiles at his son who is looking more and more uncomfortable the longer we stand here. "So, this ez Evie?" He asks his son and I think it very polite that he's speaking English for me…. I could hold my own in a French conversation, but it's good manners none the less.

Xavier tightly nods his head and says something about having to go home, but his father says it's nonsense before looking back at me and smiling. See, I am likable. "I 'ave heard much about you from my son," he says, adding a proud smile and I snort.

"I hope it wasn't too terrible." I can just imagine the things he had to say about me, considering what a dull sour puss he is.

Like the one time he told me that my laugh reminded him of the sound of kitten's being murdered. Who has ever heard a kitten being murdered anyways?

"He ez fond of you," he says and Xavier grabs his father's arm, telling him they have to leave now in a panicked voice. "I can see why now." Louis is obviously trying to be kind to me so I give him a warm smile. "You are quite pretty."

"Père," Xavier scolds in an irritated voice. "We must leave."

"You should come to our home one evening," he says and it surprises me. Xavier's father's kind eyes linger on my face, ignoring the hostile glare he's receiving from his son. "Have dinner."

"That would be grand," I tell him honestly, just to see the inflamed look on Xavier's face. Just then I see Mom walk through the door, her cloak is holding on to droplets of rain and she shakes her hood off when she gets inside. "Mom," I say with a smile as she shakes out her rain boots on the rug.

"It is pouring outside," she said in response to the rain, "And I've been waiting out there, what on earth have you been doing?"

I guess I forgot to tell her about the auditions too, and to cover it I smile and grab her arm so I can introduce her to Louis LesFramboise. "Mom, this is Xavier's father, Louis." It's strange… I've been taking classes with Xavier for most of my life but I've never even seen his father before this… of course he always hated me, but still.

"Oh." My mom gets flustered when put on the spot and she gives the man a half smile. "Hi."

"Mrs. Malfoy," he gives her a proper English title and I smile at him for it. He shows her his greased hands so he doesn't think he's rude for not taking her hand. "Xavi told me about your son," he says, wringing the hat a little bit more and looking earnestly at my Mother. "Your Cassius? I am sorry for your loss."

"Thank you," Mom says softly, it still catches her off guard when people mention Cassius and that he's dead now. She looks to me and smiles tightly. "What are all the people doing here, Evelyn?"

"Well, you see, I forgot that auditions for the show were today, so that's why everyone is here."

She blinks at me and frowns before sighing, "Oh, well, how did you do?" she asks, sounding disappointed that she wasn't able to make a big deal over it now that it was said and done.

I shrug.

"I was just asking your Evie if she wanted to have dinner with us sometime," Xavier's Dad says and Mom raises her eyebrows and looks at me to judge my reaction. "Xavi is constantly speaking of her," Mom smiles a little as _Xavi _puts his hands on his face. I laugh at him because he looks so silly, but mom nudges me so I stop.

"Stop talking," Xavier mutters to his father who sends him a look. "Just stop speaking."

"I am only trying to help," he says with a sly smile and then he sends another look to my Mom who smiles, sharing his look, seeming to find this funny as well. She puts her arm around me and gently squeezes my shoulder. "I cook pretty well for an old man."

"I'm going outside," Xavier mutters angrily with a red face and he stomps outside without looking back.

"Oh, I fear I've upset him," Louis says as he looks at the door that his son just slammed. I bite my tongue because I wanted to tell him that it doesn't take much to upset him. In fact, you could probably breathe in a way that he didn't like and it would upset him. "He's so sensitive," he says with an eye roll and I agree with him. He looks at me and gives me a crooked smile. "His Modzer left when he was just a boy and he's never been quite the same."

"Oh," Mom says, she always says that when people share too much information with her and I slink out of her embrace so I can go outside to avoid their conversation that's bound to be long and boring. "That's… well, that's too bad." Is all my mother thought up to say.

"He does not make friends easily," he admits and I'm glad that Xavier is no longer here because he would be terribly embarrassed right about now. Parents never realize when they say too much. "But he is constantly speaking of dzis girl," he motions to me and I smirk.

"I'm sure Evelyn would love to go to dinner at your house sometime," Mom says in the kind voice she uses with strangers. "We'll have to set something up," Mom adds, trying to get away, but Louis LesFramboise is a talker.

"Oui," he says with a nod of his head. "So, are you a big fan of the ballet?" He asks as he starts to wipe his hands off on his jump suit to make them appear cleaner.

"Um, well, yes, I think it's quite beautiful. Of course, Evelyn's Grandmother was very into the whole thing," she says and then he nods his head.

"I never know what dze big deal with it ez, but my Xavi loves it…"

They go on talking and I become extremely bored because they're both so awkward, so I slip away and go outside. It is pouring down rain, so I pull my sweat shirt from my bag and I zip it on, flipping the hood over my head as I look around for Xavier. I find him leaning against the brick building across the street and I sigh because he looks so depressed and miserable. He has his arms crossed and he's soaked trough by the rain because he's a fool who didn't cover up or try to find shelter.

I put my bag over my head for extra protection as I stomp over to him, stepping into puddles with my flip flopped feet. "Are you crazy?" I snap when I'm close enough. He flicks soaking hair out of his eyes so he can glare at me. "You can get sick, you know."

He ignores me, which he usually does, but it'd bloody irritating.

"Well?" I press.

He turns away from me to glare at the buildings.

"You are ridiculous."

No response.

"You look like a wet dog."

Still ignoring me.

"You smell bad."

Nothing.

"Your ears are too big for your head."

Silence.

"Oh, look, your Dad is coming out," That makes him look at me and I smile. "See, you aren't a statue after all."

"Leave me alone, Eveleen," he says with chattering teeth and I shake my head like he was stupid.

"Why should I? I'm just trying to help." He makes an irritated sound and I step closer to him. "Now look, your shivering." I tell him as I put my bag down on a concrete step and I unzip my own sweat shirt. The rain immediately drenches my hair and face, but I suppose I don't mind. "It was rather stupid of you to come out here wearing nothing but that," I tell him, nodding to the tank top and pants he has on.

I go to hand him my sweatshirt but he snorts at it. "Dzat will not fit," he says with a barely there smile turning his lips as he stares at the purple hoodie. "I am sure I possess more body heat dzan you," he adds.

"I suppose you're right," I tell him as I look over his muscular body. He looks good in the rain, I will admit. "If I had my wand with me I could change the size. I take my sisters clothes all the time. She's a little bigger than me so I always have to shrink them a bit. I'm pretty good at it by now," I tell him as I put the hoddie back on and zip it up the front.

"What my père said to you was not true," He says softly, changing the subject. It catches me off guard and I squint my eyes because it's starting to rain harder. "I do not speak of you all the time."

When I laugh he looks at me with his brows knitted together. "Of course you don't," I say with a smile. "I believe you would be quite satisfied if I didn't exist at all," I say honestly and then I sneeze. "Well, I'm going inside before I get sick. If you want to stay out here in the rain like a loon, than so be it. I'm pretty sure Pearl Hunnington will be sorely disappointed if you showed up to your next practice with a runny nose, though."

He scoffs at the idea and I pick up my bag. "Ta ta, Xavier. See you in two weeks," I give him a little wave and I half run back towards the ballet studio to get in inside to fend off the rain.

Before I can reach the door to open it, though, I hear splashing behind me and then a loud splat sound. When I turn around to see what the commotion is, I start laughing when I see Xavier wrestling his way out if a large rain puddle.

"Did you fall?" I ask. He's all covered in mud now and he looks hilarious. He looks up to me before slipping on some mud again and splashing water around him. "Here, let me help you," I say as I put my bag down by the door.

"Non," he says like the proud peacock that he is as he tries to get up once again. "I've got it."

I pick up his bag and hold it far away from me because it's covered in mud. "You're going to need a nice long shower tonight." I tell him as he grabs his bag from me and angrily stands up straight. If I didn't know any better I would say he was blushing. "Not that it would improve much," I say jokingly and that's when I get a chest full of mud. "Hey!" I yell as I wipe off the mud ball that he rudely flung at me. "I was only kidding."

He tilts his chin up and starts walking towards the door. I love that he thinks I would just let him walk away after he threw mud at me. Honestly, how thick is he? Considering I'm already soaking wet and partially covered in mud, I have no problems getting myself a little bit dirty, so I bend down and scoop up some mud from the road and I fling it with all my might right at the French man's back.

He freezes and when he turns back around I cross my arms and pop out my hip, which girls usually do while making a point. I don't even care that there are goosebumps on my skin right now. A mud fight sounds like fun. I wonder if we can pull any one else into it.

"Mistake," Is all he says, like he it would scare me, before he slings his bag over his shoulder and goes to get himself a handful of mud to throw at me.

"You have to catch me first," I tell him with a smirk and I take off running. I sorely hope my Mother and his father are having a long boring discussion right now, because things just got terribly interesting.

I hear him running behind me as I sprint down the road, the rain making my vision blurry and my shoes nearly coming off with my speed. I turn a corner down an empty alley way as I giggle to myself a lean against the wall to catch my breath. There are iron stair wells and small little roofs slanting off the buildings, so I'm blocked from the rain which makes me cross my arms when I realize how cold it is. When I peek my head around the building to see where he is, I only spot a few people with umbrellas running down the road to avoid the rain. No Xavier.

"Where?" I whisper to myself as I try to spot him hiding somewhere among the buildings and trees.

And then something cold and slimy gets mashed into my face.

I hear a rumbling laughter as I wipe off as much of the mud as I can and I swirl around to glare at Xavier. Who was somehow able to sneak up behind me with out me noticing, which his highly suspicious and not very fair.

"No fair," I tell him as he laughs and I try to get the mud out of my eye. "You're not allowed to go for the face."

"I do not know dzose rules," he says, sounding very merry and cheery that he got me in the face with mud. Jerk face.

I try to get the dirt out of my eye by wiping the back of my hands against it, but it only makes it worse and my eye starts to sting from the intrusion.

"Don't go anywhere," I tell him as I try to get the foreign element out of my eye so I don't start crying from the pain. "I'm going to get you back as soon as this stops hurting."

"Let me help," he says gently but I take a step back and try to clean myself with my sweat shirt.

"I think you've done enough, sir," I tell him as I blink a few times. It really does hurt. Stupid Xavi, not knowing the rules of a mud fight. "I just need something dry," I say more to myself than to him.

"Let me help," he repeats again, this time he gets close enough to trap me against the wall and with my good eye I see him unzip his muddy gym bag. He removes a small towel and I reach out for it, because stupid me thought he was going to hand it to me, but he batted my hand away.

"I can see better dzan you," He says like it made sense and he tilted my chin back and started to clean off the mud from my face.

"It's my left eye," I tell him as he carefully runs the somehow dry towel along my cheeks and nose.

"Dze red and puffy one?" He smirks and I nod my head. "Dzanks for informing me."

"Well, you aren't the smartest Frenchman I've ever met," I tell him as I cross my arms, letting him clean my face and fix my eye like I was a child.

He makes an amused sound and his breath comes out warm on my face. "I am sorry dzat I hurt you," he says sincerely and it's kind of funny because he's such a mean person. His words can hurt more than any amount of mud he could fling. "but I am not sorry I got mud on your face because it made me laugh."

I roll my good eye and resist pushing him back because he's cleaning me, which goes against his arrogant, usually nasty personality.

"Well, joy for you, then," I tell him. Once he decides that my face is sufficiently clean and the mud is gone from my eye, he lets the towel lower, but he doesn't step back to give me breathing room. "Thank you for cleaning me off," I tell him, thinking it funny to say such a thing to a person. "We should head back. Our parents are probably done talking."

He doesn't move.

"They're probably looking for us."

Still he stays put, with his eyes searching my face like my expression was suppose to give him some kind of answer.

I smile, "Oh, look, you have mud on your face too," I tell him, having noticed the splatter on his jaw because he's still standing so bloody close to me. He does nothing as I gently tug the towel free from his hand and I bring it up to his face, using a clean section to clean off the small mud splats that were resting along his strong jaw and cheek bone. I imagine he would have been a beautiful sculpture. "What a mess," I say with a click of my tongue as he stares at me like I was some fascinating alien from another planet. "Do you suppose that—"

I was about to say something dreadfully funny and witty about him being part toad and liking the mud and rain, but I didn't finish that hilarious observation because he brought his head down and he kissed me.

It takes me a moment to actually process what is happening and I don't even close my eyes because I'm kind of in shock. So I stare at his closed eye, noticing he has beautifully dark eyelashes and the most adorable mole on his cheek. His hair is wet and it clings to his ear and the side of his face and neck, like he just got out of the bath or shower. My whole body tenses and hums when he brings his hand up to my neck and I almost giggle because I was kissing him…. Xavier, out of all people.

In fact, it was so funny that I _did_ start laughing.

He pulled back when he noticed I was giggling and I brought a hand up to cover my mouth so I didn't laugh out loud in his face.

He knitted his eyebrows as he looked me over and then he stepped back. He looks terribly hurt and he blinks a few times before storming off.

"Oh, no," I say as I chase after him. "I wasn't laughing at you," I tell him, because I know I hurt his feelings and for some reason that hurts me too.

I have to jog to keep up with him and when I grab his arm to stop him this time he throws me off.

"I wasn't laughing at you," I tell him, more seriously this time because I can tell I really did hurt him. "I just thought it was funny that we were kissing because you hate me." I tell him as I jog after him.

He keeps walking so I jump in front of him to block his way. Rain is dripping down the tip of his nose and running tracks down his skin. I feel so bad right now for laughing so when he tries to step around me, I slide in front of him, and I keep doing that until he breaks by making a frustrated sound and finally looking right at me.

"Get out of dze way," he says sharply like he wasn't just kissing me a few moments ago.

"I'm sorry I hurt your feelings," I tell him honestly. He's looking past me so I grab his hand so he'll look at me. "I really didn't mean to."

"You did not hurt me. Now move before I push you," he grabs his hand back and I sigh.

"You wouldn't push me," I say with an eye roll. He actually probably would judging by the look on his face, but oh well. I'll take my chances. "You can kiss me again and I won't laugh," I tell him and he shakes his head.

"I do not need a pity kiss," he says and then he takes the opportunity to step past me.

I grab him again and spin him around. "I want you to kiss me." I say seriously, but he doesn't believe me because he shakes his head and looks upset. I really do mean it, though. I've wanted to kiss him for a while now but I had to ruin it. "Oh, Xavi, I am serious. You just took me by surprise and I laugh in most nervous situations."

"I feel like a fool," he admits in a low voice and I almost touch his face to get that miserable look off, but someone says my name before I get a chance to.

"Evelyn," I turn around and when I see my Mom there I frown. "We have to go," she says seriously, with her hood up to protect herself from the rain as she walks over to me, with Xavier's father by her side. I notice that she's holding my bag that I had discarded by the door. "You're soaked, you're going to get sick," she says as she pulls me into her cloak with her, with her arm around my shoulder.

"I'm fine," I say with a shrug as I look at Xavier as he messes with his wet hair to avoid looking at anyone. I feel sad right now, and I don't like feeling sad.

"Let's go home," she says, and then she says goodbye to Xavier's Father before walking me towards the Apparation point as Xavier's Dad starts to speak to him in a quiet voice. "What on earth were you doing?" she asks and I look at her as she takes out her wand. "You're filthy."

I look down at my muddy clothes and then I look over my shoulder again as Xavier says something to his father before shaking his head and following him down the street.

"I don't know," I say with a sigh before she Apparates us home.

_**Gavin**_

It's a dreary fucking day in Knockturn Alley.

"It's raining pretty bad out there," the waitress says as she pours more coffee into my cup. I nod my head and stare out the window of the café with my eyes slightly narrowed.

"Indeed it is," I say as I roll my wand around on my lap under the table. The waitress hovers by my table, no doubt wanting more of my attention but I'm not willing to give her much right now and she sighs before walking away.

I flick a glance down at the paper on my table, at some financing article that I wanted to read, before focusing back outside on the rain drenched pedestrians who are scurrying with their umbrella's and raincoats to get into the safety warmth of the shops near by. I let an evil little smirk come to my face when I see a stupid looking boy on a skateboard zoom down the cobble stone street with his long hair slicked to his head from the rain. I send a silent curse his way and when he runs face first into a nearby brick wall I laugh a little.

Kelvin Marcello gets up and looks around him, whipping his head around like a dog who just got hit by a stranger as he picks up his skateboard and glares at the woman who stopped to help him up.

"Can I get you anything else today, Mr. Malfoy?" The waitress is back with her soft smile and dark eyes and I send her one amused look before setting my money on the table and leaving the café without another word.

I keep my eyes on Marcello as he cusses and wipes his bloody nose on his too tight black shirt as I put on my leather gloves and throw up the hood of my cloak. With one final sneer towards the wall he ran into, he hops back onto the board and starts rolling down the street. I follow him with my wand ready in my pocket and he must sense he's being tracked because he keeps sending nervous looks over his shoulder as he zooms past the people with their rain gear on.

Finally, when we reach the twisted roads at the heart of Knockturn he stops all together and turns around with his wand held high. "Alright, you, what do you want?" he asks like he was some big bad wand dueler with one foot on his skateboard to keep it in place.

I smile as I approach and drop my hood so he can see my face. When he sees me, he pales but his wand hand stays steady.

"What do you want?" He repeats again, putting more emphasis on the _you_ part. I see his wild eyes dance around the little road way we're in. No one is out here, no one is coming, and the rain would wash out the evidence. At least, that's what I hope he's thinking.

"I should kill you," I tell him lightly as I take my own wand out from my pocket. With out warning I disarm him and his wand clanks against the wall a few feet away. "You're lucky my girlfriend got out or you would be dead right now."

"Listen, man," he says as he kicks his skateboard away, letting it roll down the road like it was a weapon that he was handing over. The rain clanks against he tin roofs nearby and my hair gets heavier the wetter I get, so I push it out of my eyes with a gloved hand. "We thought you left, alright? We saw you leave. We didn't know anyone was inside. We just wanted to give you a scare, that's all."

"Really?" I ask with a flat voice and he nods his head, flicking little glances to his wand that's lying among a trash heap a few feet away. I summon it to me so he'll pay attention and I place it in the pocket of my vest. "Do you think you were successful?"

"What," he gulps and with his large pointy nose and beady eyes, I have to say he looks like a drowned rat. "What do you mean?"

"You said you wanted to give me a scare," I say in a calm and narrowed voice. I tilt my head to the side as he backs up against the wall. "Well, do I look afraid?"

He wants to answer the right way. I can tell he does, because he searches my face like there might be an answer to be found there and then he pulls down the cap on his head to hide his reaction from me. A stupid army cap with music notes on it, I might point out. When I cork and eyebrow he looks down and shakes his head.

"I can't hear you," I state as I place my own wand back in my pocket and I take a step closer to him.

He's one of those guys who think it's cool and new age to wear eyeliner and the rain has made most of it smudge and run down his face in black streaks. He looks like a cheap whore who just got paid for an all-nighter. I resist the urge to tell him that too.

"It was just… it was stupid. You shouldn't have destroyed our stuff. Now we're even."

That flairs my temper and I lunge at him, pinning him against the wall with my hand around his neck. His cap goes flying off of his head and his eyes bulge in surprise.

"You fucking idiot," I spit out nastily as he closes his eyes and tries to claw at the hand around his throat with his ring fingered hands. It annoys me so I knee him in the stomach and I tighten my grip around his neck, cutting off his air until he stops. "The only reason why I burned your bloody guitar and your moron friend's measly possessions was because of the terrible disrespect you showed my brother," I tell him with clenched teeth as he blinks and stares at my jaw, like avoiding my eyes would save his life. "This is all your fucking fault. Do you have any idea who you're messing with?"

When he doesn't say anything in response I pull his neck forward and then slam his head back against the wall behind him. He hisses and screws up his face in pain as his skull cracks against the unforgiving brick.

"Hey, I'm sorry, alright? Let go, man. You're hurting me."

"Do you know what the penalty for arson with homicidal intent is?" I ask, staring into his rat like face, hoping to burn a hole into his skin. He doesn't answer so I bash his head against the wall again. "Do you?"

"We didn't want to kill no one," he says in panic and I sneer.

"You didn't want to _kill no one_?" I repeat back his stupid sentence and then I make him look at me. "You set fire to an apartment building with hundreds of tenants living inside." He gives me a blank look and I shake my head. "Look at it this way. If you're brought before the wizengamot and your only defense is _we didn't want to kill no one_...do you think they'll believe that? Or will they believe me when I testify against you and your fucking retard friends?"

"Please, I think I'm bleeding," he says as he closes his eyes in pain. "I can feel the wetness on my hair."

"It's raining you bloody moron," I say in a disbelieving voice and to show my annoyance I crack his head again.

"Oh, shit," he says with a whine as he puts his head to the side and closes his eyes. I think he might start crying soon, so I let my hand loosen around his neck and I step away from him. I really don't need to watch a bloody grown man cry. "Oh, shit," he repeats again as he brings his hand up to his face and I roll my eyes as I take out his wand.

"Here's what I'm proposing," I tell him and his eyes shoot to me in surprise as I twirl his wand with my fingers. "I won't go to the Auror's on one condition."

"What's that?" he asks brokenly as he rubs the back of his head and neck, watching me play with his wand.

"You and whatever white trash friends of yours, who helped you set the fire, are going to pay for everything that you destroyed." Money doesn't really matter to me. I have enough of it, but it does matter to people who don't have it and I know he doesn't.

"But, come on man, you did that to us!"

I smack him with my gloved hand, unable to hold back my temper.

"I didn't say you could speak," I tell him harshly. I watch him give in and accept the situation before I start twirling the wand again. I think of Cassius, I think of my Dad, I think of my Mom and of Addison and I let my temper cool. "This is how much you owe me," I tell him, reaching into the pocket and taking out a small piece of paper.

When I hand it to him and he reads the number, his eyes go wide. "I can't… I won't be able to even pay a fifth of this," he says seriously.

"That doesn't surprise me," I say and when he gives me a pleading look I narrow my eyes. "I'm a Malfoy," I tell him arrogantly. "Do you think I would own cheap things?"

"I don't know… we won't be able to do this," he says as he stares at the number on the paper and then he looks at me. "No one I know can even get close to this type of money." I watch him shift uncomfortably, trying to find a way out of this before he finally sighs and slumps his shoulders.

"Do you want to go to Azkaban and have it be on your record forever that you're an attempted murderer, or do you want to pay me?"

"Neither," he whispers and it is the answer I was waiting for.

"I can give you one more option," I tell him and he reluctantly looks to me again. "A Blood Oath."

He screws up his face again. "For what?" he asks and I roll my eyes. His stupidity knows no bounds.

"Loyalty," I tell him and he looks surprised. "You'll make a Blood Oath to me, promising that you'll never go against me again and you will do whatever I want, whenever I want."

He looks troubled now and I watch his face go through a range of emotions before he sets his jaw and looks at me. "Don't you think this is all getting a little out of hand?"

"My girlfriend is pregnant," I state, letting him attempt to understand why I told him that. "If she wouldn't have gotten out of the building she would have died, along with my daughter, and I take that very seriously. Now, are you going to do the blood oath or not?"

"What kind of stuff are you going to make me do?" he asks, like he thinks I would rape or something equally as distasteful if he agreed to the Oath. Like he was all that bloody tempting.

"That's for me to decide," I snap. I really don't know what I intend to do if he agrees. Sometimes, with life, I feel like I'm playing chess… and I always like to get my pieces into position to help me win. Hold your friends close and enemies closer, right? "What's your decision?"

He doesn't say anything so I sigh and start walking away. "Hey, man, where are you going?" he asks and I glance over my shoulder and keep walking. I count slowly in my head and when I reach three he starts running after me. "Listen," I turn around and face with him with my arms crossed. "I'll do that Blood Oath thing, as long as you promise not to make me kill anyone or do anything really gross or anything."

I raise an eyebrow.

"Alright?"

I pretend to think it over in my head. The idea of the Blood Oath came to me last night when I was having dinner with my father. He had his shirt sleeves rolled up revealing the scorched mark on his forearm. It is mostly faded now, and the outline of the snake and skull just looks like a faded red scar and when I asked him if it still hurt he said no, but it use to hurt like hell when the Dark Lord was still alive. When I asked him what it was like to get it and what it meant, he said it was like a more powerful version of a Blood Oath and when I asked him what a Blood Oath was exactly, he said it was a way to control the people around you. It sounded like a good idea to control the idiots who burned down my flat... even if it was only to stop them from doing stupid ass things all the time.

"Hold out your arm," I told him as I reached into my pocket and took out a pocket knife.

He was reluctant to do so, but the look on my face must have changed his mind because he quickly pulled back his sleeve and then held out his arm for me. I gave him a look before grabbing his hand and slicing his palm with the knife. He whimpers and goes to cover the wound, but I hold his hand steady and smack away his other arm that was coming up to cover the cut. Blood coats his hand and I watch it bleed for a few moments, trying not to feel light headed because I hate blood. I inhale and breathe deeply trying not to faint. If I did it would kind of ruin the intimidation I was able to achieve with him today. After I get my head on straight, I tell him the words he has to say as I take off one of my gloves and slice my own palm. I wince before grabbing his hand and letting our blood mingle together as I say the dominate part of the spell.

I can feel the magic heating up our joined hands and I make him repeat all of the things I expect from him so the spell will work. When it's over and the heat leaves my hand, I throw his hand back to him and use his wand to heal the cut on my own.

"If you have AIDS or some other blood disease I will kill you and bring you back just to kill you again," I tell him as I wipe off the remaining blood on my cloak. "I want you to keep something in mind," I tell him as he stares at me with wide eyes, like he just sold his soul to the devil and didn't get a very good deal for it. "I wanted to murder you, I was going to… but the thought would never have crossed my brother's mind no matter what you did to him. He was a good person, you shouldn't have disgraced his memory like you did," He nods his head, right now he would probably agree with anything I said. "and if you ever, _ever_, try to hurt my fiancée again, directly or indirectly, I'll make sure your life is complete and utter hell, do you understand."

He gulps and nods his head.

"Go home now, and I don't want to ever see or hear from you again unless I want to."

He nods his head and takes off running down the twisted roadways. I watch him go before looking down at the wand in my hands. It's obviously cheaper than the one I own and there are teeth marks along the handle. I crinkle my nose in disgust before snapping it in two and dropping it in a puddle as I walk away.

I feel a little bit better actually. The whole good Karma thing is going down the toilet now, I suppose. When I glance down to the intersection where Knockturn meets Diagon I see a woman in a fire orange cloak walk by holding hands with a taller man in green, apparently oblivious to the pouring rain and I shake my head before taking out my own wand to Apparate.

When I get back to the beach house, Dad is in the front room, reading the paper. I smile at him before walking by, but he calls me back to hand me a letter. I look down at the white envelope, tempted to crush it up because I told myself I would never speak to Terrance again after the incident with Addison, but curiosity gets the better of me and I open it up as I walk towards my room to change out of the wet clothes I'm in.

I stop walking totally when I read the contents of the letter and I narrow my eyes at the words Terrance wrote with heat rising in my cheeks.

Perhaps I'll have to take advantage of that blood oath sooner than expected.

_**Lavinia**_

I heard the sound of humming when I finally awoke and the spicy sent of some kind of foreign food filled my nostrils when I opened my eyes. When I realized I had fainted earlier I brought a hand up to my face and wished I could disappear. How embarrassing was that?

"Oh, you are finally awake!"

Dr. Bailey came rushing over to me with a tray overflowing with freshly cut fruits and vegetables and a large bowl of some kind of soup. I sat up and tried to seem like fainting wasn't something to be mortified about as I smiled uncomfortably and looked around the new room I was in. The bed I was on was literally just a mattress on the floor and the walls were decorated with large woven tapestries of wild patterns and books shelves lined every available space. It was a very small and depressing little area.

"When was the last time you ate, dear girl?" He asked, blinking his large eyes at me as he smiled down. Sitting on the floor like this made me come up to his chin and I noticed again how ridiculously short he was.

"Um, well, I think yesterday morning… Maybe."

He tisked his tongue at me and dipped the spoon in the bowl of soup on my lap. "Eat up, then. An adventure isn't much of an adventure with an empty tummy."

"Thank you," I mumbled softly and he watched me as I took the spoon from him and lifted the steaming soup to my mouth and took a sip.

He smiled and turned around; humming to himself as he busied himself doing something I couldn't see. I held it in as long as possible before spitting the soup back into the bow, trying to cover the noise with a delicate cough. It tasted terrible and the spice burned my tongue. I tried not to gag.

I looked around the room again as I started eating the safer options on the tray and I noticed that something very significant was missing.

"Um, Dr. Bailey," I said softly and he stopped humming and smiled at me over his shoulder. "Where is Byron?"

"Oh, don't worry. Your lover should be back shortly." I smiled at the wording he used to describe Byron and I looked down at my lap as I ate a carrot. "He should be back soon I imagine, you slept for quite a while."

I looked down at my watch and frowned. I was out for a while, considering it was already dark out. "Oh," I said softly, trying not to sound disappointed.

"You know, you have quite a lovely snoring pattern."

My eyes shot to his when he said that, but he wasn't looking at me. "I don't snore," I told him, feeling the need to defend myself against such an allegation.

"Not too loud, of course, you are a lady after all. But I found the slight noises you were making quite therapeutic."

"Right," I muttered because I was convinced he was a weirdo and I tried not to feel insulted. I do not snore, after all. After eating most of the things on the tray, avoiding the soup, I put it to the side and stood up, patting down my dress to get out the crinkles. "Well, do you need help with anything?" I asked just because it seems polite because I was pretty sure it was his room I was in.

"No, no, I'm just finishing up some writings before I tuck in for the night," he answered and I looked around the room again just so I had something to do. There were only two windows along the right side, with fogged glass framed with blue curtains, and a large fireplace by a small kitchen area with a floo pot attached to the mantle. It was like a studio apartment.

"Where do you sleep?" I asked because if I was truly sleeping on his only bed I would have felt terrible.

"On the roof."

He said that like it was a natural thing to do so I left it at that. I vaguely wondered how I got here, considering when I fainted I was pretty sure we were in his office… but I didn't want to know, really. It was probably embarrassing. We fell into silence with his scratching of the quill as the only noise as I walked about the room and tried to look interested in scrolls and books that were on the shelves. I tugged my dress down a little further and sent a furtive glance to the Doctor because I had realized I was still knickerless, so I hoped they didn't see anything when I was transferred here. I jumped when he coughed and I looked to him, biting my lip as I built up courage to talk first.

"So, what are you writing about?" I asked and he smiled down at his papers before looking at me.

"Nothing too important just yet, just a theory really," I nodded my head and sat down on one of the little wooden stools that were by a window. It was night out, and the moon looked so bright. "You know, you can do something to help out your Bryon."

My Byron, I liked that. "What's that?" I asked as I watched the way the candle light lit his face, making the wrinkles appear even deeper.

He smiled again and held up a folder. "Paige Montgomery. Poor Mr. Flint was too involved with you to remember to look through it before he left."

I nodded my head and took the folder from him, taking one of the silver candle holders and walking back towards the bed to sit down. I placed the candle on the floor and hesitated one second before opening the manila folder.

"Just so we're straight, I did not let you look in there," he said between humming to himself and working on his writing theory… thing… "Confidentiality and all that. There's a bit more info in there that I requested from the board office, so be careful with it."

"I understand," I told him as I looked down at the transcripts and job history that made Paige Montgomery who she was.

I lift one of the transcripts from Durmstrang and I narrow my eyes at what's written there. I can't read it, because I don't know Russian… or whatever language it's in, and I sigh in annoyance before flipping to another page that may actually help me.

"She was British, right?" I ask because most of the things I'm reading aren't in English at all.

"Hm, yes I dare say she was," Dr. Bailey answers in a soft voice before humming loudly again.

She went to some college I've never heard of and, as I was sorting through some papers, I frowned as I read about the various foster homes she was in. I felt kind of bad digging into all of that, but if it would help than I should do it. As I read more about her I started to feel pity for the poor girl. She lived in southern England with muggle parents until she was seven. The whole family was in a car crash that sent their vehicle over a bridge and into the water. Her Mother, Father, and little brother all died and she was in a coma for two weeks before waking up with no memory of her past life and she even had trouble understanding English. She had to go through extensive therapy to learn things all over again.

It made me sad.

It was also noted in her papers that her name didn't appear in the magical books of schools until the bridge accident, before she wasn't considered a magical child. Usually as soon as a magical child is born it's scribbled down in those books and it goes according to your area or parents discretion what school you attend. Her foster parents didn't seem inclined to send her to any.

She was in and out of different foster homes until she was finally adopted by Mr. and Mrs. Montgomery when she was twelve, they were both muggles and she didn't actually start school until she was sixteen. The rest of the papers I couldn't read because they were in the language I couldn't understand so I closed the folder and tried to piece together information to see if any of it could actually help. I wasn't even sure what the girl looked like because there were no pictures, so it was hard to picture her as a real person.

"Well, I'm going to tuck in for the night," I looked up at Bailey as he stood and smoothed out his clothes. "The loo is through there if you need to go," he said pointing towards one of the hanging tapestries that I realized hid another room. "My home is rather small as you can see. Trying to live the minimalist life and all that," he says before bidding me goodnight while opening one of the windows.

I watched him climb out and figured he was going onto the roof to sleep. I wasn't going to question it so I just waited around for Byron to get back. I tried to busy myself with things around the small room… house… that I was in, but there wasn't much to entertain me until I spotted Byron's Journal laying on top of my bag in the corner. Maybe it's because Byron is constantly with it… maybe that's why there's such a pull to look through it. I picked up the leather book and sat back down on the bed as I carefully flipped through it. Most of the passages I had already read in my anger after his drunken meanness towards me, so I wasn't too surprised by what was there.

I just had to wonder how long he had the thing because it looked very old and used, and he had it for as long as I knew him. It just seems like he would run out of pages by now. On one of the front pages was a list of dates and after doing the math in my head I figured that the dates went back to when he was ten or eleven. I looked at the small dots by the numbers and I touched one, just because I felt like it.

Suddenly the book started shaking and I pushed it off my lap and watched as the pages fluttered around and eventually rested on the cold floor. "What did I just do?" I whispered to myself before eyeing the book and carefully picking it up.

I really hoped I didn't break it.

I bit my lip and prayed that I didn't do something wrong before I fearfully opened it back up. The handwriting looked a little different, it looked sloppier somehow and when I looked at the dates in the upper right corners, I realized that these pages were written when he was thirteen. Not only is it his private journal, it's also a magical object to make more space once it's full. I gently flipped through the pages of the younger Byron's mind and stopped when I spotted a picture, stuck to the page with an entry written around it in blue ink. It was of Byron and my brother, when they were obviously still in Hogwarts because they both were wearing black cloaks with the red and gold Gryffindor scarves tied around their necks to ward off the cold. It was snowing in the photo and snowflakes peppered Byron's dark hair and Cassius' red winter hat that allowed strands of blond hair whip around his face. I sighed and ran my fingers over a younger Cassius' face as he smiled at the camera and nudged the younger Byron so he would do the same.

I really did miss Cassius. I truly did love him.

I closed the book after that because I had that weird nagging feeling in my brain telling me that I was being nosy, so I set it back down on my bag where it had been before. I went back to the bed and rested my head on the pillows, waiting for Byron to come back. After a while I must have fallen asleep because I woke up a few hours later to the sound of coughing. I turned around and cracked my eyes open, noticing it was much darker than before, most of the candles had burned out and the moon had moved across the sky, no longer in the same position to shine it's light so brightly through the window. I spotted Byron sitting at a small desk, staring into the flame of the only candle lit in the room. I was going to make myself known to him, to say hi and ask if he found anything worth while, but he had such a strange look on his face that I didn't want to disturb him, so I watched as he ran his fingers over the hot flame.

I quietly sat up, but he didn't notice, and I watched closely as he flattened out his hand and then sank his palm into the flame. He kept it there, even when his jaw ticked in pain. I must have made a gasping noise because he snapped his hand back and looked up.

"I'm sorry I woke you," He said in a deep voice as I stood up and walked over to him.

I was worried about what I saw, so I sat down on his lap and took the hand he burned. "Why did you do that?" I questioned as I looked down at the red heated skin on his palm.

He shrugged as I kissed the area like it would heal it. "I was going to heal it later." I gave him a troubled look and he looked away. "Please, don't look at me like that."

I picked up his wand from the table and healed the burn on his hand before placing a gentle kiss in his lips, letting my head rest against his. "You shouldn't hurt yourself like that." I tilted my head to look into his eyes that were glassed over and dark looking as I ran my fingers through his hair to comfort him.

He searched my face before settling his gaze on my mouth and he brought up his newly healed hand to skim his fingers over my lips. He smiled a little, a wistful smile, and then he kissed me again as I put my arms around his shoulders to steady myself. I loved kissing him. I think it will never get old. When he pulled back he rested his forehead against my shoulder and I tried to calm my breathing because it always seemed to go crazy whenever he kissed me like that.

"Did you find out anything?"

He sat up straight and nodded his head. "Do you want to know what I think is strange?" I asked him what and he turned me so I was facing forward on his lap, with his chest pressing into my back. In front of me, lying on the desk was a piece of parchment covered in runes, probably from the statue. "I think it's strange that these runes are on an earring of a statue."

"Well, yeah," I replied because it _was_ strange. In fact, this whole thing we were doing was strange. My brother was dead, but we… meaning Byron…. refused to accept it, and we were trying to find a way to reverse it. If that's not bloody strange than I don't know what is.

"With a body attached, that statue would have been huge," he said, pulling out a clean sheet of paper and dipping a quill in some ink. I shifted on his lap to give him more room as he drew a large stick figure. "This is how tall it would be compared to a human," he said as he rested one hand on my waist so I wouldn't fall off of his legs while using his right hand to draw another smaller figure that was the size of the foot of the larger. "In the time in which this was built it wouldn't make sense to put a curse on something that was so far up. At first I thought it was to stop thieves from stealing it, but no one would have been able to steal something like that, and in those times they wouldn't have even tried. It wasn't made for burial or protection, it was a public statue," he said out loud, voicing his knowledge of the lives of ancient people.

"What does that mean then?"

"The curse, I've never seen or heard about it any where and I've been reading everything I could get my hands on… but, you see, in antiquity they had to use runes with small charms to get anything to work because they didn't know how to harness the magic we know with words." I nodded my head and looked down at his stick figures. That would have been a huge statue. "So the magic is old, but…"

"But it was put on the earring later," I finish and he nods his head.

"Much later."

"What does that mean, then?" I asked softly as I looked over my shoulder. He looked troubled as he knitted his eyebrows.

"I don't know," he admitted and I could tell that he hated to say it.

We sit in silence for a while he looks like he was in a whole different world until I said his name, twisting on his lap to face him again. "I read that folder on that Paige girl."

"Did you find out anything?"

"Well, from what I can tell she did go to Durmstrang. She enrolled when she was sixteen, though… I don't know why she lied to you." He nodded his head as I told him about her foster past and the death of her parents. "How did Dr. Bailey get a hold of information like that? Isn't it… you know, confidential now?"

"Bailey knows a lot of important people," he said distractingly as he looked at the far wall in thought. "Those cracks in the stone you described," he started and I nodded my head while staring down at the papers on the desk. "I noticed them too, but I don't think they're like a map," he said, pulling out another piece of paper that had a circle with random lines drawn all over it. I guessed that Byron had copied all of these things from the statue. "I think it's more of a timeline."

I didn't understand, but I pretended that I did.

"I think we only have so much time before the door closes," he said in a calm, detached voice so I tilted my head to look at him again.

"What door?"

He shrugged and sat back, rubbing his eyes. I could tell he was tired so I got off of his lap and sat on the table after clearing a small area. "Did you have much trouble when you got there?" I asked, trying to imagine him as that Elias Green guy and failing miserably. Byron is defiantly an upgrade in comparison.

"No, it was actually quite easy," he said with a quiet voice as he crossed his arms over his chest and looked at the grooves on the desk.

"Are you tired?" I asked, for some reason I had the urge to take care of him, to get that look off his face.

"It is late," he said, not really answering my question, but I accepted it anyways as I took his hand and led him towards the weird make shift bed on the ground. "Where is Bailey?" he asked as I started to unbuckle the belt on his jeans.

"Oh, the roof," I said so casually that I almost started laughing. I looked up to Byron and let a little smile come to my face. "He said that's where he sleeps," I said and Byron nodded his head as I unzipped his pants and let them fall to the ground.

When I went to pull the shirt over his head he stilled my hands. "I'm not a child, Lavinia," he said gently, like he didn't want to hurt my feelings. "You don't have to coddle me."

It took me a moment to figure out why he said that, and then I blushed. I was undressing him, but not in a sexual way. I was doing it so I could tuck him into bed. "Sorry," I mumbled as I took my hands back. I pulled a nervous hand through my hair and when it got stuck on a nest of tangles I tried to pull it out and hoped the dark made my appearance hazy and not very visible. "I'm going to the bathroom," I told him quickly as I grabbed my bag and went through the tapestry across from the bed.

The bathroom was small and minimally decorated in strange puke yellow colors that I knew would do nothing for my complexion. When I used my wand to switch on the lights I sighed at my reflection in the mirror. I looked horrendous. My hair was a mess, I was pale, and eyes looked dark and sad. I shook my head and brushed my teeth, running a brush through my thick hair a few times to get out the knots so birds wouldn't mistake it for a home in the morning. When I felt secure enough I walked back to where Byron was and saw him sitting on the bed, with his hands on his knees. The dim candle light only showed me the glowing contours of his body and my heart clenched when he breathed in deeply. I was pretty sure at that moment that I loved him more than anything.

"I have this new fear," he said, startling me out of my staring session. "I have this fear that you're going to realize I'm…" He couldn't seem to finished that sentence and he inhaled deeply again and looked at his hands. "That you're going to realize I'm not worth being with and you're going to never want to see me again. A part of me thinks you should," he says quietly. "I'm messed up, Lavinia."

I don't know why he would say such a thing, and I had to wonder what made him take that train of thought so out of the blue. I was still wearing the dress I had fainted in and it had a few little buttons down the front so I started to play with them as I watched him sit there, looking so morose and sad.

"I love you," I said it out loud for the first time and a jolt went through my body. It was such a hard thing to admit, but I did mean it. I felt like I was standing naked and exposed, but I tried to be brave. He glanced at me as I walked over and kneeled in front of him so I could have his full attention. "I've only ever loved you."

"It's sad that your standards are so low," He said and I found a little smile on my face as I put my hands on his thighs.

"But lucky for you," I joked and in the dim lighting of the lone candle I could see the corners of his lips turn up.

Then we kissed.

It was different from any kiss we'd ever shared and I found myself melting into him, never wanting it to end. I wanted to make love right then and there but the thought of the old man sleeping on the roof brought our hormones into check and we eventually fell asleep comfortably wrapped around each other in an intimate, but fully clothed, way.

We ended up staying there for two weeks.

I thought it would have been impossibly rude, but Byron and Bailey were doing some serious research together that I didn't understand at all and he was more than happy to sleep on the roof while allowing Byron and I take the bed. Even though my body is on overdrive because I've been so close to him every night, but couldn't bring myself to do anything too serious because I thought it would be disrespectful to our host.

I've only had sex with Byron, and only two times, so I wasn't such a sex addict but I found myself aching sometimes when I looked at him, knowing we weren't in a safe zone to do that. Although, under the blanket of darkness I have found out that Byron could do amazing things with his fingers and that I can hold in a moan and scream like no other. Every morning, though, Bailey would look at us in a certain way that would make my cheeks blush scarlet.

I've decided that, with all my repressed sexual desires coming to light, I've turned into some kind of sexual deviant, and I've also decided that Dr. Bailey is probably one of those saint like people, who are impossibly good no matter how weird they seem.

I feel into a deep sleep towards the end of the second week and when morning came I woke to Dr. Bailey whistling again and Byron's warmth was absent from my own. I pout and try to hold onto a sleep a little bit longer, because while they work I pretend to be busy. I found out an embarrassingly numerous amount of facts about Ancient Egyptian Mummies and their supposed after life. I open my eyes when I feel weight settle beside my hip and a hand touches my face.

"Good morning," Byron says softly as his hand caresses my skin. That wakes me in a better way and I smile while opening my eyes and stretching my arms above my head.

"Morning."

"Sorry to interrupt," we both looked to Bailey as he pushed up his glasses and holds a letter in his hands. "but this morning I was rudely awakened by a persistent owl carrying this letter. "It's addressed to," he brings the letter closer to his eyes to read it. "Lavinia Soon To Be Ex Best Friend If She Doesn't Start Answering My Damn Letters Malfoy," he looks up and blinks. "Is that you?"

Chloe.

I nod my head and take the letter from him as he smiles in an amused way at Byron. I carefully take the letter out of the envelope and my nerves start rattling, dreading the worst. I've been a terrible friend to her recently and I flick a glance up at Byron as he watches my reaction.

_Lavinia (if that's still your name) Malfoy, _

_It's my birthday today, which I thought I should remind you since you totally disappeared off of the face of the earth. I would like to point out that I invited you to my SEVETEENTH birthday party ages ago and you have already RSVP'd for the event. If you don't show up I will never speak to you again. _

_Oh yeah, I almost forgot, where the hell are you!? I hope you're not off doing something dreadfully fun and entertaining with out me. I will be pissed if that's the truth and you never told me! _

_Anyways, I expect to see you today or it will start a blood feud between us and our children and our children's children and our children's children's children—you get the idea._

_Just thought I'd remind you. _

_Love always, _

_Chloe (the only cool friend you have.)_

_P.S. I'm not ready to become part of a blood feud. I already have one annoying baby to worry about. I don't need another bother in my life, so please come to my COMING OF AGE BIRTHDAY PARTY._

_I thought I would capitalize to get my point across. _

_Excuse me while I go get ready for my party where I shall see my very best friend in the world… if she decides not to be lame._

Usually a letter like that would make me giggle, but right now I just felt sick.

"Are you okay?" That was Byron and I looked to him with my brows furrowed.

"It's Chloe's birthday today," I told him even though he should probably know because it is his littler sister, after all.

He nodded his head and looked uncomfortable. "I know."

"Her birthday party is today. Did you know that?" I ask as I remember how Chloe had raved about it for months. She was going to be of age and Beatrice and Harry were throwing her a huge party for it. It's one of the only parties of the Potter's that I was actually invited to.

"I did."

"Shouldn't we go?" I ask because he's not sounding as torn up about it as I am.

"I wasn't planning on it."

I could have hit him with the letter then, but I refrained and sat down on one of the wooden stools. "Well, I have to go. I promised. She's my friend," I said more to myself but I heard Byron sigh.

"All the Weasley's are probably going to be there," he says, like that would change my mind. "And Harry Potter," he added like I was slow and didn't know.

To be honest, a part of me was hurt that he wasn't jumping at the chance to bring me to one of his family gatherings. If we were to get married and have kids what would he do? With a pang I realized he never said he loved me back when I admitted it to him, so I filed that pain away and decided not to say it to him again until he said it first. That seemed very logical to me and it would save me some heartbreak.

"I already promised Chloe and she always does so much for me. This was the one time I was actually going to go to something of hers at her house."

"You've already been there," he pointed out and I resisted the urge to scowl at him because he wasn't being helpful at all. "With me."

"That doesn't matter," I say with a head shake. Going to his parent's house after Cassius died and jumping his bones doesn't really fit into what I'm trying to say. He's totally missing the point. "I don't have a present for her," I whispered as I tried to think about what I could do. "She's you sister, Byron," I say, looking at him and frowning.

He looks to Bailey, who is busing himself with a scroll, trying not to listen. "My family," he says softly, taking a step closer to me. "My family isn't as close as yours is."

"We should go," I say, despite whatever he just said and I ignore him while I get dressed. I fix my hair and put on makeup while Byron speaks in low whispers with Bailey with his hands on his trim waist. "I need to go to Diagon Alley," I say when I'm finished. "I have to get her a present."

I'm not good at making friends because I can be so shy, so the ones I do have I want to keep for as long as I can. To be honest, I also sorely needed to get out of Dr. Bailey's strange little house. I felt like I was going to start getting cabin fever if I didn't.

"You might want to bring your cloak, dear," Bailey hopped in as he smiled at me. "I hear it's raining pretty hard in Diagon today."

I nod my head even though I can't imagine how he knows that. All he does all day is work on math problems and calculations with Byron while I pretend to be interested. I realized a moment too late that I didn't, in fact, pack my cloak for our little trip and Bailey offered me his orange cloak like the nice person that he is. I accepted with a gracious smile as he lengthened the hem with his wand and handed the flaming orange mess over to me.

It was going to clash horribly with my hair, but I didn't care. Byron decided that he was going to go with me because he didn't want me wondering around Diagon Alley by myself, because apparently it didn't register with him that I got around pretty well with out him before we were together…. Or whatever we are now… but I was silently pleased when he slid his hand into mine when we landed on the cobble stone road after Bailey wished us fair well.

Byron faired much better in the cloak selection because his borrowed piece was a deep hunter green that some how looked devilishly handsome on him. I bet he would have made a sexy Slytherin. My face heated up at my perverted thoughts and when he looked at me I threw my hood up and stepped out into the rain.

"What do you think she would like?" I asked him, trying to decide what store to go to first because it was raining so hard, and because we seemed to be some of the only people out in this dreadful weather. "Jewelry maybe?"

Byron stopped walking and it made me stop as well because his hand was still holding mine. He looked serious as his eyes looked into mine and the rain started to drench his face and hair because he didn't put his hood up. I took it upon myself to do that for him but he pulled my hands away.

"I really don't care about anyone's birthday right now," he says softly as he holds my wrists. "Not even my sister's. I hate the thought of Cassius wasting away in a coffin right now while we're off buying earrings."

What he said made my throat catch and I blinked a few times, trying to hold back tears because I hated the thought of Cassius being in a tomb too, and I tried to avoid thinking on it at all costs.

"What if we can't help him," I say softly as I stare into his eyes, voicing the thoughts that rest in the back of my mind. "What if he's dead and he's just going to stay dead?" I ask, it's painful to say, but someone has to say it, we can't be searching for the cure forever. "What if?"

"His body isn't decomposing—"

"The funeral guy said that magical folks take longer to—"

"You said you believed me," he says fiercely, throwing my hands down. "You said you would believe me no matter what."

He's angry with me now so I bit my lip and look away, thinking of the right thing to say before turning back to him. "I'd follow you to the end of the earth if you thought it was still flat," I say softly, honestly. "I'm not asking you to stop or telling you I want to, but we have to be normal too. Life has to go on at some point, right?"

"Sometimes things seem a lot more pointless in the big scheme of things," he says quietly and we step aside to let a large woman with a yellow umbrella pass by. "This, right now, is just wasting time."

That comment hurt me even though I know he was sincere in his intent with helping my brother, but I still found myself looking away in anger. "I don't have many friends," I admitted and it was true. "Chloe's the only good friend I've ever had in my life," I admit and it's kind of embarrassing considering people usually gush about how good all of their friends are and how well liked they are all around. It was hard to admit that I wasn't one of those people I wish I could be.

"Lavinia," he says softly, touching my cheek so I'll look at him. "I know how you feel," he says and I realize that Cassius was that friend to him. I nodded my head and if he would have told me he wanted to go back to study some kind of book again I would have followed him. I was kind of expecting him to start walking me back towards the Apparation point and when he sighed I looked down. "The last time I was home Chloe said she wanted one of those color charm necklace things." He offered uncomfortably and when I looked up at him, I smiled.

His black hair was plastered to his ivory forehead so I brought my fingers up and brushed the wet strands away from his face and straight dark brows. "Thank you," I whisper before tilting up to kiss him.

Even with the dreary rain and the cloudy sky, my orange cloak stood out like a sore thumb and I could feel people staring at me as we made our way down the street, hand in hand. I loved that we were holding hands, but I tried not to make that sentiment known because that would have been annoying. So I just smiled and bared it. One of the custom jewelry shops was open on the left side of the street and when we stepped in side the heat of the place hit me like a stone wall. It was a pleasant little boutique and I looked around the small shop as I shrugged most of the rain off of my shoes and fire orange cloak.

Byron seemed uneasy as we stepped inside and he kept his distance from most of the displays that I looked at. It wasn't a man's store— that was for sure. It was called the Lilac Crystal and the inside was painted floor to ceiling in different hues of purples and plums. Most of the display tables and counters were blue tinted glass with crisp white holders for all the different rings, bracelets, and necklaces any woman would want to buy. Just out of girlish curiosity, I gravitated towards the small display of diamond finger rings and I could feel Byron staring at me as I put my hand out to touch one of the fourteen carat yellow gold diamonds that rested on the biggest ring I had ever seen.

"Those come with custom charms, if you spend more than five hundred Gallons." I didn't even see the sales lady slither up to me, but when I noticed her behind the counter I jumped a little. "Are you two here looking for wedding rings?" She asked hopefully as she spotted Byron standing behind me, looking deciding uncomfortable in such a girly and jewelry decked setting.

I blushed and shook my head. "Oh, no, nothing like that," I say, making a point not to look at the confused male behind me. "I'm actually looking for a color charm necklace for a friend."

The woman pouts down at the beautiful—probably expensive—rings before plastering a fake smile on her face. "Of course, we have them in all different styles," she says, making a motion with her hand so I'll follow her to another display table. "This is my favorite," she says, holding up a beaded necklace the color of blue sapphires, of course, it probably cost the most too. "It can really go with anything and it's the easiest to use. What's your favorite color?" she asks me and I hesitate for a second. I really don't have a favorite color.

I look over at Byron in that hunter green cloak as he approaches the counter of rings with mild curiosity. "Green," I say and then I turn back to her as she takes out her wand.

"All you have to do is think of the color you want and then tap it three times with your wand." She taps the necklace a few times until it turns a gross olive green. "See, it's that easy and if you really want to match it close with your outfit you just touch the clothing to your wand and then to the jewelry, it's simple, really. Like if you wanted to match anything to that interesting shade of orange you're wearing," she says, nodding to the flaming cloak around my body.

I look down at the cloak as she taps my shoulder with her wand and then she taps the jewelry until it's as bright and as annoying as my borrowed cloak. I notice another sales lady appear from the back of the room, having spotted Byron by himself, making my attention shift.

"If you buy the bracelet as well, the earrings are half off," she says as she shows off the full set with a winning smile.

"I'll take them," I say, even though I'm not looking because I'm too busy watching the brunette sales girl touch Byron's arm.

"I'll wrap them up for you," she says and she gathers them up to take them to the sales desk.

I hover in my spot, debating what I want to do as I listen to Byron and the other sales girl talk.

"What charms can you put on these?" Byron asks as he bends down to get a better look at one of the rings on the table.

The brunette takes advantage of his movement and checks him out. My temper flairs but I hold back because… well… because that's just the way I am. "Oh, just the regular couple stuff. Fidelity, honesty, libido enhancers."

He frowns. "That doesn't seem very fair to do to the person you love," he states flatly as the sales girl smiles at him and agrees. Which she probably doesn't agree at all, I think bitterly as I cross my arms.

"So, who are you shopping for today?" she asks in a flirty voice as she runs her fingers around the table's edge as she blinks her big fake lashes at him. "Mom, sister… girlfriend?"

"Sister, actually," he says like the stupid man that he is and her smile brightens.

He doesn't seem to notice her step closer to him. "Oh?" she says with her mouth turned in a sexy pout. She touches his arm again and I find my hands in fists. "I'm actually relieved to hear that."

Byron is no Casanova and he gives her a blank, clueless look. "Why?"

"Well," she says pretending shyness as she looks down. "You're the only good looking bloke to come in here in ages."

Okay, that's enough. I walk over to him and place my arm around his waist, purposely not acknowledging the sales girl as I kiss his cheek and smile at him. "I'm ready to check out, lover." I nearly cringed after I said it but it was the only term of endearment I could think up out of the blue and technically he was my lover. I couldn't picture Byron as a babe or a sweetheart, and definitely not a honey.

He gave me a funny look as I took his hand and pulled him to the sales desk to pay for my purchase. I had luckily brought some money with me so I wouldn't have to use my Gringotts key… for some reason I still felt uneasy using it when I knew that Dad checked the accounts like a hawk every month.

When I had my purchase secured in a small bag I thanked the woman who helped me out and as we walked back into the rain I could practically feel Byron's eyes boring into my skin.

"Lover?" he says softly as I made him hold my bag so I could put my hood up before we went directly into the downpour. "I don't think anyone has ever called me that before," he says with a tilt of his lips, an almost there smile.

"Well, she was practically dry humping your leg," I snapped as I grabbed my bag back and went into the street. Byron was beside me in a second because his legs are longer than mine and we walked in silence for a while with nothing but the rain making noise. We passed a few restaurants, a book store, Gringotts, and eventually Knockturn Alley that gave off a certain putrid smell no matter what the rain tried to wash away.

"Are we lovers then? Is that what we are?" he asked and my heart leaped. Was this the conversation? Was this when we finally got a title?

I stopped walking and faced him. He still stupidly kept his hood down, apparently being too cool to protect himself from the rain. So I tried to put it up again. This time he didn't stop me. "I don't know," I say as I tuck his hair out of his face again, putting the longer strands behind his ear. "Is that what you want?"

"I want to be much more than lovers," he says deeply and I find myself shivering, but not from the cold.

I smiled a warm smile because my heart was bursting. "Me too."

Byron wasn't much for talking and he smiled a little as his fingers brushed my cheek. Heat went straight to my center because of the way he was looking at me and I glanced around the abandoned road, recklessly looking for a place to pull him to so I could snog him senseless. It was a silly idea and even I knew that it wasn't going to happen, but there was just something about the way he looked all drenched like that, with his blue eyes on fire as they stared into mine.

He gently let his hand slide down my arm until his fingers found my watch and he wiped off the rain droplets that had started to cling to it before he checked the time. "We have a couple of hours until the party," he says in a voice much deeper and huskier than his usual tone. "What should we do until then?"

I could have fainted again, but I held it together.

"I'm sure we could find many things to do," I say boldly and a sexy smirk curled his lips.

Oh, god, I wanted him.

There was tavern off of the corner of the block we were on and they rented out rooms above the bar at a fairly reasonable rate. Even though that barely registered with either of us as I gave the man money and grabbed the room key with so much force that I fear I may have snapped his finger a little too hard. We practically ran up the stairs and when we reached the dark hallway I felt lips on my neck and I laughed. This was fun, this was normal, and when his hand slid up my dress even before I put the key in the lock I was pretty sure that this was one of the better days I've had.

It took little to no time to relieve ourselves of the stupid clothes we were wearing and I didn't even check to see if the bed was clean before we fell down on top of it. It was hot and it was hard, and a few times I was convinced I knew what heaven felt like. When we were satisfied in a sweaty mess under the covers I found myself smiling a goofy smile and I rolled over to where Byron was laying on his stomach, pressing my naked chest into his back and kissing the skin of his shoulder with lazy kisses.

"I want to do this everyday," I told him and he laughed a little. As a girl who kept to herself most of her life and never let a boyfriend get beyond over the clothes petting, I was willing to make up for lost time.

He turned around so he was facing me and I placed my elbow on the mattress so I could stay propped up above him. My hair fell down around my face and it tickled his nose so he gathered it up and put it behind my shoulders. I found that lovely.

"I like being close to you," he said seriously as he searched my face. I surely hope he liked being close to me considering what we just spent the better part of an hour doing. "I usually don't like to be touched," he commented softly.

I ran my hand over some of the scars on his arms before bending down and kissing a particularly nasty one on his bicep. "But you like to be touched by me?" I ask as I resumed my spot on top of him and gave him a smile.

He nodded his head and a sly smile came to his face. I was finding that Byron had more facial expressions than I previously thought. "Oh, yes," he says as he flips our positions and settles between my legs, where he fit so perfectly. "Touched, kissed, licked..." he added a bite to my neck and in response I dug my nails into his shoulder. He seemed to like that, because things were starting to stir below the covers again.

"Do you think it's okay to be so happy… when…" I trailed off, killing the mood by thinking about my brother at the most inconvenient time.

"I think it's okay to find happiness whenever you can," he stated seriously as he rolled off of me and propped himself beside me, apparently we were going to talk instead. "He wouldn't want us to be miserable," he added as he pulled down the covers so he could look over my unclothed body.

I tried not to be embarrassed and I resisted the urge to cover up as his hand started to skim around my skin like it was his to own. In a way, I guess it was true now. I was his just like he was mine. Or at least, I hope it is that way.

"What do you expect from Cassius if you manage to figure this whole thing out?" I ask as his fingers follow the curve of my hip.

"I'm not really sure," he admits and I almost wish he didn't say that. I almost wish he knew exactly what he was doing and exactly what would happen. "I just have a feeling… I know your family just thinks I'm weird and not letting go, but I know something isn't right with this. I just know and I will find out what."

I admired the courage and the conviction and I smiled when I realized I've gotten myself quite the ideal Gryffindor.

"Cass loved you," I tell him, just because I think I should.

"Yeah," he said uncomfortably as he looked away. "What time was Chloe's party?" he asked to change the subject and I looked at my watch again.

"Soon," I answered and then I looked to him. "Did you want to stop and get her anything?"

He shook his head and stood from the bed as he pulled on his clothes. I was almost sad to see it. Reluctantly I stood as well and as I was retying my hair I started to worry my lip between my teeth. I grabbed a quill and some ink from the desk in the room and wrote a little card to Chloe so she knew that the gift was from me. I added Byron's name as well for good measure.

"Do you think she's going to be angry with me?" I asked as Byron pulled back the lace curtains and glanced out the window.

"Who?" I scoffed. "Oh, Chloe," he seemed to have caught on. "Why would she be angry with you?"

He was really terrible at understanding personal relationships it seemed and I turned back to doing my hair because I was uncomfortable. "Well, I haven't spoken to her in a while and I… well, this thing with you. I never really told her how I felt about you and then I did this."

He was silent for a while and I finally turned around to face him totally. "Do you want me to be honest with you," He said deeply and I hesitantly nodded my head. I personally hated when people wanted to be honest with you because it usually turned out to be bad. "I think she's going to be angrier with me than you."

He seemed so serious and I gave him a curious tilt of my head. "Why do you think that?"

He took a moment to think as he put on the hunter green cloak and clasped it around his neck. "I know her better than you do," he says in such a soft and honest voice that it kind of upset me. We had been friends for years, best friends, I doubted he knew her better…. But then again… I did run off with her brother with out her knowing… I guess she didn't know me so well either.

I was putting on the annoying orange cloak when I felt his arms wrap around me from behind. "Don't feel insulted. My sister can hide her feelings quite well… we all can," he says against my ear and I'm not totally sure what he means by it, but I accept it.

Music is blaring from somewhere behind the house when we get to the Potter's modest home and I let my hood fall back because the rain has died down here, but the ground is still feeling it's after affects because it's still grimy with mud and slush. I hate the feeling of it on my shoes and I frown down at my poor feet.

"Everyone's around back," Byron says as he starts walking me around the house where a big white tent is set up with a large group of people underneath all celebrating the coming of age birthday of my best friend. "Get ready to be stared at," he warns before walking us under the tent.

I clutch my gift a littler closer to my chest as most of the people stop what they're doing to look at us. I almost shrink into myself to avoid it, but I'm not here for them, I'm here for Chloe. So I stand up straight and take Byron's hand. I notice a few girls from school that I knew and I give them a smile as I walk towards one of the tables that hold the presents. I put my small bag among the gifts and when someone says my name I turn around.

Chloe looks beautiful in the golden beaded dress she's wearing. It's shorter than anything I would wear and it's sleeveless, scooping down low on her chest, with black leggings and high heels to finish out the outfit. She looks smashing and I can't help but feel a little shabby next to her in my plain blue sundress. She looks down at my hand intertwined with her brothers and her face drops all emotion.

"You got your hair cut," I say to break the tension because she hasn't exactly smiled or hugged me like she usually would. The new cut does suit her. It's shorter in the back, nearly to her nape and the length gets longer towards the front. It's very modern and pretty. "Happy Birthday," I tell her as I go to give her a hug, letting Byron's hand drop from my own.

She hugs me back stiffly and then when I pull back I can tell her aqua eyes are settled on her brother. "Chloe, aren't you happy we came?" I ask because I'm puzzled by her reaction.

Her eyes flick to mine and then back to Byron. "So this is what you've been doing while you were gone?" she asks softly and she gestures to me. She's never been this cold around me and it actually threw me off to have her act so coldly.

"I was going to tell you," Byron said and I couldn't help but feel I was missing something terribly important.

Chloe's face screws up like she was in pain and she looks at me. "I'm sorry Lavinia," she says and I'm not sure what for but her glacier eyes turn back to her brother, in a glare that could turn flesh into stone. "You knew how I felt," she tells her brother before storming towards the house.

I watch her go with my mouth slightly hanging open. When my questioning eyes find Byron's he looks sad. "I told you she would be angry with me," he says and I'm confused.

"But why?" This was not the reunion I imagined with my best friend, it was supposed to be happy and it would be fun, and maybe we could talk about how we were going to be sisters soon if I married her brother.

Byron stepped closer to me and kissed my forehead. "It's not my secret to tell."

Well, that didn't help at all.

_**Cassius**_

"Adava Kedavra."

Green light streaks the hallway and I smirk, but my smirk falls when Gregorios turns around and lifts an eyebrow.

"Adava Kedavra," I repeat again with more force. My wand tip glows as Gregorios and his priests stare at my wand.

"What are you doing?" He asks, because he's still breathing.

I shake my head in annoyance and tap my wand against my hand a few times. "Just hang on a second," I tell the man I'm about to murder. I do a quick lumo's spell to make sure that my wand isn't broken, and when I'm satisfied that it's fine I point it back at Gregorios. "Adava—"

"Are you blessing me?" He asks with a pleased smile and I shake my head.

"No, you fool," I say irritably. "I'm trying to kill you."

"Kill me?" He states plainly and I nod my head. He's awfully slow. "Kill…" he repeats as he looks at my wand in fearful wonder.

"Yes, kill." I state to the stupid- soon to be dead- man across from me. "You know, my Dad once said that, to use an unforgivable, you have to mean it. I've never killed anyone before," I mutter to myself and then I shrug my shoulder. "I do know a pretty nasty cutting curse that could make you bleed out, I could try that. Just don't move."

I smile to myself because of my problem solving skills and when I point my wand at him again he looks panicked. "What have I done?" He asks, dropping to his knees and turning his face down with his hands clasped together. "Tell me how I've displeased you."

"You're creepy," I say and his eyebrows shoot up as he tilts his head to look at me. "And she told me to kill you."

"Look at his eyes," One of the priests whispers to Gregorios. They all look at me then and I sigh. "They're crimson."

"They're gray," I say with a laugh because they are obviously color blind. "But that's beside the point. I have to kill you."

"She—" Gregorios starts with his hands up, but Paige comes out before he gets a chance.

"What's taking so long?" she sends a heated glare towards the men across from me and then she turns back to me with her hands on her hips. "Cassius, kill him."

"I've been trying," I say with a whine and then I gesture to my wand. "It's not working."

"Drusilla?" We both turn towards Gregorios, who's standing up straight with a scowl on his face. His narrowed eyes are burning a hole into Paige and I raise my eyebrows, feeling a little out of the loop. "Did you think I wouldn't recognize you eventually?"

"It's a little late for that, darling," she greets with a sardonic smile… I am confused. "It's been a while."

"For you, maybe," he answers flatly. Now I'm really confused.

"Cassius," she says, never taking her eyes off of Gregorios as I turn to her. "Will you please finish him?"

It still sounds like such a good idea.

"You don't have to listen to her," Gregorios tells me and I snort because he obviously doesn't understand that I have to.

"Stop it, Greggie, he knows what he has to do." I feel a shock of pain in my mind and I crack my neck to get rid of it. "Oh, no, you had better run, darling, things are starting to change," she says and then Gregorios sends one more heated glare towards her before running off with all of the priests trailing behind him. It seemed like a weird exit to me. They go barreling down the hallway with their robes and capes flowing behind them in their haste. I frown. "He won't get far." Paige says with a sigh. "There's no way to leave, well, there is, but he is far too big of a coward."

"Who are you?" I manage to ask as she turns to me and smiles. She's still not wearing the glasses and right now she looks so… so…. I don't know, exactly, but she looks different.

"We've got some times to waste. What should we do?" she asks with a loud sigh and I feel her hand on my arm. "I have an idea."

"You do?"

"Yes," she says as she grabs my hand and starts steering me back into the great hall. "I know you're still hungry."

"What about Gregorios?"

She laughs.

"Let him find a hiding spot. It will be fun to find him," she says, as she steers me back into the dining room.

I think Paige must be some kind of a genius because all of her ideas sound so ridiculously good and I just feel like I should do anything she says. I wonder if I'm in love with her. I watch her face as she pushes me down on one of the couches and claps her hands. I just might marry her one day.

I smile as other girls file into the room. Some start dancing and some start playing instruments, filling the hall with noise. I didn't know Paige knew anyone here. How interesting she is. She picks a pomegranate up from the bowl of fruit and I sit back as she straddles my waist. It just…. it just seems like such a good idea and I watch with lust filled eyes as she takes a knife and opens the fruit so the red seeds inside are visible.

"Do you know the story of Persephone and Hades?" She asks as she begins separating the seeds from inside of the fruit and popping one in her mouth. I find myself watching her lips and I can't remember when I found something so attractive.

"Of course I do," I tell her as the strange girls dance and sing around us. Her eyes snap to mine and I smirk. "I'm surprised you do, though. For a while there I was afraid you were stupid."

She smacks me.

I laugh.

"I'm not stupid," she says haughtily. I would disagree if I wanted to, but I don't because I'm too busy staring at smooth skin of her neck. My face hurts from her smack, but I don't mind. "It's hard to keep up with, you know. If you know too much people get suspicious… and it's just fun to lie," she says and she smiles down at me. "and most men like the whole defenseless woman routine," she says with her chin tilted up. "But I think that was working very well on you."

I laugh. "Men don't like useless, dumb woman," I tell her and I think she might smack me again, but she doesn't. Instead she eats another seed and looks into my eyes. "I like brave women," I tell her and I smile at the darkness on her lips.

"Do you know many?" she asks with an eyebrow arched and I shrug my shoulder.

"My mother is brave," I tell her honestly. "She's the bravest woman I've ever known," I say and it's the truth, she was brave in a totally different way than people would expect. "Hey, why did you lie to me?" I asked like a child who had been led off course.

"I already told you that I find it amusing," That didn't seem like such a good reason to be a pathological liar, but I would take anything she said because she was the one who said it. The fire light from the torches on the walls make her eyes look even more Auburn than I remember and I find myself slightly leaning forward towards it. "Well, that part of the game is over anyways, isn't it?"

I nod my head. It is over. "If you say so," I say because for some reason everything depends on what she says and thinks.

She smiles and kisses me, pulling back only to call me a good boy. I can taste pomegranate on her tongue and I put my hands on her waist as I arch into her body to respond to the kiss with more passion. It's such a good idea my brain keeps telling me. She pulls back and smirks down at me with the knife in her left hand and the fruit in the right as my lips tingle and my stomach starts to stir.

"Do you remember what she ate that kept her in hell?" She says, but I could care less because I just want to kiss her some more. "Persephone…What she did that kept her from joining her mother all year round?"

I nod my head and accept the seed that she pops into my mouth.

"Since you're here… things will change," she says, her face suddenly becomes serious and she puts the knife back on the table along with the fruit. "Nothing ever changes here, Cassius, and things will be different now that you've shown up. Think how miserable it is to live the same day over again… and then you came and it's all new here."

"Where is here?" I ask as I look around the room. I still don't know the answer to that question.

She grabs my face and makes me look at her again. "Do you realize how important you are right now? Do you realize what I had to do to bring you here?"

"What?"

She smacks me again and I bite my tongue in surprise. I can taste that metallic taste of blood in my mouth and I lick my lips before turning back to her. How funny.

"I'm always fixing everyone's mistakes, but this time I will get the credit for it. Do you understand?"

"Sure," I say even though I don't. None of this makes sense, I just like hearing her voice. "You'll get credit."

"I could explain all of this to you, but there's no point because you'll do whatever I say anyways." I nod my head. "Now, you'll be using your wand a lot in the next few days. The only way to get people to listen, truly listen, is to make them of afraid of you."

I knit my brows together. "I'm not totally sure if that makes sense."

"It doesn't have to makes sense to you, you fool," she hisses and I shift uncomfortably underneath her. That weird sharp pain happens again and I close my eyes and tighten my jaw until it fades. "Ah, and I see you're fighting me. We'll fix that." She snaps her fingers to one of the girls. "More wine," she says and the girl pours wine from one of the decorated jugs into my goblet from before.

"That's all well and good," I tell her as I try to push her off. "But I have to pee."

"What?" she asks, like my statement was so utterly impossible.

"Pee, I have to pee. It's generally something normal people do multiple times during the day and I've been holding it for a while now," I tell her and it really isn't a sentence I thought I would ever utter to a woman who was straddling me in such a provocative manor.

She looks disgusted and she slides off my lap, letting me stand. "Where is the loo?" I ask as I look around at the girls, just noticing that some of them are topless now. What an interesting place. "Eh, I'll just go outside," I say to no one in particular and I start making my way towards a doorway that I hope leads somewhere out side.

I follow a dark hallway until I see daylight and I look up at the sun as I find a tree to relieve myself by. My head feels foggy now, and I shake it as I unzip my pants to… well… to do what I came to do.

"Cassius?" I hear a faint whisper and I look over my shoulder at the slip of the girl who's standing behind me. "Are you the Cassius?" She asks and I nod my head.

"I'm kind of…" I look ahead, "I'm kind of busy right now."

"Kleon is my little brother," she says instead of giving me privacy so I zip up my pants with a sigh and wish I had some soap to wash my hands with… good habit, I guess. "The sick boy you helped this morning."

"He has a name?" I say as I turn towards her. She's small, maybe in her late teens and she has light brown hair piled onto of her head in waves, held together with blue cloth. She's holding a small wooden cup in her hands and her face and arms are dusted with light freckles. Like my Mom and brother… I want to go home again.

She nods and looks down. "He can talk too, not very well, mind you, he was put in the woods when he was very little, so his speech is fractured."

"And you just left him in the woods?"

She looks guilty now. "My father did, because he was sick. He would never be healed. I try to give him food when I can, but it's never much, and whenever I get a chance I stay to talk to him... The old oracle took pity on him and took him in."

"Into a cave," I say and her freckled cheeks blush.

"But you came and you fixed it. He is so happy, nothing ever changes here. He said you were so kind to him."

"I have to go back inside."

"To her?"

"Er, yes." What a strange conversation, but I just felt this tug in my chest to go back inside, so I wanted to get this over with.

She looks down at the cup in her hands and then back to me. "Drink this," she says, pushing it into my own hands.

I look down at the amber liquid and then back to her. "Nah," I say as I try to hand it back. "I'm really thirsty for wine."

"That's because she put something in it," she blurts out and then she looks around to see if anyone is spying on us. "I heard Gregorios say that she was back," she whispers and I lean in to hear her better.

"Who's back?"

"His wife. She looks different, but it's her," she finishes like I was stupid for not knowing, "Now, drink." She pushes the cup to my lips and a few drops of the honey tasting drink touch my mouth so I lick them off. It does taste good so I end up downing the whole cup in my thirsty haze, wishing there was more. "How do you feel?" she asks as she watches my eyes.

I take a moment to collect the rumbling in my stomach before I turn around and throw up all over the bushes. Vomiting is quite a disgusting thing to do and once I've spilled the limited contents of my stomach I close my eyes and bring my fingers up to my temples to try to relieve the pressure in my brain.

"What did you just give me?" I ask as I turn around and crack my eyes open to stare at the little girl. "I feel terrible. What was that?"

"Your eyes," she says, smiling in a relief that I find highly annoying. "They're lighter now."

I stand up straight and inhale deeply as my throat burns and my mouth waters. All of a sudden I remember what I almost did and my eyes widened. I almost killed a person and I would have jumped off a cliff if Paige had told me to.

Paige.

Who the fuck is Paige?

"Thank you," is say softly, feeling like the fist that was clamped around my brain had just been loosened. What did she give me? Was it something in the wine? And the biggest question I had was why. "Who is she?" I ask as I wipe my mouth off on my sleeve.

The girl looks behind her again and then sends nervous eyes back to me. "You have to leave and find Gregorios, he can give you the answers."

"No, that's stupid, you tell me now, I want to know now," I tell her harshly. Even though I was thankful for helping me I wasn't going to let her leave me with a vague answer like a character would in a bad story.

"I don't know exactly," she says.

"Korrinna," some one calls form inside and the girl's eyes close before she looks back to me.

"I must go," she says and of course she has to fucking go right now because nothing can ever be bloody easy for me. "He's probably hiding in the mountains… that's where he was before she left," she says like it makes sense to me before running back inside.

"Wait!"

She doesn't wait, she just sends an apologetic look over her shoulder before disappearing into the darkness of the house. I shake my head and look up at the sky, not understanding anything here at all. Go find Gregorios, she had said, well I didn't want to do that because I wouldn't trust Gregorios any more than I trust that dark eyed thing inside now.

Fuck that and fuck this. I'm going home.

I take out my wand and concentrate on Malfoy Manor, on my childhood home, as I try to Apparate. Nothing happens, and the familiar tug that accompanies the movement is absent. So I open my eyes and shake my head before trying again, this time picturing the small flat I share with Byron, trying to focus on the Apparation point just outside the building. Again I get nothing and I nearly break my wand in half out of frustration. I don't want to be here anymore. I don't even now where here is and I'm too confused to care to find out… and I'm tired of being drugged!

Home.

That's my main thought.

I choose a path by my feet and I start running. I push past people in celebratory masks and red tunics and dresses as I pump my legs, picturing my home and my family and friends like I could make them appear before me if I thought of them hard enough. This place isn't right, these people aren't right, and things that aren't right shouldn't be, so I keep running until I reach the woods, I keep running even when I want to stop, and I keep running even when the sun begins to set. I ignore the hunger in my empty stomach, the pain in my skull, and the burning in my legs as I move through the village, and then the forest, and then the planes. I keep going until I feel like I've run to the edge of the earth and when I find myself on a beach, with water rolling in from the ocean I collapse on the white sand.

I could have drank a pool full of water if I had it, but I didn't so I tried to calm my breathing, and I tried to steady my heart that was beating wildly against my ribcage. The sun was setting against the water turning the sky pink and orange, casting the world around me in an eerie light. Everything about this place was eerie if I was being honest with myself and as I thought that, I spied a small boat along the shore, resting in the sand.

Somehow I manage to pull my aching body up and I limp over to the small row boat and push it out onto the water. I hear my name being said as I step inside and I glance once over my shoulder at Paige, or whoever she is, as I begin rowing myself away from the island. I don't care if I row on forever in the ocean because I could care less as long as I left that dreadful feeling I was getting back on land.

"It's not going to work!" I hear Paige call but I hate her now so I ignore her as I work my arms to get farther away.

The heat from the day eventually gets to me so when I'm far enough into the water to where the island looks like nothing but a small blur in the distance I lay down on the bottom of the boat and close my eyes. I dream of sea shells, and freshly grown fruit, nothing remotely interesting or shocking but when I feel the boat stop swishing back and forth I open my eyes because of the stillness, and then I sit up.

When I find myself back on land, on a white beach with Paige smiling at me I jump out of the boat and I take out my wand.

"I told you it wouldn't work. It just leads you right back here," she says as she crosses her arms over that ridiculous pink dress. Did her mother really make that for her… was everything she said a lie?

"What is this place?" I ask as I raise my wand towards her chest, she merely lifts and eyebrow at it and then she focuses back on me. "Well!?"

"You can hurt me with that Cassius, but unlike everyone else here I have a body to go back to," she says with a smile and I don't know what that means so I shake my head.

"What does that mean?" I ask with my voice tight. The once clear sky starts to cloud over as I hear thunder rumble in the distance. Paige looks pleased as she smiles up at the sky and then back at me. "Who are these people?" I ask looking into the trees, knowing somewhere in there people dancing and singing and drinking. "What is this place? Who are you?" I feel like crying because I'm so frustrated but I refuse to do that as I stare into Paige's burgundy tinted eyes. "_What_ are you?"

"You know it hasn't rained here in forever," She smiles like my distress and my oncoming madness was nothing but amusing to her.

"What are you?" I repeat again, not caring about the fucking weather at all.

"I'm dead," she says and my stomach drops. "I'm dead, your dead, we're all dead," she says in a light sing song voice and I bring my hand up to cover my face as I process her obviously fake words.

Didn't she say lying was fun? She can't be trusted. I give her one more heated look before stunning her, watching her fall down into the sand with a shocked look frozen on her face. Obviously she wasn't counting on me actually cursing her with a spell. I look up from her, back at the ocean, before I pocket my wand and head for the mountains.

To find Gregorios and to find a way home.

On my way back into the forest it starts raining and I feel a scowl upon my face.

I hate this place.


	10. Chapter 10

_**Lavinia **_

"Should I go talk to her?" I ask softly as I stare at the house that Chloe just stormed towards. Byron sighs and holds me closer to him, ignoring everyone around us as they glare and stare. Apparently, upsetting the birthday girl isn't something people like. "She's never looked at me like that," I whisper because it was true.

She couldn't be so angry that I was with her brother, right?

Byron lets me slink out of his arms and he puts his hands in his pockets. "You might want to check the front porch. She favors that spot," he mutters softly. He looks uneasy and I nod my head, leaving a kiss on his cheek.

"Will you be alright?" I ask as I spot Samantha Flint watching us with an eyebrow arched.

"They're my family," he says and I guess he's right, so I gently squeeze his hand before walking around the house towards the front porch.

I'm still wearing that stupid orange cloak, so I unclasp it as I make my way around the front of the house and as I'm folding it over my arm, I spot Chloe sitting on one of the side porch steps. It was a good little hiding spot, because she would be hidden from view if anyone stepped up the front entry.

She looks really sad and it hurts me to see it because I do love her so much. I quietly walk over and she doesn't even look up as I take a seat beside her on the step.

"I'm sorry, Chloe. I didn't know you would be so upset that I was with your brother," I say as she folds her arms across her chest and slightly turns away from me, leaning her shoulder against one of the small pillars that hold up the porch. "I didn't want to ruin your birthday party."

"Byron should be apologizing," she says in a harsh voice and I look down at the orange cloak on my lap just to have something to focus on.

I glance at her as she kicks off her heels and I scoot closer until I feel the warmth of her body against mine. "I love him," I whisper softly and she turns her head away more. "I'm sorry, I know he's your brother, but I do, and I want you to be happy for me. I wouldn't be so upset if you ended up with Gavin…" I tell her, trying to make some common ground even though Gavin is the last person in the world she would end up with. She breathes in deeply and I try to make her feel better by getting even closer. "Just think," I say with a sad smile while touching her hand. "Maybe one day we'll be real sisters."

"I don't want to be your sister," she hisses, and it hurts me, so I pull my hand back and slide away from her while looking at the sky.

Maybe she doesn't want me to be with Byron not because of it being weird, but because she didn't think I was good enough for her brother. I don't like that thought, so I bite my lip furrow my brows as my fingers play with the stitching on the cloak. She sighs loudly and rubs her eyes as I worry myself about it.

I think she might be crying. I really don't understand what's happening right now.

"I'm sorry I'm being crazy," she says, trying to change her voice, trying to make it steady. "I just… I always knew you had a crush on Byron and I knew he liked you…" she shakes her head and when she looks at me I see her makeup is streaked and her eyes are red rimmed. "And you've always had a boyfriend. Don't you think you could not have a boyfriend for a while?"

I don't know how to answer that so I take a corner of the borrowed cloak and I gently start wiping off the streaked mascara from her face. "You told Byron that he knew how you felt," I say as I clean off her face and then pull back after she gives me a soft thanks before turning away again. "What did that mean? Did you tell him you didn't want me to be with me because it would be weird?"

"I told him…" She looks me in the eyes and then she turns away. "It's just weird seeing you guys together, that's all," she says briskly, obviously lying. "So, what have you two been doing then?" she asks with her voice sounding hoarse.

I tell her about Byron's theory on Cassius and all the research he (mostly he) and I have been doing the past couple of weeks. When I told her about me convincing Elias Green to let me see the statue by flirting with him, she snorted and said that was hard to believe. I agreed with her. I almost asked her if she wanted to come along with us when we left again, but that cold look she had on her face when she saw me and Byron together held me back.

"Are you ready to go enjoy your party?" I ask after the dramatic feeling lowers and I think things might be normal again. "I saw a pretty delicious looking cake I would like to try and Peter Pickens was hovering around the dance floor."

She rolls her eyes. Peter is in her grade and has loved her for years, but she never even spared him a glance, or any boy for that matter. I think Chloe might be one of those girls who will really bust out once they get out of school. I think the man she decides to be with is going to have their work cut out for them.

"Yes, his hair lip is getting quite attractive," she jokes and I laugh before biting my lip and taking her hand again.

"I don't want you to be sad about anything," I tell her honestly as I gently squeeze her hand. "I promise it won't be weird," I say, because I fear that's her biggest complaint with Byron and I.

She smiles at me and with her free hand she pats down her hair, trying to make it look presentable again. "Thank you for coming," she says softly and then her eyes glance down at that ugly cloak in my arms. "And where did you get that atrocious thing?"

I laugh and tell her about the strange Dr. Bailey. When I was describing his house that we had been staying in, Byron walked up with his hands buried in his pockets as he looked steadily at his sister. When his eyes went to mine I gave him a warm smile and he looked at my hand with Chloe's before settling back on her again.

"Mom is wondering where you are," he says smoothly and Chloe looks chilly again, apparently our conversation didn't warm her towards her brother and it confused me even more. She lets go of my hand and turns away. "I'm sorry, Chloe," he whispers softly. "But you knew how I felt too."

She scowls at him and I stade up, figuring they needed to talk to each other with out me present. "I'm going back to the tent," I say, giving Byron a significant look before I take off walking.

I glance over my shoulder once to see Byron take the spot I occupied, putting his hands together between his knees as Chloe says something heated to him. It was a conversation I wish I could listen to, but I knew it would have been rude and probably none of my business so I didn't look back again. When I made it to the large tent, I realized that I actually didn't want to be there by myself. I saw random Wealsey's around, talking to one another, and Harry Potter was walking around the temporary dance floor with James in his arms as he spoke happily to some of the guests. I spotted the group of girls I recognized from school and I debated whether I wanted to go over to them so I wouldn't be by myself, but I couldn't bring myself to. I didn't know them so well, after all. They were Chloe's dorm mates.

I placed my orange cloak on an empty chair and went over to the large punch bowl to get myself a small drink to sip on. I wanted to look like I was doing something, like I had a purpose and was welcomed. As I carefully sipped on the punch, I tried to act like I was admiring the cake so I didn't look like such a loser, all alone at a huge party like this. It was a three tier cake with red sugar flowers and white and pink icing writing out _Happy Birthday Chloe_ around the sides. I wonder what flavor it is, and I stretch out that thought for a few moments until I feel someone step beside me.

"Hello Lavinia." I school my features and turn to the man beside me.

"Mr. Potter, thanks for inviting me," I say, trying to smile politely as baby James grins at me from his father's arms. Harry Potter is wearing a red polo shirt tucked into khaki slacks, and his glasses are still as round and stupid as I remember. The last time I spoke to him was when I was a first year at Hogwarts, and that wasn't pleasant.

"I didn't invite you," he says as his emerald eyes look me over. I gulp. "Chloe did."

I bring a hand up to my neck and hope I don't look too blotchy because I know I'm blushing pretty terribly right now. "It is her party," I say with a nervous laugh even though there is no reason to laugh at all.

I send a swift look around the tent to see if Byron or Chloe have made their way back yet. When I don't see them, I look at the baby because I'm too uncomfortable to look at Harry Potter directly. Sometimes I wish I was brave or… or mean, even, but I never was and I probably never will be.

"How are your parents?" he asks and the coldness in his voice betrays his polite question.

My eyes flick to his before looking away. I think of my parents and a thing like guilt washes through me because of the way I left them so soon after my brother died.

"Getting by," I admit softly.

Baby James reaches his arms out to me and I try to ignore his pudgy fingers as they attempt to touch me.

"I take it they're pretty torn up about your brother?"

I hate the way his voice sounds and I look at him, hoping it's a convincing glare. "Wouldn't you be?" I say, inclining my head to his young son to make my point. "I don't know, though. You could always slip some Vertiserum in my punch if you really wanted to know the truth."

It was satisfying to say that, and it was also satisfying to watch him lift an eyebrow in irritation before walking away from me. Stupid jerk. With him leaving, it left me alone again and I cross my arms over my chest as I balance the small cup of punch in my hand and look around the room. I watch with weary eyes as Harry walks over to the denim clad Beatrice and whispers something to her while sending a little glance to me. She looks to me and so does Samantha who was standing beside her.

Unable to just stand there and be gawked at, I put the cup down on the table and walk off, trying to seem like I have a real place to be and not just trying to avoid the people at the party. I veer around the crowd and leave the tent, scolding myself for wanting to come to this stupid thing in the first place. The only reason I came was because of Chloe and she's acting so weird and upset with me that it doesn't seem worth it. There's a small gathering of trees behind their house and small place has been cleared for a fire pit. Around the stone enclosed area are small tree stumps in a circle, placed there for people to sit.

I cross my arms and take a seat on one of the stumps and I put my legs together because the rain had left the air quite chilly. When dampness seeps into my dress from the wet stump, I almost start crying. I don't get up because I left my wand with the stupid cloak and I wasn't about to walk around that tent with a wet bottom. I stare at the charred wood and rocks at the heart of the fire pit and I sigh as I think of home.

I want to talk to my little sister and tell her all that had happened so far because she always has the funniest comments to add to my story. I want to talk to my Mom so she can give me advice on how to handle this new budding relationship with Byron. I want to see my Dad so he can smile and call me princess while he tries to protect me from all the bad things that would come my way. I miss my cat and hope that they are taking care of him.

I just missed home, plain and simple, and with surprise I even decide that I miss Gavin with his snarky attitude and lazy smile. After this, I told myself that I was going to go back to the Manor.

"Can I take a seat?" I look up and then away, nervously nodding my head.

It was one of my mother's brothers, my uncle, but one that I've never spoken to. To be honest, I haven't spoken to any of them, but I had seen Ron and Bill around more because they had children I went to school with. This one was Fred, the living half of my mother's twin brothers. He took a seat beside me and took out a flask from his jacket, unscrewing the lid and taking a long drink before looking at me.

"You're one of Ginny's girls." It wasn't a question, more like a statement, but I nodded anyways.

"My name is Lavinia," I offer because, in all honesty, he probably didn't know.

"Fred." He held out his hand for me to shake and I put my small hand in his while he gave it a sharp jerk and pulled back. "Do you want to see a magic trick?"

I gave him a weird look and then nodded my head, thinking this encounter strange but not willing to voice that thought. I watch as he takes a piece of paper out of the pocket of his jeans and folds it a few times, using the top of his legs as a table. I study him while he works, noticing that his shaggy hair was the same reddish brown as my mother's and all of his features seemed like a more masculine form on hers. The straight upturned nose, the large eyes, and the full lips. If my mom could ever be a man, I'm sure she would have looked like Uncle Fred.

"Now watch," he says as he hands me the flask and holds up the paper folded bird in his hands. He blows on it and it goes flying up, over the fire pit, where it bursts into flames and sprouts off into a small series of red and yellow fire works.

I find myself smiling.

"That was a favorite of your Mother's," he says, taking the flask back so he can take another swig.

"Really?" I ask, because usually the Weasley's say nasty things about my Mom… nasty or nothing at all.

He nods his head. "She was very opinionated in what she liked and didn't like if I remember correctly."

"What was my Mom like?" I ask and when he looks at me I try to elaborate. "When she was young, I mean."

I have an excellent mother. She's probably one of the best out there and I love her dearly, but sometimes her life seems to be divided into two sections. Before she was with my Dad and after she was married. Whenever she talks about things in her childhood and her past, before being a Mafloy, there's always this underlying tone of guilt and she speaks like she was talking about another person all together.

"Well…" He turns away and itches his head. "She was pretty mouthy and rambunctious back in the day." I snort and he smiles. "A thief too."

"Really?" I say, feeling pleasantly surprised that I was liking this conversation.

He nodded his head and gave the flask another drink. "She was always breaking into the broom shed and stealing mine and George's brooms. Never quite got caught, but I knew what she was doing. She would always fly past my window, you see, but we could never catch her. She was such a good flyer."

I try to imagine my Mom being that way, being fun and young and care free. I imagine we would have been friends if we went to school together. "It kind of threw me for a second," he says and I raise my eyebrows in question as he looks over my face. "You look just like her from behind. As I was walking up, I almost thought it was her."

"Oh, yeah," I say as I look down at my lap and start fiddling with the hem on my dress. I've heard that a few times.

"I'm sorry about your brother, you know," he says as he nudges my arm, like we were close, and it made him so endearing to me. I nod my head. "I'm well versed in brother grief."

"Yeah," I say, looking away and then I feel like I should say something back. "Sorry about your brothers too."

We sit in silence for a few moments after that and I watch as a bird chirps and flies from tree to tree. He drinks more from his flask and I become uncomfortable with the silence. "So, why are you talking to me?" I ask because usually the Weasley's make a point not to talk to us…. It's even tough to get one to look at us, if I was being honest.

He laughs and offers me the flask. I take a drink because I think it would be polite and the alcohol burns my throat. The unexpectedness of it makes me cough and he pats on my back dramatically until I stop.

"Thanks," I say with a final cough and I hand the flask with the throat burning liquid back, making a mental note not to take it again.

"I don't believe in the whole 'sins of the father' nonsense," he says after a while and I glance at him again. I think that if we were close with the Weasley side of our family, he would have been my favorite member. "My parents were part of a war," he says as he looks at me with my mother's brown eyes, just a shade darker. "My generation, including your parents, fought in another… I don't see the point of carrying on that burden."

I wish I would have known him sooner and when I tell him so, he smiles and pretends to fain modesty.

"So, what do you do?" I ask because I know nothing about him and that makes me feel bad.

"I have a magical packaging company."

"That's cool," I say and he snorts.

"Come on now. We both know that's a lie."

I laugh a little again and so does he. I can't believe this normal thing is happening to me and I feel so light and happy because of it.

"Are you Byron's girl?" he asks. "I saw you two come in, holding hands and looking nervous like you just entered a shark tank."

"Yeah," I say, liking the sound of it. "Yeah, I guess I am."

"Good chap that Byron," he says and I smile at him as he looks at the fire pit. "A little on the depressing side, but good none the less."

"I agree," I say softly.

"Welp, I better get back to the party," he says, standing up and wiping the back of his pants. When he realizes they're wet, he laughs. "Oh, bugger." He takes out his wand and dries himself and then he looks at me. "Do you have a wet bum too?"

I blush and nod my head. "Why do you think I was sitting here so long?" I joke and he laughs.

"Well, stand up then."

I hesitate a moment before standing up and when he tells me to turn around I follow his orders and do just that. He mutters a spell and I feel the back of my dress and knickers dry and I thank him with a kind smile.

"It was nice meeting you, Lavinia," he said with a crooked smile.

"Yeah, um, you too."

He looked back towards the tent and then to me with a smirk. "Looks like the knight in moody armor is headed this way. I'll leave you to it."

When he passes Byron, he gives him a curt nod, and my eyes shift from his back to Byron's empty face. "Are you okay?" I ask when he gets close enough to take my hand.

"I'm fine," he says dryly and I knit my brows, but I don't press the matter. "After she blows out the candles, we're leaving."

He said that so quickly and so narrowly that I found myself wordless for a moment or two. "Your conversation with Chloe didn't go well?" I ask, pretty sure that's the cause.

"I fear I may have fanned the fire. I won't be patient with her on this."

"On what?"

"Come on." He ignores my question and starts pulling me towards the tent where the DJ has started making announcements, wanting everyone to gather around as Beatrice uses her wand to light the candles on the large cake.

"Alright!" The DJ comes from behind his music table and he lifts his wand to his throat so everyone will be able to hear him. "Let's have the special birthday girl come here, front and center!"

The crowd parts to let Chloe through as Byron and I settle ourselves towards the back. When the woman beside me knocks into me to get closer, I hold my shoulder and glare at her until I realize who it is. The last time I saw Molly Weasley was at my brother's viewing, where she was getting a pretty terrible scolding from my father. She slides in front of me, successfully bumping into me again, so I take a step back and hope she doesn't notice me by turning more into Byron and pretending like I was listening to the DJ say funny things about my friend up front.

"Molly," Byron's voice is hard and steady. I'm kind of disappointed that he picked this moment to say hello to her, so I try to busy myself with messing with my watch so I look preoccupied while they talk.

Molly turns around and smiles at Byron. I hope that their conversation is going to be short because I'm going to run out of things to look interested in if it isn't. Her sandy aged red hair is placed in a bun on the top of her head and she's wearing a boxy flowered dress that makes her body look shapeless. I notice that all of two seconds before looking back down at the watch on my wrist and pretending to readjust it.

"What is it, dear?"

I see she was avoiding looking at me at well, so I didn't feel so guilty.

"You just ran into, Lavinia." I shot him a look at the mention of my name and I slightly shake my head to indicate it doesn't matter. "Twice," he added after sparing me a stern glance.

"Oh," Molly's eyes slide to my own and I shift uncomfortably until Byron's strong hand rests on the small of my back, calming me down. "Sorry, I didn't see you there."

Well, ouch. It always makes me feel warm and fuzzy when my Grandma thinks I'm invisible.

I give her a tight smile anyways. "It's okay."

She turns back to the spectacle on the dance floor and when her back is to me I let out the breath I was holding. After a few moments I feel Byron bend down and place a gentle kiss on my neck, making me sigh. It must have been loud and wistful because Molly glanced over her shoulder in the _you're making too much noise_ kind of way. I apologized softly but I was scandalized when Byron _licked_ my neck while she was watching. Molly's eyes widen before she sniffs her nose in distaste and stomps away to another area.

I'm mortified, so I slap his arm and wipe off my skin with the back of my hand. "She already hates me," I hiss in a whisper as he chuckles. "I don't need her thinking I'm a slut as well."

"She's had seven children," Byron whispers in my ear because the people have started to sing Happy Birthday. "I think she would know a thing or two about that."

I give him a hard look that he smiles at and I frown at his amusement as his eyes look down to my mouth.

"Your lips," he says softly and before I get a chance to ask him what about my lips, he takes my chin between his forefinger and thumb, holding me there while he kisses me.

I push him back with an irritated glare before joining in with singing the birthday song. Chloe still looks slightly upset as we sing to her and when we're finished she closes her eyes tight, mumbling a wish under her breath before blowing out the candles on the cake. Music starts up again as we all clap and the crowd divides into little groups again as we watch her open presents. When she gets to mine, she reads the small card out loud and when she sees that I signed Byron's name as well she shakes her head and gives us a bitter smile.

I don't know what to think about her right now.

When she's done with all of the presents, that took a boringly long amount of time, lights around the dance floor light up and the music the DJ was playing becomes louder as the younger people at the party start to migrate towards the noise. Chloe, I see, is intent on getting drunk because she bee lines right for the cooler that holds the alcohol. There's a sign hanging by it that warns anyone under seventeen would not be permitted to drink or get past the ward set up to prevent them. She hesitates one moment before walking through the small ward and taking out an iced bottle of some kind of colorful mixed drink.

"Let's go now." Byron puts his hand in mine as I stare at my friend downing bottle after bottle of spiked lemonade and other fruit flavored mixers. A girl with short red hair walks up to her and they clank their bottles together while laughing. I think that's Rose Weasley. Yuck.

"Can't we stay a little longer?" I ask hopefully as I watch Chloe hide her misery behind her drinks.

"I'm not," he states simply and I look at him with my eyebrows furrowed.

I don't want to be here with out him, but his brisk tone angered me because I spent two freaking weeks in some old man's weird little house with no complaint, but he couldn't even stay at his sister's birthday party a little bit longer for me. If there was something wrong he wasn't telling me about it, so I decided not to coddle him like he said before.

"Well, I'm staying," I tell him and I was going to add that I would meet him at home, but I stopped myself because we didn't really have a home… and we didn't technically live together.

He was trying to stare me down after I said that and it annoyed me, so I sent him a look before walking towards the coolers where Chloe was holding court with Rose Weasley and some other blonde girl I couldn't place.

"Coming to say goodbye?" Chloe asks sharply when I approach.

I shake my head. "Just wanted something to drink," I answer and her aqua eyes brighten a little before she hands me one of the brightly colored alcohol bottles. I pop the lid and take a sip as Rose Weasley eyeballs me from the corner of her eyes. "Hello Rose," I greet polity because my mother taught me to be kind—even to trolls.

"Malfoy," she replies, not too pleased with my presence. Not surprising.

Chloe introduces me to the blonde girl and we surprisingly fall into a comfortable conversation about clothes, and we all agreed that gaucho pants looked stupid no matter what your body type. I was just waiting for the insult from my Weasley cousin, but to my surprise, none came.

"Byron is looking unhappy," The blonde girl, who's name I found out was Anna, says and we all turn towards him.

I wasn't sure if he was going to leave and I was secretly wishing he wouldn't, but when I saw him sitting by himself at one of the fold out tables with his arm crossed as he glared down at the brightly colored place mat, I felt a pull to go to him, but I didn't.

"He's probably off his meds again," Chloe says and I gave her a disappointed look for that mean comment as the other girl's giggle. She had the courtesy to look ashamed and then she downed another bottle and took out another one. "Let's dance," she says, changing the subject as she pulls me towards the dance floor.

She should have known that that was absolutely not happening. There were a few kids dancing, but not enough, and most of the people here were older. They weren't going to dance, they were just going to sit and watch. Which I hated the thought of, so when Chloe took my hand and tried to force me into dancing, I just shook my head.

"You know I'm not much of a dancer," I say softly. She puts my drink to my lips and tips it back with a smirk.

"Drink up, then. Loosen up. It's my birthday!"

I take a gulp and then I wipe off my mouth, looking around the tent to see who is watching. Most people are talking to one another in little groups. I spy Ron Weasley by a few large grills with a spatula in his hands, working the barbeque with Harry Potter by his side as he holds a beer in his hands. Hermione is talking to Molly about something serious, I imagine. Peter Perkins is drooling over Chloe who was dancing her little heart out by my side, and Byron… Byron was still at the table. I watch him pout until his mother takes a seat beside him and they start talking. I don't know if they were talking about me, or they just sensed they were being stared at, but they both looked up from their discussion to look directly at me. I didn't want to seem like a creep so I turned away quickly and downed my bottle.

"It's weird that your Mom is letting you drink." I couldn't imagine my parents being okay with it, especially if I was still in Hogwarts, which Chloe is.

"I'm of age now," she says with a shrug as her cheeks flush from the alcohol and heat of dancing.

We must have looked silly because she was still dancing like a fiend and I was standing perfectly still, right in the middle of the dance floor. I glance back at Byron who's still talking to his mother and I try not to make it obvious that I'm staring at them as I tilt my head down and watch from the corner of my eyes. He's leaning forward with a serious expression on his handsome face and he must be telling her something important because he has his right hand balled into a fist. He bangs it against the table and his Mom jumps before shaking her head and placing her hand over his, to comfort him, to pacify him.

That was my job and I started walking towards them when Chloe grabbed my arm and pulled me back. I reluctantly stayed and didn't try to go to Byron again.

More people come to the dance floor after a while, so I wonder off towards the edge to avoid them as I finish off my drink. This is a weird party, I think. Dad would never let us have a party outside under a rented tent with cheap beer and mixed drinks served in coolers—and he certainly wouldn't have a barbeque of all things.

After two more bottles I feel light enough to actually start dancing.

As I'm finishing off my fourth mixed drink, the sun starts to set and the torches set up around the tent flame to life. I find myself dancing, terribly, by Chloe and I smile at her while wiping off my damp face with my hands. Most of the adults are inside the house now, leaving most of the younger people to dance.

I take a break to eat a hamburger, some big messy thing which tastes delicious to my mouth and it's gone in two seconds flat before I go back to dancing. I take another break to eat some cake, and another to have some ice cream. The more I drink, the more I find myself eating.

It feels nice and I find myself smiling because everything tingles and seems funny to me. It's fun to be drunk. I feel quite invincible.

I step away from the dance crowd again to catch my breath and to look for Byron. After a while of him not coming to me, I was trying to make a point by not giving in and going to him, but right now I just really wanted to kiss him. So I scanned the tables, but he was no longer there and I frowned in disappointment. I hope he didn't leave with out me because I had no idea how to leave here. I finally catch him walking away from the tent and I sigh in relief before running after him.

He seems to be headed back towards the house and when I call his name I so gracefully trip over my own feet, landing on the wet grass with a thud.

"Oh, ouch," I whine as I catch myself on my hands and knees. "Gross," I add when I lift my left hand and see the mud and grass clinging to my skin and probably my knees.

"Are you alright?" Byron asks as he wraps his hands around my arms and helps me to my feet.

"Thank you," I mumble as I try to clean myself off the best that I can with out a wand. "Where are you going?" I ask once I feel satisfied and I push some hair that had come loose from my pony tail out of my eyes, only to have it fall right back into place.

"I was going to go talk to Samantha for a little bit," he says flatly as he looks me over.

Suddenly my drunkenness sobers up a bit as his eyes travel around my body… to the grass stains on my knees and my damp sweaty hair. I feel bad right now so I look down and put my hands together. I don't know if I was supposed to come here as Chloe's friend or as Byron's date, but I feel guilty none the less.

"Are you upset with me?" I ask, not able to look at him if he was. I look over his shoulder at the house where I can see the other guests through the windows inside. "I'm sorry," I say looking back at his cool blue eyes again. "I know it was very rude to drink in front of your family, but Chloe was doing it and she just kept on handing them to me and I give into peer pressure quite easily when I'm nervous. I know you wanted to leave, but I just wanted to stay for a little while, so I'm sorry." I said that all in one breathe so I inhaled deeply to steady myself. "If you want to leave now, I'll go with you."

He stares at me for a few moments before tucking some loose hair behind my ear, being more successful at it than I was. "I forget how young you are sometimes."

That makes me bristle and I cross my arms. "I'm not that young," I say harshly, not wanting to go into the 'you're too young and stupid for me' conversation.

I look away, back at the house as he takes a step closer to me. "Lavinia," he says until I glance at him from the corner of my eyes. "I'm not saying anything is wrong with it. You just act so much older than eighteen sometimes that I forget how young you truly are. I'm going to be twenty four in a couple of months and I've been out of Hogwarts for a while. I can't hold it against you if you want to go and have some fun to enjoy your freedom."

I search his face as he places his hand in the pockets of his corduroys, looking all casual and handsome like always. He has no idea how attractive he is and a part of me is grateful for that because if he did, he probably wouldn't go for a girl like me… He'd be more like Gavin and I crinkle my nose at that thought before returning to the conversation.

"But you seem upset," I whisper, wishing I hadn't drank so much.

"No," he says with a little smile. "I am not upset with you and even if I was, you shouldn't feel obligated to do what I want," he says as he looks into my eyes. "I can be terribly obtuse sometimes."

I laugh a little and step closer to him, taking his hand and kissing the top of it. A little smile turns my lips against his skin as music blares from the tent behind us. "Why do you have to talk to your sister?" I ask as I hold his hand against my cheek. I'm too drunk to think that's sappy, so I continue to do it because I want to, but judging by the raised eyebrow he's giving me, I think he must find it a little strange. "Why don't you come dance with me?"

Byron must have thought that question was silly because he didn't even bother to acknowledge it. "I just wanted to speak to her about something. Nothing important."

I look at the window of the house again as Mrs. Weasley laughs at a joke Harry Potter told. I sigh loudly and let his hand drop. "I wish your family liked me."

Technically they were my family too, but they didn't act like it and I've never really cared if they liked me that much… I just wanted them to for Byron's sake. Although, with the talk I had with my uncle Fred earlier, I think I might have one member in my corner… and if Chloe returns to normal I'd say my chances are looking pretty good at being invited to the family Christmas.

"I'm not totally sure they even like me that much," he says with a tilt of his lips. "But it doesn't matter what they think because I love you."

My heart swells at those words and I lunge at him because the alcohol in my system makes me brave and foolish. I wrap my arms around his neck and kiss him deeply, pulling back only to tell him that I love him so very much as well. It's amazing how quickly Byron can change my moods and spike my emotions. I don't think he knows the power he really could have over me and thank god for that.

"I know you're a little inebriated," he says as he places his arms around my waist. I make a weird sound that's a cross between a laugh and a snort and he smiles before turning his head away and then looking back at me, shaking his head. "I know you're drunk, but I want you to promise me something."

"Of course," I say with a grin on my face. It feels good to smile. "What is it?"

He works his jaw for a few moments, like he was trying to decide exactly what he wanted to say and I tilt my head to the side as he works it out. When he looks over my shoulder, back at the people under the tent, I turn to follow his gaze but he puts his hands on my waist and spins us, walking me backwards until my back hits the blue paneling of the house. My adrenaline jumps at the movement and I start laughing as he plants his body against mine.

"It seems I'm not the only one who wants you," he says in a soft voice as his hands clamp on my hips to hold me in place. I have no idea what one earth he is talking about so I just raise an eyebrow while putting my hands on his arms. "I guess you're an easy girl to love."

Silly Byron.

I smile and lean up to kiss him again because I like the way my tingling lips feel against his. "Too bad for them," I say jokingly. He presses his body into mine again and I raise my eyebrows when I feel his body responding to our closeness. "I don't want any one else. I'm Byron-sexual." I start laughing again. "By-sexual… that's funny."

When I snort mid laugh I cover my mouth so I don't do it again as I glance up to him. He's smiling too and he's looking at me with that… well… I can only describe it as a funny fond expression. When he kisses me, I lean more into the siding of the house to steady myself so my knees won't buckle underneath me.

"I usually make a point not to take advantage of drunk people," he says against my lips as his clever fingers work their way up the skirt of my dress. "But I can make an exception for you."

"How noble of you," I say as I lock my fingers behind his neck, tangling his hair.

I just love touching him and I love the manly way he smells. I'm glad it was Byron who introduced me to sex because I can't imagine wanting anyone as much as I want him. When I pull back from another heated kiss I look into his eyes, liking the way the lighting from inside the house highlights the strong narrow of his jaw and the bridge of his nose.

"What did you want me to promise you?" I remind him as he nuzzles my neck.

He slides a finger under my knickers, making me forget about all of those thoughts as I gasp into his shoulder. "Still as warm and inviting as I left it," he says against my ear and my cheeks heat up.

Two times in one day… Goodness, I'm in danger of becoming interesting.

There is something erotic about doing this outside where people could see us and there was also something extremely naughty about doing something against the house that most of his family was inside of. I almost grab him inside of his underwear to see how he handles it, but my rational side wins out and I grab his wrist, pulling back his amazing fingers from my body until my skirt falls back to its proper place.

"I'm not that drunk," I tell him reluctantly as I give him his hand back.

He smirks at me and places said hand by my head, caging me against the house. "That's funny," he comments in a low voice, the voice that can send a shiver up my spine in the most electrifying way. "I haven't been drinking at all and I'm perfectly okay with it."

I open my mouth to reply, but someone starts walking around this side of the house before I get a chance to, making us both freeze.

"Byron, is that you?"

He steps away from me quickly and I turn away, patting down my hair and wiping off my lips as Byron's Mom, Beatrice, makes her way over to us with her wand lighting her way.

"I'm right here," Byron says as he glances at me and then towards her. "What do you want?"

"What are you doing over here?" she asks suspiciously and when her eyes land on me I hope she doesn't notice my lips are swollen from kisses.

"Nothing, I was heading in to talk to Sam," Byron answers flatly and I watch his profile as he puts his hands on his hips. His hair is all messy in the back from where I put my fingers through it and I take some guilty pleasure in seeing it like that. "What do you need?"

She glances at me again, before turning back to her son. "Harry has been looking for you. He wants to speak to you."

"Why?" He asks. His flat voice doesn't hint towards his emotions but I can tell he's irritated by the way his eyes are narrowing and the way he's tightening his fingers around his waist.

Beatrice looks at me one more time, and I look away, feeling weird about it. She takes a step closer to her son and slightly turns away from me, like she was butting me out of the conversation. I guess I don't really mind because I would have nothing intelligent to say to her at this moment.

"He's worried about you, By," she says in a low whisper. My By-sexual joke comes to mind and I put my hand over my mouth to stop myself from laughing. "We all are. We don't like the way you've been acting." She sends me another sly glance before leaning her head more towards Byron to whisper. "And we don't like what you've been doing."

_He's been doing me, Mrs. Potter._ That thought surprises me and I cover another bought of laughter. It seems drinking makes me ridiculous and slightly perverted.

"Forgive me, but it's not your concern anymore," Byron says in that smooth voice of his. "and it especially isn't Harry's."

I get another glance from Beatrice and it makes me uncomfortable, like I should leave to give them privacy, but my feet just won't move and, because of her son, my knickers are wet and I don't feel comfortable walking in them right now. Jeez, drinking does make me ridiculous. She eventually grabs his arm and pulls him further away, turning their backs on me so she can have a heated discussion with him without me hearing. After a while of that Byron finally steps away.

"Fine, he has fifteen minutes," he says in a narrow voice as he goes stomping towards the house, passing by me without a word or even a look.

I nearly run after him, but I don't because Beatrice is still standing a few yards away from me with her hands on her hips. Now that I'm alone I don't know what to do with myself so I look down at my flats and start counting the beads on them, hoping Byron's Mom will leave so I can make my escape. I flick a look towards her to see her staring directly at me and I give her a nervous smile before looking away shyly.

"You're standing in my flower bed."

I look down and then back up. "Oh…um… yeah…" I so eloquently say as I step out and try to shake the dirt from my feet. "I'm sorry about that."

She tightly nods her head and she starts to walk away, the way that she came, but then she stops herself and looks at me again.

"You and my son are together now?" she asks and I nod my head while wringing my hands together like the nervous twit that I am. "You love him?"

"More than anything," I say honestly.

"Well, then, you should know that my son is sick," I knit my brows together, but I don't say anything to that. "He's not well and he's stopped seeing his therapist. He also didn't refill his prescriptions this month."

I think of all the bottles lined up in that old motel in Spain and I have to wonder how she knows all of this. Byron is a grown man after all. I also have to wonder why she's saying this to me, why she thinks I need to know.

"He's a good boy," she continues as her eyes look into my own. "But he has problems and he needs to be home right now. At least when he was with Cassius he was still going to his sessions and I realize he's all upset about your brother, but he needs to be here where we can take care of him. He has more of Marcus in him than he should."

That flairs my temper as I think of the scars on his back and the circles always present under his eyes because he never sleeps well.

"Go back to your family, Lavinia, and let me fix my son."

"He's not broken," I find myself sneering, and I hope I look impressive because that comment just enraged me even more. "He doesn't have Marcus in him either," I state bravely—and probably stupidly. "It's what you let Marcus and all those other guys do to him. You're his mother, it was your job to protect him, but now his body has the marks to prove how you failed," I can't believe I'm saying this, but I can't seem to stop. "You can't just expect to pick up the pieces when it's all said and done and think things can be fine."

We stare each other down for a few seconds and I almost apologize for ranting at her like that, but I can't find my voice and she leaves me standing there after shaking her head. I smack my hand against my forehead when she's out of sight and wish I wasn't so stupid. She'll never like me now after I said such hateful things… and I hope Byron won't be mad either. I hate it when things turn sour. I wait a few minutes for Byron to come back out, but when he doesn't I fear that his Mother might have spoken to him about how rude I was to her and he probably agreed with her. So I sigh before heading back to the tent to get my cloak and wand so I can leave, but Chloe intercepts me before I can, handing me another drink.

It doesn't seem like such a bad idea because most of my buzz seems to be lost with Beatrice walking away from me. I don't want Chloe to know what I did because she is probably still upset with me about Byron so I smile and take the drink as she puts her arm across my shoulders.

"Where did you go?"

I shrug.

"Well, they're going to play my favorite song soon, so you had better be dancing with me," she says, sounding slurred and looking more flushed than when I left.

I'm feeling nervous and I want that happy buzz back, so I drink three more until I'm totally drunk off my rocker and seeing double. I start dancing again, pretending like the conversation from before didn't happen as my body heats up and my coordination becomes iffy. It gets to the point where I nearly forget what happened by the house.

"Happy Birthday!" I yell over the blare of the music when Chloe grabs my hand to pull me away from the crowd.

She nods her head and smirks. "It's bloody hot in here!" she says with a drunk smile as she pushes her damp hair away from her sweaty face. My loose tongue almost tells her about what I said to her Mom because I feel guilty, but I try to bury that away as I smile back.

"Yes, it is," I agree as I feel sweat trickle down my spine. What a disgusting and unclean feeling that is. "I feel gross," I say as I try to pull my dress away from my skin to supply more air.

We walk back to the cooler to get more drinks, which seems like the proper thing to do. Chloe pops her lid off right away but I hold my bottle up to my face to cool my cheek.

I can't hold back anymore as I look at her. "I think I made your Mom mad."

"What did you do?" She asks over the blare of the music.

I frown because she's not looking at me, she's looking at the dancers on the floor so I grab her chin so she has to. "I said something stupid to her about your brother."

"I don't want to talk about him," she says with a sour look. "And who cares if you upset my mom. She's such a bitch sometimes and it's my birthday party, so let's have fun."

I wipe more sweat away from my brow before putting the cool drink back against my cheek. "It's too hot to have fun."

"Do you want to go for a quick swim?" Chloe asks, yelling again because the music just got really loud.

"I didn't bring a swimsuit."

She laughs and I laugh too for the hell of it. "I don't have a pool," she giggles before grabbing my hand and pulling me away from the tent.

I trip a few times as she pulls me into the clearing of trees and when I ask her what we're doing she smirks at me over her shoulder. In the darkness it's hard to see.

"There's a creek back here," she explains.

In true drunk girl fashion, by the time we reached the creek bank I had lost one of my shoes, my knees were banged up from falling, and my hair was pulled free from the hair tie I had it in—but my drink was still perfectly intact, not a drop spilled.

When Chloe drops my hand, I lean against a tree and start laughing as she pulls her golden dress over her head, revealing her leggings and the black strapless bra she was wearing underneath.

"There is no chlorine in that creek," I tell her as she comes over to me and takes the drink from my hands, placing it on the ground near my feet. "There are probably fish in there and dirty plants… and fish."

"Oh, come on, Lavinia," she says, using the _you're boring_ tone that I'm quite familiar with. "We're hot and the water is cool."

She stands back and faces the creek as she drops the leggings to her ankles and steps out of them. I look at the dark water with my nose crinkled in distaste because it's probably dirty and then I look at the stars and moon because they're our only lighting.

"I don't have a swim suit," I repeat again and she glances at me as bugs and night animals make noises in the background.

"Neither do I."

She takes off her knickers in bra as I close my eyes and turn away, not wanting to see _that _much of Chloe. When I hear a splash I open my eyes and look at the water as she reemerges and slicks her wet hair back with her hands.

"Oh, this feels good," she moans and I give her a skeptical look as she moves her arms around the surface of the water, hiding the rest of her body.

"Do you feel any fish?" Apparently, I'm very concerned with that. The idea of accidentally touching one makes me want to vomit.

"Live a little, would you?" She says and she swims around in the moonlight.

The alcohol lets a few of my inhibitions drop and the facts were simple. I was hot and sweaty and the creek was cool and nice. Besides, it was just Chloe and I want to pretend to have a good time so I can forget about everything unpleasant that's happened. I want to be normal.

"Okay," I say while pulling off my one surviving shoe. "Turn around."

She makes a big show of sighing and turning around so her back is to me. I eye her to make sure she won't peek before hiding behind a large tree and carefully pulling off my dress. I send a look around the forest to make sure there are no other prying eyes before folding my dress and laying it on the ground. I debate whether I should just leave my bra and knickers on, but Chloe didn't and I don't want them to get wet so I send one more weary glance around the woods before unclasping my bra and dropping my knickers.

My arms immediately go across my chest to cover my self and I peek my head around the tree to look at Chloe. "No, looking," I say and she shakes her head.

"Honestly, we have the same parts," she says like I was silly, but she doesn't turn around as I run to the water and jump in quickly.

"That's easy for you to say," I comment before dipping under the water. "You're thin."

The water isn't only cool, it's bloody freezing and when I come up after dunking my head under water my teeth are chattering and goose bumps form on my skin as I cross my arms over my chest because other things are starting to feel painful from the cold.

"It's freezing!" I tell her because she lied to me.

She's lazily swimming around the creek with out a care before smiling at me. "I think it feels nice." She stops circling me and she gets closer. Luckily both of us are so pale, because we practically glow against the darkness of the water and the trees, making it possible to see each other fairly well. "You missed a lot while you were gone, you know," she says as she looks into my face.

I bend down so that the top of my chin is at the surface of the water, coming in naked was a bad idea. "Like what?" I ask, trying not to shiver.

She starts swimming again. "Well, I'm no longer a virgin."

I raise my eyebrows at the blunt confession and I start swimming a little too, so that my limbs don't freeze through. Hypothermia comes to mind as I kick my legs to get the blood flowing.

"Who did you sleep with?" I ask as I swim after her.

She pauses a moment before looking at me. "Why do you think Peter Perkins was invited to my party?'

I admit, it did seem strange and I found my mouth dropping open. "I thought you hated him," I say and she shrugs a pale shoulder. "Well, do you like him now?"

"No," she states plainly and I frown. "I just wanted to get it over with."

"Oh," I say because I slept with Byron because I wanted it to be Byron, not because I was just trying to get it out of the way. "Did you like it?" I ask softly.

I think she shuddered. "God no, it was awkward, it hurt, and he smelled like beef."

I snort, but then try to cover it by dipping my head under water again. When I reemerge Chloe is right in front of me. The surprise of it makes me jump and she laughs.

"So, did you sleep with my brother?" she asks in a controlled voice and I debate whether I should actually tell her or not, but she is my best friend and she did ask… and I am drunk.

I nod my head with a blush, thinking of the hot session we had today in one of the rooms above a tavern in Diagon Alley. I did more than just _sleep_ with her brother.

"He was your first, right?'

She should know and I nodded my head again, feeling uncomfortable talking about it.

"Did you like it?"

I tried to think of the best thing to say. "I just like being close to him," I stated honestly and I started to swim backwards because, even though we were best friends, I still didn't want to be so close to her while naked. It was just weird.

"What do you like about him?" she asks as she copies my movements and swims backwards as well. "What do you like about my brother?"

"Well," I say, eyeing her to see if she really wants to know and when she raises a dark eyebrow I guess I'll continue. "I like how smart he is, I like how deep his voice is, I like it when he smiles, I like how he looks at me," I could go on forever and I start listening off more things as Chloe stares at me, with a blank look on her face. "I like his broad shoulders and that his waist is so narrow. I love that about guys," I say, looking to make sure Chloe agrees. "How their back goes down into that perfect V."

"Not all guys have that," she says with a scoff and I shrug my shoulder.

"I think he's sweet, and handsome, and kind, and—"

"I get it," she says flatly but I won't apologize because she asked. We swim in silence for a while until she speaks up again. "How do you know you don't like other things if you've never tried it?"

"Like what?" I ask, not really paying attention because I'm pretty sure I just felt a fish by my leg.

"Well, I didn't think I'd like that one kind of vegetable thing you're always eating, but when I tried it, I liked it."

"Okay," I say slowly as I edge towards the bank so I can step out again. I hate fish. "What does that have to do with anything?"

She started swimming towards me so I crossed my arms over my breasts again. "You never liked Darius."

"I did to."

She shakes her head. "Not really, and you never liked Colby either." I think of the boyfriend I had in my fourth year and I shrug my shoulders. "You never liked any of your boyfriends very much."

"I'm not sure if that's true," I say, feeling the need to defend my dating habits. I did like them, just not enough.

"It's true. I know it," she says and right now her eyes look dark and her face serious. "How can you be so sure you love Byron?"

"I don't know," I say as I close my eyes because my head is starting to spin. I guess all those drinks are coming to bite me back now. "I just do."

"How do you know?" she asks again more persistently, but I don't open my eyes because my mouth is starting to water, like it usually does right before you throw up.

Oh, no.

"Byron's not always kind," she says as I try to stop the spinning by clenching my eyes shut and staying perfectly still. "He can be quite mean and selfish, did you know that?"

"Chloe," I say softly so she'll stop talking. I don't want to throw up and if I can settle my stomach than I'll be fine.

"Like today, for example, he was very stern and sharp with me and it's my birthday."

"I need to get out," I say, no longer paying attention to her. If I'm going to vomit than I want to be wearing some clothes.

I quickly climb out of the water with out bothering with modesty as I pull my dress over my head and to cover up my body as I lean against a tree and close my eyes again. I hear Chloe get out of the water as well as the bark scratches my arm.

"He's my brother and I love him, but he has too many problems." I inhale deeply and when I crack my eyes open I see her slinking into her gold dress, sounding so much like her mother that it's disgusting. "I told him after I saw him kiss you at Cass' viewing that he shouldn't pull you in with him. I told him…"

"I need to sit down," I say as I put my head down and gulp a few times, feeling that fruity tasting drink trying to make it's way back up my throat.

"It's not fair," she says and now she's so close to me that I can feel her body heat. "Things aren't fair. Byron is unsafe, he's unstable, and he hurts himself… he might hurt you too."

I wince. "We're drunk, Chloe, stop talking so loudly."

I try to calm myself again but then I freeze when I feel warm lips against my own. My drunk eyes snap open and when I realize what's happening, I violently push Chloe back. "What are you doing?" I ask.

She trips back from my push and lands in the shallow part of the creek. I feel bad but I don't try to help her, because I hunch over and start puking. It was painful, it was gross, and it smelled terrible. Even though I pushed her, Chloe was kind enough to hold my hair back as I emptied the contents of my stomach, that orgasmic hamburger I had earlier didn't seem very great coming up the other way.

"This was cruel, Chloe," I heard a deep voice say and I realize, mid heave, that it wasn't Chloe holding my hair at all. "I saw what you did. Go back to the house."

When I'm done throwing up and my stomach is twisted in painful knots, I slump back and feel warm arms circle around me. I turn into the embrace with my eyes closed as I try to steady my breathing. I'm never drinking again.

"Is she mad at me?" I ask with a slur even though my throat hurts and my teeth feel gross.

"She has no right to be. We're leaving now."

I recognize Byron's voice and when he helps me stand up I hold onto his waist so I don't fall again. A warm cloak gets placed around my shoulders and my vision is blurry as we walk towards the Apparation point. I'm not even paying attention where we're going and I follow Byron as he leads us towards a warm bed and pushes me down. He even pulls back the covers for me and I smile and kiss his hand as he tucks me in. I intend to pass out on the mattress with out another thought.

"Mr. Flint," If I was up to it, I would have groaned to hear Dr. Bailey, but I wasn't so I just stayed quiet and still as Byron let his hand rest on my thigh. "I believe I've found something. Do you know any herbologist that could help us out, with out any questions?"

That catches my attention, and I raise my hand with my head still plastered to the pillow. "I do. My boyfriend— Darius." He's not technically a herbologist yet, but he's pretty damn good.

I didn't even realize my error until the comforting hand that was on my leg retracted.

"I have a better option," I heard Byron say, his voice sounding cooler.

I didn't get to hear that better option, nor did I see the glare I was receiving from my Byron because I took the opportunity to fall asleep.

_**Evelyn **_

"I would like a baby tiger cub."

Mom and Dad both stop eating to look at me.

"Just a little baby tiger," I say with a small smile, picturing the little cub in my head. "I would name him Jeffery and he could stay in my room."

They exchange a look before Mom laughs. "We already have a cat," she says as she shuffles things around on her plate with her fork.

"Cato doesn't count," I say, crinkling my nose as I think about the old black and white cat that always rubs up against my legs. "That's Lavinia's cat." Even though she abandoned him, I resist adding.

"A baby tiger is going to turn into an adult tiger," Dad says before taking a drink from his wine glass. "And then Jeffery will eat you and he won't seem so cute to you then."

Mom smiles, thinking Dad's statement was funny, but I keep pressing. "Once he gets big enough we can put him outside, in a little house made for him. Just think, a cute little tiger walking around here with a blue diamond studded collar. We could even make him wear clothes! Oh, he'd be so popular at parties."

"Where is this coming from?" Mom asks as she looks at me with amusement in her eyes. They think I'm joking.

"I was reading today—"

"You were reading?" Dad cuts me off and I glare at him. He laughs.

"Yes, I'm very well read, I'll have you know. Anyways, I was reading this magazine," Dad snorts. I ignore him. "It had a picture of the cutest little tiger cub and I just would like to have an animal of my own."

"You have a horse," Mom says and I roll my eyes.

"You can't cuddle a horse."

Dad, the killer of dreams, decides to voice his verdict. "You're not a getting a tiger."

"But—"

"Pout all you want," Daddy says and I glare at him before sitting back in the chair and crossing my arms.

My parents go back to eating their food like I wasn't even in the room and after a few moments of that I sigh loudly until they look at me again. "May I be excused?"

Dad glances at my plate and then back to me, shaking his head. "You didn't eat anything."

"Not hungry."

"Not excused."

I stomp my foot under the table and go back to pouting. I don't touch any of my food just to prove a point and when Dad finishes up his plate, he wipes off his mouth with his napkin and puts it on the table before checking his watch.

He sighs and stands up. "I have to go. I'll see you in a couple hours," he tells Mom as he kisses her cheek. "Goodbye, Evelyn."

I don't say anything and when he comes over to me to kiss my head I ignore him. "See you later alligator," he whispers in my ear because he knows I can't resist responding to that.

I feel a little unwanted smile on my face. "After while crocodile." I feel his lips turn into a smile against my cheek as he kisses me. "I'm still mad at you," I add so he knows not to get cocky.

"I'm surprisingly okay with that," he jokes before sending a wink to Mom.

I look down, going right back into my pouting sulk as he rights his collar and tucks in his shirt. When he leaves the room I turn back to Mom and raise my eyebrows. "Can I be excused now?" I ask hopefully now that the tyrant is gone.

"Help me clear the table."

I groan before standing up and picking up the dirty plates while she gets the glasses and silverware. I hate that Mom doesn't think we need the house-elves at the beach house. I've washed more dishes than I even want to admit while being here and I've had to clean up every single mess I've made, which is very irritating to me because I make a lot of them. When we make it into the brightly lit kitchen I dump the plates into the sink and try to sneak away, but Mom catches me.

"I'll wash, you dry," she says as she throws a dry dish towel at me.

Oh, bother.

I sigh loudly again before standing beside her as she fills the sink with soap and water. When the water his high enough and all the dishes are resting among the soap bubbles, my mother ties her hair back and rolls up her sleeves before diving into this unnecessary chore. When she hands me the first clean plate, I swipe it once and put it away, but Mom makes me take it out and do it the right way.

"I washed dishes at home all the time when I was your age," she says, like it would guilt me into enjoying the task. I make a noise and she looks at me when she hands me a fork. "You've been kind of off today."

"Whatever do you mean?" I ask as I dry the fork and put it in the stupid drawer.

To my surprise, Daddy had let me to go to Jim's hot dog stand this afternoon… well, it was actually very early American time and pretty late UK time, so I figured we met somewhere in the middle. Anyway, I went so I could have my hot dog eating face off with Gabe Hung. Of course, I told him I was meeting a friend from ballet and I might have said I was meeting up with a Gabrielle instead of Gabriel… no harm in a little lie. Anyways, when I got there Gabe was already seated, ready to perform our bet.

And I lost.

I don't think it was because he was better at eating hot dogs than me, because that's not it. It's just that my heart wasn't in it because I was too busy worrying about that look Xavier had on his face when I laughed after he tried to kiss me. It was distracting and Gabe took advantage and now he has my favorite exploding snaps game because that's all I was willing to offer up if he won. It was already a bad day and then Gabe suggested we go to the dance studio for a little bit to secure times to practice with Madam Violet. I had agreed to go only because I still had one hour left before Daddy would want me home.

It was just my luck that Xavier was there, already practicing with Pearl Hunnington. I guess I couldn't blame him because she was so terrible, but when I peeked into the room to see how they were getting along, I was not expecting to see him laughing. And it wasn't at her! They were laughing together. I don't know why it bothered me exactly and I watched them dance together, touching and laughing, and I found myself turning away in a huff.

He did just kiss me the day before, after all, and he called me the flirt. Honestly.

It put me in a sour mood the rest of the day, but I wasn't going to explain that to Mom so I just shrugged my shoulders when she said I seemed upset. "I'm just tired, I suppose."

"You've been in your room most of the day," she says softly, like saying it too loud would hurt.

"I'm fine, Mom," I say, more sharply than I should have and when she doesn't respond I feel guilty for snapping at her. "What are you doing tonight?" I ask to soften the conversation. She's been going back to the Manor to organize things and sort stuff out. I've never gone to help her. Maybe tonight I'll offer.

"Well, since Gavin is going to be getting married soon and having a baby, I thought he would like some of his baby things."

"Do you want any help?"

She looks at me with her hand wrist deep in the soapy water, and she smiles. "Yeah, I would."

When we finish up the dishes we floo back to the Manor and I shiver when I step into the room. I haven't been home in a while and it feels empty and cold, so I cross my arms as I follow Mom to the attic. It takes a while because the Manor is so freaking big. The stairway towards the attic is narrow and steep and I hold on to the railing for dear life until we reach the musty smelling air of the large landing. The walls are slanted and the sun shines through the rounds windows, casting the large room in a soft orange glow. Mom uses her wand for more light and I look around at the dusty covered furniture and forgotten trinkets that had been stored up here for safe keeping.

"What are we looking for?" I ask as our footsteps creak along the wooden floors. I pass the old rocking horse that use to be in the toy room and I smile fondly at the old marionette theatre box that kept me entertained as a child.

"Gavin's chest. It'll have his name on it," she answers as she walks confidently towards one section of the large room.

I follow and as she bends down to move some things out of the way I look at a large white box on top of an old forgotten piano. Curiosity gets the better of me as I open the box and remove the tissue paper that was lining it. Inside is a dress, a magnificent white dress, and I smile as I take it out of the box to air it out. It was obviously old because the whiteness of the material was yellowing in certain places and the cut was old fashioned. It was a long dress that would have gone straight down to a tall woman's ankles, with a green sash just under the chest part and elbow length dropping sleeves. It was all lace and pearls and satin.

"Who's was this?" I ask as Mom pops open a chest and starts sorting through it. She looks over her shoulder and then back down.

"I don't know, sweetheart. It looks like someone's wedding dress. Probably one of your Father's relatives."

"Was it Grandma's?" I ask as I pull down one of the sheets beside me to reveal a full length mirror.

I hold the dress up to my body and turn from side to side to see how it would look on me. I'm wearing a pair of denim overalls, so the fine material looks kind of out of place next to them and the blue t-shit I have on underneath. Underneath the dress, at the bottom of the box was a small silver crown that had hanging pearls dangling from it. So I grabbed it and placed it in my own hair.

"Doubtful, your Grandma wasn't big on lace," she says as she watches me hold up my hair and pretend like I'm wearing the dress as I make faces at the mirror. "Is there a name on the box?"

That make's sense. I carefully set the dress aside and look at the lid. There is a small tag on the side that I read out loud. "Bellatrix Black. Who's that?"

Mom snaps a look to me and then to the dress. "A very wicked woman," she says as she walks over to me and puts the dress back in the box, making sure the lid's on tight.

"But who was she?" I press and as Mom throws the box across the room. It lands with a thud and slides across the floor boards before settling by an old wardrobe with carved wood decorating the front. I look back to Mom with my eyebrows raised, her reaction surprises me.

"Well, she was your father's aunt and she was a very mean person. Now, help me pick some of these things out."

I frown at that, but I go back to the chest anyways and drop to my knees by her side, carefully taking the crown off so she doesn't throw it as well. I look inside and smile at all of the baby things there. Small things are just cute, no matter who they belong to and I awed out loud when I pulled out a little green out fit that belonged to Gavin when he was small.

I laugh when I see a couple painted rocks at the bottom, courtesy of my awesome art skills when I was a child. "Shouldn't these be in my chest?" I ask as I turn over the pink sparkly stones in my hand.

"You made them for him," she explains simply and then she sighs. "It's hot up here. Let's take this down stairs."

She takes the rocks from me and puts them in the trunk before picking it up and walking back towards the stairway. I look over the other chests along the wall. There's Daddy's, it looks older and more worn out than the others. There's Lavinia's and there's mine… I even find a few that have names of Mafloy's I can't place. I bet it would be interesting to sort through those. And then I spot Cassius' name. It stops me for a second as I stare at his name carved into the golden plate on the front. I have an itching feeling to look into it, but I know it will probably make me cry, so I let it stay up in the attic as I chase after Mom.

We decide stay at the Manor, because the time zone changes have us all off kilter but I can tell she isn't happy about it. She just doesn't like being here much any more, and when we go to one of the front sitting rooms, she sets the cheery wood chest down on the table and takes a seat on the floor. Dad scolds me for doing that very same thing, but I figure since she's doing it, it's safe. So I plop down beside her and cross my legs.

"What things are you going to give him?" I ask curiously as she opens the lid and starts pulling things out. A light green baby blanket with yellow stripes, a small starter broom with safety handles, a stuffed dog with droopy ears, and a yellow pacifier connected to a string, all get placed on the couch behind our backs.

"Well, since he's having a girl there really isn't many of his things he'll want to pass down just yet," she explains as she takes out a small wooden horse to put in the toy pile. I think it's weird that Gavin is having one baby, let alone thinking about him having a male child sometime later. "I think they'd like to have some of his baby pictures, though."

She takes out a small metal box and pops the lid open, revealing organized stacks of glossy photos separated by dates and Gavin's ages. She hands me some and I smile before resting my back against an arm chair and flipping through the stack. Gavin was a cute little boy, I will give him that. Curly haired blondes with big eyes and freckles always rate well on the adorable meter.

"Why would they want his baby pictures?" I ask as I look down at a picture of Gav when he was small, dressed up as a dragon for Halloween. I laugh and put that in the show Gavin pile.

"When Addison has the baby, she'll probably want to see what he looked like so she can compare features and all that other stuff."

"Who did I favor when I was a baby," I ask, putting more funny pictures in the keep out pile so I can make fun of them later, of course. "Did I look more like you or Dad?"

She squints at a picture before setting it aside. "You've always looked more like your Father," she says and I guess that's true. I hear it all the time. "But I didn't have any of my baby pictures to look at."

I frown, realizing that was true. In fact, I had never seen a picture of my Mother before she was married to my Dad. We just didn't have them here because we were so cut off from her side of the family.

"Couldn't you just ask…" I was going to say 'your parents' but that didn't seem right. "Couldn't you ask the Weasley's for some of your pictures?" I ask, probably naively, because she sighs out loud.

"When I was young I use to live in a house we called the Burrow," she says in a faraway voice as she looks down at a picture in her hands. "It was actually just an old farm house held up my magic and the hope that the roof wouldn't collapse whenever there was gust of wind." Her voice sounds strange right now, so I study her profile as she speaks. "It burned down when I was eighteen, so all the pictures of me are probably gone anyways."

Sometimes I forget that I'm a child of war.

I don't say anything else after that and we fall into a comfortable silence as we sort through Gavin's life, condensed down to a trunk. As I look at pictures of my brother, my mind starts to wonder back to that kiss in the rain and I bring my fingers up to my lips, trying to imagine what kissing Xavier would feel like if I remained serious during the whole thing. Then I think of him dancing and laughing with Pearl Hunnington with her honey blonde hair and annoying laugh.

"Mom," I say softly and she glances at me with her eyebrows raised. "When a boy kisses you, that means he likes you, right?"

"Who kissed you?" she asks and I feel my cheeks heat because she went straight to the point.

"No one," I say quickly, not willing to go into too much detail. "But this boy in my ballet class kissed my friend, and now she's wondering if he actually likes her because she saw him flirting with another girl the very next day and he's always been quite mean to her."

She's smiling at me, so I make a point not to look at her. "Well, why do you think this boy kissed your friend?" she asks me and I try to think of the answer.

Why did he kiss me? He's always hated me and treated me terribly before all of this. It doesn't make sense, but then people can change. Daddy said Mom used to hate him when they were younger, but eventually she fell in love with him, even though he can be terribly stubborn and bossy. Like someone else I know.

"I don't know," I end up whispering because I can't rightly formulate a good answer.

"Maybe this boy was mean to you because he liked you and didn't know how to tell you," she says and I shoot her a look that makes her give me a half smile. "In my experience, a boy your age wouldn't just kiss you if he didn't have feelings for you."

I nod my head, but I don't correct her on her wording because it's obvious she knows it was me anyways.

I chew on that thought for a while, trying to decide what I want to do as I look at pictures and divide them into pills. After a while, I look over to Mom because her breathing pattern has changed. She's staring down at a picture in her hands and when I tilt my head to get a look at her face, I realize her eyes are stinging with tears. I crawl closer to her and look down at the photo. It's an old one of Cassius and Gavin when they were young boys, and they were riding on some carousel ride that was spinning around in a circle. They were both giggling and waving to the camera as they held onto the fake sparking horse that was galloping around the carousel to the music that only the occupants of the photo could hear.

It made me sad too, so I placed my head on Mom's shoulder and put my arm around her back. I wonder if missing Cass will ever stop hurting. I don't think Mom and Dad will ever get over losing him.

_Woof! _

My head shoots up and Mom looks at me.

_Woof! Woof! _

"Is that a dog?" Mom asks while standing up, her sadness temporarily forgotten by the noise.

When I stand up, I look towards the door way, intending to go find out, but my Dad comes strolling in a few seconds later. In his arms is a small black and white spotted dog that's nipping at his fingers. Mom crosses her arms as I squeal and roll on my toes, wanting to pet him so badly.

"I figured you two would be here," he says, probably having gone back to an empty beach house first. "You could have left a note," he adds dryly, sending a pointed look to Mom.

"Where did you get him?" I ask in excitement as he lets the small Dalmatian puppy down and I run right towards the hyper little guy to scratch his head.

"Now you have an animal of your own," Dad says with a smile, Mom's still watching the scene with her arms crossed. Apparently this is a surprise to her as well. "But you have to take care of him yourself. You can't pass off his care to the house-elves."

"Oh, he is brilliant," I say as I pick him up and he licks my cheek. I didn't even know I wanted a dog until I saw him. "Thank you, Daddy." I say as I let the fidgety dog back to the ground and I hug him tightly around the waist. "I love him already."

I go back to the dog, that's currently sniffing the couch with his tail wagging feverishly behind him. "A dog, Draco?" I hear my Mom say, not sounding too thrilled by his decision.

Dad shrugs as I bend down to pet _my_ new puppy again. "Tabor was talking during our meeting about how he was trying to get rid of a few pups his dog had. I thought she'd like it," he says, smiling towards me.

I turn around and grin. "I do like it," I say with a large smile, barely able to contain my joy.

I will walk him and I will brush him and I will feed him and I will love him. Now he just needs a name. I watch him as he checks out the room. He really is a speckled little pup, with black ears and a lean little body. I can't name him Jeffery, because I'm still holding out for that tiger, but I think he looks like a Charlie.

"I shall call you Charlie," I tell him as my parents discuss my new companion in hushed voices.

"Pick a different name," Dad says flatly and when I look at him, his face looks cold.

"What? Why? He looks like a Charlie," I glance to Mom for backup but she's no help because she's going back to Gavin's baby chest to put things away.

"Just pick a different name, Evelyn."

That annoyed me. "Fine, I'll think up a name later," I tell him crossly and he lifts his eyebrows before taking a seat in the arm chair I had rested against earlier so he can look at Mom.

I spent most of the night playing with my new little puppy, deciding that he has to be the most favorite thing I have gotten all year. I know dogs aren't allowed at Hogwarts, but I wonder if I could write a nice letter and change their minds. I settle on the name Nero after Mom suggests it, because all Dad had to offer was Spot and I found that highly unoriginal and not funny at all.

For some reason we decide to stay the night at the Manor after Mom and Dad have a long heart to heart on the couch that I wasn't allowed to hear. I was glad to be home and when I tuck in for the night Nero falls asleep beside me on the bed, but I can't find it in me to close my eyes. I'm still thinking about that kiss and I go through my brain, trying to remember every encounter I've ever had with Xavier that would lead up to that moment. He was always glaring at me… but then, that meant he was looking at me, right? And he talked to me more than anyone in our class… just because he was insulting me, but I think that still counts. Does he_ like_ me?

And more importantly, do I_ like_ him?

I twist and turn most of the night as I try to sort it out, and when morning comes, I find myself exhausted and not refreshed at all. I had promised to meet Gabe at the studio for practice this afternoon so I fed and played with Nero for a little bit outside and I ate lunch before getting dressed in my usual dance outfit. Mom Apparates me to the studio, telling me she'll pick me up in two hours. I wave her off before going inside and waiting for Gabriel to meet me in the lobby like he said.

He comes in looking distraught and frazzled and I raise my eyebrows when he sees me. "Are you alright?" I ask because he looks like he's about to cry and his hair is a mess.

"I'm not in the best mood, Evelyn," he says seriously and I nod my head. "Let's just get this over with."

Well, this is going to be a pleasant practice. Madam Violet isn't in this morning, but one of her workers his. He smiles as he hands me and Gabe the little wooden dolls that dance the steps for us so we can practice against them. They're small, about the size of my hand, and they really are nifty little things. As we walk towards one of the practice rooms I run my fingers over the blank face of the girl doll I'm holding and play with the pink tutu someone put on her.

"Did you get in a fight with your boyfriend?" I ask when we reach the room and we set our dolls down on the table. Gabriel immediately starts stretching and warming up, so I take off my jacket and pants to do the same. "Is that why you're sad?"

"He's a bastard. That's all I'll say," he says with an angry sniff and I glance at him as I work out the muscles in my legs.

I wonder what happened with that, but he's not going to tell me, so I try to ignore the way he's huffing and scowling. The leotard I'm wearing today is a dark blue color, with sleeves that go down to my elbows, with a scooping neckline in the front and back. Pale pink tights encase my legs with a little matching blue skirt I tied around my waist, going down to the top of my thighs. I straighten it out as I look into the mirror to avoid Gabriel's fuming. I actually don't know him that well to get involved, but I do sorely wish he would stop frowning because it makes him look terribly unhappy.

We turn the dolls on, turning on the magic that's working through them and they begin goings through the steps of the first section of the dance we need to learn. I watch them to refresh my memory and then I get into place after Gabe and I have been sufficiently warmed up.

"We went to a club last night," Gabe says as he turns on the record player to play our music. I look at him and tilt my head so he'll continue. He walks back towards me and takes his place behind me. "I went to the loo and came back out to find him snogging someone else."

"Oh, that's terrible," I say sympathetically. "But clubs can be dark, right?" Not that I would know, I'm rarely allowed out to do anything. "Maybe he thought it was you?"

He snorts in disbelief and shakes his head. "Unlikely, the person was blonde," he says and I understand his anger. It would be hard to confuse a blond boy with an Asian man. "And it was a girl."

I look at him and then I pat his shoulder for comfort. "I'm sorry. You're probably better off with out him."

"Damn right I'm better off without him," he says and I think he's lying because his voice doesn't sound too convinced, but I don't point that out.

We start off the dance and Gabe messes up every time and he even slams into after forgetting one of the steps where we were supposed to pass by each other. "God, sorry, Evelyn, but I can't do this today," he says after he bumped into me and made me fall. He holds out his hand for me to take and I let him help me up, trying not to glare at him. "I have to go home and sulk for a while, I just can't concentrate."

"I understand," I say as I try not to pout. I still have over an hour and a half left before my Mother comes. I wonder if they'll let me use the floo network in Madam's office. "Goodbye, then."

He waves distractedly as he packs his things and then scurries out of the room. I feel bad for the poor guy. It's never fun to get your heart broken. After he's out of sight, I look back to the mirrors along on the wall, noting that that stupid curl is on my forehead again. Might as well get some practice in, I tell myself, as I go back to the record player and I reset the music. The dolls in front of me are still dancing, so I watch them, flicking little glances to the mirror to make sure I'm doing some of the moves right. Of course, this is supposed to be a couples dance, so it's hard with out a partner but I work up a sweat doing it none the less.

When I have to go up on my toes and hold that stance I sigh and let myself drop because it hurts. This is just no good. My partner is an emotional wreck and it's not even like I'm going to get the part anyways. It's unnecessary torture, if you ask me.

"You are leaning too much on your left side."

I look towards the door way and put my hands on my hips when I see Xavier leaning against the door frame, with his arms crossed and his bag slung over his shoulder. "Well, my partner isn't here to do most of the moves with," I say, with my chin tilted up, upset that he pointed out a fault.

"Dzat is no excuse for bad form," he says like the snooty dancer that he is and I turn away, feeling a very uncharacteristic blush on my cheeks. "Let me help," he says as he walks into the room, closing the door behind him.

I watch as he puts his bag down and slips into his dance shoes. "I'm sure Pearl Hunnington won't appreciate you helping out a rival dancer," I state as he walks over to the dolls and turns them off. They stop dancing and land in a clunky heap on the table.

"She twisted her ankle today," he says in a smooth voice, like it wasn't concerning that his partner is now broken. "So, I must find a new partner."

"Couldn't the medic fix her easily?" I ask as he puts his hand out for me to take. My stomach tightens as I place my hand in his and he walks me towards the center of the dance floor. "I mean, a twisted ankle is nothing really with a good healing potion."

"Hm," he says as he nods his head. He places himself behind me and he puts one hand on my waist, while taking my left hand with the other, and lifting it up slightly. "But she said she would not be my partner again," he says softly.

I look into the mirror and furrow my brows in confusion. "Why wouldn't she want to be your partner anymore?" I ask his reflection, even though he is mean, he is the best, and judging by all the laughing that was happening yesterday I figured they were getting along fine. "She seemed quite possessive of you and the water that you drink the other day," I say, tilting my lips up in a smirk when I remember her anger towards me when I offered him a water bottle from my bag.

"She dzinks dzat I dropped her on purpose during one of the lifts."

I glance at him over my shoulder and raise my eyebrows. "Did you?"

He smiles a little. "You must find your center, and balance it out," he says, ignoring my question so I frown at him before turning back to the mirror as he speaks to me over my right shoulder. "Your problem is dzat you dzink too much about dancing, instead of just doing it."

Xavier is actually a pretty good teacher when he isn't yelling or threatening people, and he helps me with my toe work and few of the more difficult moves I'm going to have to do for the audition with Gabe. Neither of us breach the subject of that kiss in the rain, but it's still at the forefront of my mind and as we dance together, with him giving soft suggestions in my ear… I can't help but think of it.

He keeps his hands on my waist to balance my spins, and I stay tense through must of it until he makes me stop and pulls me against his chest. "Relax. You must trust me," he says softly into my ear and I find myself shivering. "Are you cold?" he asks, having noticed the movement.

"No," I say simply, because I'm actually much too hot. "Let's try again."

He takes Gabe's place with ease and I find that dancing with Xavier is like dancing with water. Gabriel was sharp like a razor and his movements were practiced, but Xavier's body flows and it feels like his body is going through natural movements that have been in him since birth. When we reach the point in the dance for the first lift, I hesitate a moment, while sending him a worried glance.

He smirks. "I will never drop you."

"Did you tell Pearl that?"

"Maybe," he says with a laugh, his hazel eyes bright with amusement.

I let him place his hand on my leg and around my stomach as he gently lifts me up after I jump into position with my legs bent and my arms out into the proper place. It actually is quite easy, because Xavier is strong enough for me to feel like a feather. He gently places me on my feet and I turn around and smile at him.

"How wonderful," I say, because it did feel graceful and sweet.

"Oui," he says quietly. "Gabriel is older than you, so he has done partnering lifts before," he says as he looks over my face. "It should be easy for him, if you don't tense up."

He nods his head tightly before walking over to his bag and gathering his things. Is he leaving? I check the clock to make sure I have time before Mom comes and I do so I tell him to stop. He shakes the hair out of his eyes before looking at me and raising his eyebrows in question.

"Well, I could use some more help, you know," I say, just because I don't want him to leave yet. I cross my ankles over each other and fiddle with the bottom of my skirt. "There's that lift at the end that makes me nervous."

"Dzat one is easy. You will be fine."

I keep myself from pouting. "Please? You are such an excellent teacher."

He eyes me for a few moments, before looking away and letting his bag drop to the floor. I hide a smile as he goes over to the record player to reset the music again. "I have to leave after this," he says and I nod my head.

"Of course."

I smile when he comes back to me and he shakes his head again like I was silly before going through the dance with me again. The last lift is quite easy, all I have to do is hold onto his shoulders as he lifts me up, with his hands on my waist and he has to spin a few turns. He gets to do all the work and when he lifts me up I smile down at him. He wasn't looking at me at first, but when he glanced up and saw that I was looking at him, he slowed his spinning.

"I didn't mean to laugh," I tell him softly as he stops altogether and he starts to lower me.

He looks terribly serious and handsome, so when my feet touch the ground the thread my fingers through his hair. "I was right," I muse to myself in a whisper as his hands fold together behind my waist. "It is thick."

I tilt my face up to kiss him because everything in my body is screaming at me to do it. I sigh happily when I feel him pull me tighter against his body and he tilts his head more, deepening the kiss, sending shock waves through my body. The one time I kissed Tyler Roscoe, it was all tongue, saliva, and spit… it wasn't a pleasant experience, but Xavier seems to be pretty skilled at the art of snogging. So good, in fact, that it's almost suspicious and I file that away to ask him about later.

I pull back and open my eyes so I can stare into his. "Oh dear," I say as I bring a hand to my tingling lips. "I do believe I like you very much."

"Tu es très belle."

I smile at him and tilt my head to the side. "That's sweet," I tell him, liking the way my heart is jumping against my rib cage because he called me beautiful. "What now?" I ask, because I have no idea what's supposed to come next.

"I do not know," he says honestly as he searches my eyes. I almost ask him why he was always so mean to me but I don't to spoil the moment. He sighs and moves that aggravating curl out of my eyes. "Dzis is my favorite," he says to my raised eyebrow because he's still looking at my hair. When he looks back into my eyes, he looks serious. "Will your Jeremiah be upset?"

"Why would he be upset?"

He gives me a stern look and I raise my eyebrows as he lets his hands loosen from around my waist. "He loves you," he says like it was a bad thing.

I shrug. "Of course he loves me. He's my best friend… I love him too."

That earns me another patronizing head shake. "You can not be dzat blind." I narrow my eyes at that statement and I step back from him, letting my hand drop from him totally. "He does not love you like a friend."

"Yes, he does," I snap back.

I actually don't know why I'm being so defensive. I think of what my Mom said when I asked her about the kiss Xavier gave me. A boy wouldn't kiss me unless he liked me, she said… well, I did kiss Jeremiah, but that was just for fun. What does he think?

"Oh," I say as I think about it. Jeremiah can't like me like that… it's against the rules, but it would explain why he's been acting so funny around me.

"Oh?" Xavier has been watching my reactions closely this whole time and I finally look at him.

"Well, I kissed Jeremiah the other day," I say and Xavier's face falls flat. "Do you suppose he thinks it was a real kiss?" I ask out loud. I didn't mind the kiss at all, actually. In fact, I could probably do it again and be okay.

Oh, my, what a predicament I've gotten myself into.

"Was it?" Xavier asks with his voice sounding low and cold. I glance at him, irritated that he's acting so closed off again.

"Well, no. I just did it because I wanted to."

"I am going home," he says in response and I watch him as he goes back to his bag and slings it across his shoulders again.

"Why are you acting all angry?" I ask as I cross my arms. Didn't we just have a moment?

He glares at me. "Ne joue pas avec moi." He mutters, speaking his native tongue because he's upset.

"I am not playing with you," I tell him in exasperation. Boys are too bloody confusing. "Don't go yet."

He doesn't even bother saying goodbye as he leaves the room and I stomp my foot in annoyance. What was that all about? I scowl as I turn off the music and I pick up the dolls to return to the main office. I meet Mom outside and I refuse to talk to her as she Apparates me home. I stomp to my room and I yell at Daddy when he tries to tell me to calm down. I play with Nero and skip dinner as I stay in my room and stew about stupid Xavier the Raspberry.

When night time rolls around I decide that I need someone to talk to about it, so I decide I must talk to my best friend. I find my parent's eagle owl, Artemis, and I make her send a letter to Jeremiah. His response comes an hour later, telling me to meet him at his house because his parents are both gone for the night. I get dressed and I do my hair, throwing a cloak on before sneaking down to Daddy's study. I don't even bother asking. It's the middle of the night and they definitely wouldn't let me go to a boy's house if the parents weren't there, even if it is Jay.

It's pretty late because Mom and Dad are already asleep as I carefully tip toe into his study and I go over to the fire place, grabbing a handful of floo powder. The fire place in the study is the only one my parents leave on during the night just in case there are important messages that need to get through, and I'd say this is pretty important. Just before I leave, I hear footsteps and Daddy steps through the door way a few seconds later. I panic and hide in the nearest available area. Which just happens to be behind a book shelf and I wrap my blue cloak around my body, hoping I blend into the scenery until he leaves. Being in his study when he didn't authorize it is never good, especially in the middle of the night… obviously trying to sneak out.

Dad's shirtless, with a pair of black sleep pants on his legs and his hair is messy, but he has his glasses on. I notice this because there is a glare on the lenses as he lights a few candles on his desk and takes a seat in his chair. I wonder why he's awake right now and I watch as he rubs his forehead and opens a drawer, pulling a small little ball out. For a second I thought it was the Mood Manipulator, but this ball was smaller, closer to the size of a snitch and I realize it's the location sphere. He has a few of them, and he's taken to carrying them around since Lavinia left.

He points his wand at it and says my sister's name. It lights up and he looks into the ball as it spins.

"Where is she now?" We both jump at Mom's voice and I retract more into the cloak. I learned my lesson the last time I spied on them and I really don't want to have to witness anything as disgusting as I did in the library.

"She's back in England, but the place is unplottable," he answers before looking up at her. She's wearing a sleeveless nightgown that brushes the top of her knees and her hair is down and loose.

"Couldn't sleep?" She asks as she leans against the doorframe, holding something thin and square in her hands.

"Wouldn't be the first time," he replies, then he taps the ball again, saying Gavin's name. The ball lights up and spins. "He's at a pub in Knockturn Alley," he says, sounding soft. I wonder if that will pinpoint exactly where I am, because if he does my charm, then they'll know where I'm hiding.

That won't be fun.

"Do you remember this?" She asks, walking into the room. Out of curiosity I tilt my head around the bookshelf to try to see what she has. She walks over to Daddy's desk and stands behind him so she can bend over and show him the thing she was holding. "It was in Gavin's trunk. I almost forgot how fun this day was."

Dad picked it up and I was able to see it was a photo. "Fun for them," he replies as he studies the picture. "I had to stand there in the hot sun while they rode that ride twenty times in a row and Lavinia peed on me three times."

Mom smiles a little as she puts her chin on his shoulder. "They weren't big enough to get on the other rides and she was just starting to potty train." She sighs. "You can't tell from the picture, but do remember that Cass ate that giant lollie pop while we were there?"

Dad nods his head. "His teeth were blue for two weeks. I thought my Mother was going to have a stroke when she saw him."

Mom smiles as Dad frowns. Neither can see the other's reaction and I hope they're both going to go to bed soon. Dad takes her hand and kisses her palm as he sets the picture on his desk.

"Gin." His voice is a low whisper and she tilts her head so she can see is profile. "Do you honestly think it's my fault?"

She hesitates a second. "What do you mean?"

"You know what I mean," he says, irritated. "I've lost a son, my daughter's run off, and the other kids are miserable." I nearly speak up just then to disagree, but that's not such a good idea. "It does seem like I'm getting paid back for all the things that I've done. Maybe you were right about that. Maybe your mother was right."

"Oh, Draco," Mom says in that sweet voice she uses to make him happy. She stands up straight and pushes his chair back so she can sit down on his lap. "I don't think it works that way."

"What way does it work then?" he asks as he sits further back into the chair to accommodate her.

She looks at him, they both look terribly serious and she shrugs. "I don't know," she answers honestly and then she kisses him.

It was a quick kiss and when she pulls back she lifts the location sphere from the table. Dad watches her and then points his wand at the little ball.

"Evelyn," he mutters. The ball glows and spins and I close my eyes, dreading them finding me. "Malfoy Manor," he says with a sigh.

I let my eyes pop open when I'm sure I won't be found out. "Why don't you try, Cassius," Mom says softly, rolling the ball around in her hands.

"It's always cloudy, Gin."

"Maybe it will be different?" she asks hopefully but he shakes his head. "Why did you let him keep the ring?"

He looks at her.

"It was a Malfoy family ring, right? You had it, your father had it, and so on… why did you have them bury Cass with it?" She asks with a tight throat as Dad looks down at the location sphere on her lap.

"It's his ring now," he says with a sad undertone. "It's supposed to be passed down through your children, and he didn't get a chance to have any… so it's his."

She kisss his cheek and puts her arms around his neck. "The papers came back," she says with a sigh as she rests her head on his shoulder. "You forgot to sign them."

"I'll get to it," he answers, clearing not thinking it was important, and he was about to add another thing when Nero came running into the room with his tongue hanging out and his tail wagging again.

Stupid little puppy. "That dog is filthy," Mom says with a crinkled nose as Nero comes over and starts to jump up on their laps for attention. He is all covered in dirt from digging in the garden earlier when I took him for a walk. "Why is he so dirty," Mom asks as she stands up and with a scowl she looks down at her nice white nightgown… that now has nice brown paw prints on it.

"Evelyn took him out not too long ago," he answers, but he doesn't get up as he looks down at the location sphere that Mom handed him in her haste to get off of his lap.

"Why on earth did you get her a puppy, Draco. You know it's going to me who has to take care of it. Just like I have to take care of Lavinia's damn cat," she says in distaste and I frown at her lack of faith in my responsibility skills.

The puppy spots me and I shake my head so he doesn't come over, but he doesn't listen and he comes running with a vengeance. I try to hide more into the cloak as Nero runs over to me but it's of no use. The parts of the floor that aren't covered in expensive Persian rugs are made up of polished dark wood, that can be pretty slippery. Nero tries to stop in front of me, but his paws keep on sliding, right into the wall by the fire place. He hits the wall with a yelp and Mom runs over to him.

"You stupid dog," Mom says as she takes out her wand and cleans him of the dirt that was covering him. Nero gets his footing right and then barks at me. "Be quite, you."

He barks again and tilts his head as Mom follows his gaze…. Right to me. "Evelyn, what are you doing right there?" She spots the nice clothes that I'm wearing and the floo powder still clutched in my hands. She crosses her arms with her eyebrows together in suspicion. "What were you doing?"

Oh, hell. I stand up and pat down my clothes, trying to stall time as I think up an excuse.

"Well, you see, I was just trying too—" I don't get to finish my lie because Daddy cuts me off.

"Ginny." We both look towards him and the glowing location sphere in his hands. "It worked."

He drops it when it starts spinning and we all watch it roll across the floor boards as it successfully locates my lost brother.

_**Cassius **_

"Oh, you have got to be bloody kidding me."

I shake my head at the group of people that are currently surrounding me. They're all drunk on wine and celebrating my arrival as they dance around in the rain. I throw up my hood a little more forcefully than was necessary and scowl at the people around me.

"Move so I can leave," I state harshly as I grip my wand.

A flower decorated girl with chestnut hair walks over to me and throws flower petals by my feet. I shouldn't have taken this way. I figured I would need a guide to the mountains where Gregorios would be, so I came to grab someone from this village. The rain didn't seem to stop the celebration, but they all stopped to notice me.

"Will one of you bring me to the mountains? I need to find a man named Gregorios."

"You are a most gracious lord," one barrel chested man with a beard says as he beams at me. That one is beyond drunk and into just plain crazy. "You have brought rain! Come see out sacrifices in your honor."

"Sing for us!"

"Bless us!"

"Drink from our wine!"

Apparently there are tactless too. If I was one of their gods I would smite them all by now. I raise my wand and stun the bearded beast in front of me and when he lands with a thud on the ground, all go still.

"I need to find Gregorios," I say, playing the part of the mean and hateful deity. "I need someone who knows where he will be."

No one says anything as I look around them. They're all pale now with frightened faces as they clutch at each other for comfort. They probably think I just killed the man in front of me. Maybe if I brought him back from the dead they would be happy and listen. I point my wand to the stunned man and mumble the counter charm. My wand lights up and the man moves his limbs and sits up with a dazed look on his hairy face. The people around me huddle together in awe as the man gets to his knees in front of me.

"I need to find Gregorios," I repeat again but he's too busy kissing the ground to listen. I look around me at the blank drunk faces, realizing I probably won't be getting any help here.

With a jolt I realize there is someone who can help me. The girl who told me about Gregorios and the mountains in the first place, but now there are way too many people around me and they are all focused on my next move, no doubt they will follow me if I try to leave.

"I have a game," I say, and they all listen in rapt attention as I take out the golden practice snitch from my pocket. "The person who catches this," I say, holding the golden ball in the air so they can see it. It's the only impressive looking thing that I own right now, besides my ring but even here that bloody damn thing doesn't come off. "Who ever catches this will receive treasures beyond belief." I twist the snitch until the wings pop out. They flutter madly against my palm, wanting to be free to fly. "Get ready."

They all watch as I throw the small snitch up in the air. It hovers for a few moments before zooming off into the forest. The people hesitate one second before making a mad dash for it, crawling over each other in their haste to capture it first. Well, that worked out well. I throw up my hood and travel back towards that temple house like thing where I had been having lunch with Paige the Demon Woman to find that girl with the freckles who's the sister to the leper boy. I figure Paige will be stunned for a few more hours, so I can manage with out much trouble.

The girls are still dancing by the food table, in a weird inebriated dance that looks wicked to me now. One girl brushes up against me with red eyes and I push her back, passing through the room with a vengeance in search for the little girl who had helped me. I find her washing pots and dishes in a kitchen area and I pull her to me with one of my hands clamped on her upper arm.

"Help me find Gregorios," I tell her with out greeting and her startled eyes look wide and frightened. The other cooks and slaves edge out of the room thinking I'm going to do something terrible to the girl and not wanting to witness it. "Bring me to the mountains."

"But she—"

"She is indisposed right now and won't be up for a while. Now will you help me or not?"

She hesitates a second before sending a glance out the window, at the rain. "It hasn't rained here in forever," she mutters and I let go of her arm figuring she's just as zombified as the rest of them. "My brother knows the woods better than anyone. He's blind, but he's lived in them, so he would know."

Luckily I helped him, then, isn't it?

Her little brother is mostly healed by the time we get to him and when he feels my presence in the room he takes my tie out from under his pillow and kisses it again. It makes me feel weird so I try not to acknowledge it as his sister tells him what I need. He agrees readily and we take off into the woods after they find wool cloaks to wear to ward off the rain and the chill that it brings.

The blind boy, Kleon, takes my hand when we reach the forest and I almost shake him off but he is just a little boy and that would seem cruel. So I hold his freaking hand as he leads us through the trees.

"Him is not in the mountain," the boy says after a while of walking. He stops all together and tilts his head to the side like he was listening to something. I look over my shoulder at his sister who's wide eyes are looking around the forest like every shadow may come out to claim her. "Him is by the cliffs."

I squeeze his hand. "Can you bring me there?" I ask softly, like speaking too loud would hurt his ears. He kind of reminds me of a house-elf because his speech is so broken. "I must speak with him."

"I will," he whispers, kissing my tie again like it was a treasured artifact, and he starts pulling me a different direction.

He doesn't speak again, but as we're weaving through the trees, I turn to the freckled face girl at my side. "We have time," I tell her as the boy hops over a rock. I follow suit and pray that the cliffs aren't too far away because my feet hurt. I can't believe the day I've had already. "I want you to tell me about Paige. Who is she?"

I wish I had a ball of twine to help me out of this confusing place. I can't help but think that Paige has turned into the beast at the heart of this labyrinth.

The girl, Korinna, looks away as she messes with the thick material of her dress. "She looks different now," she says in a low voice, like if she spoke too loud Paige would hear her and kill her. "She used to be very thin and very tall… with beautiful skin. She was named Drusilla," she adds and I glance at her as we walk. Drusilla. What an annoying and unoriginal name for a villain. "She was also very cruel."

"How was she cruel?" I ask with a sick feeling turning my stomach.

"She…" she licks her lips and looks at me. "This was supposed to be a special place," she whispers. "Everyone who was blessed was invited to come here and live with others just like us."

"Blessed as in you could do magic?" I say as I think about the myth of the lost island that's embedded into every magical child's brain. "Wonderful things?"

She nodded her head as she chewed on her nails. It reminded me of Lavinia and I wondered where she was right now and what she was doing. "Gregorios and Drusilla were voted in as rulers because they were most powerful," she says softly. "But she… she was very good at making potions and she started to poison the people of the island."

I imagined a lot of dead bodies, but when I voiced that thought, Korinna shook her head.

"Not dead poison… they're eyes would turn a dark red and they would do terrible things." She gives me a nervous glance. "Like you almost did."

"Why did she do that?" I ask and the girl shrugs. That makes me frown. "People aren't just evil for the hell of it," I say honestly. I really don't think people want to be evil in general. No one should want to be the bad guy. "Why was she doing those things?"

"I do not know, but everyone feared her, especially Gregorios, and after she had threatened him he went to the mountains."

"He seems brave," I say with a head shake as the small boy pulls us further and deeper into the woods.

"I don't know what happened," she says. "Suddenly things started to change. There was a big flash of light and everyone lost time and when most of us woke up we had the worst headaches… and then the nosebleeds happened."

I pale at her words and I stay quiet as I put my head down. What she just said sounds so terribly familiar and that scares me to death. I don't want to be stuck here in the dreary place forever like they seemed to be.

"And then when we woke up we were at the same place… but things were different. No seasons changed… people who were sick stayed sick…woman who were pregnant are still pregnant… and…" she trails off until I can't stand the silence anymore.

"And what?" I snap.

"No one could die," she says. "Not unless you wanted to."

"What does that mean?" I ask sharply, hating that I have to keep on asking.

"That means that before you came you could have pierced my heart with a sword and I would have woken up the next day just as I was… but if I pierced myself with the intention of dying… I would no longer be."

"How does that make any sense?" I ask as I find ten thousand loop holes in what she just told me. "What if someone pushed you off a cliff?"

"I don't know. It's just the way of things." She holds out her hand to the rain and then she looks at me under wet dark lashes. "But since you've been here, things have changed. It's raining, my brother is healed, two woman have had their children in the village already… it's like life again. Maybe that's why she wanted you to kill her husband… to see if you could."

I look down and crack my neck, trying to ward off that turning feeling in my stomach. "You say if you killed yourself you just died? Did anything else happen?"

She shakes her head. "No, you just disappeared, like you were never here in the first place."

She doesn't have much more she could tell me because she was just a lowly slave girl after all, so the rest of the time was spent in relative silence as we followed the little boy towards the cliffs. It took us half the day to get there, until dusk when the sun was lying low in the sky to make room for the moon. That's when Kleon, the blind boy, tugged on my shirt and pointed upwards. I followed his finger to a opening in the cliff we were standing by, noting that I would have to climb up a ways which did not make me feel any better, but luckily my year of traveling with Byron had brought climbing walls like this into my catalogue of things Cass can do.

"Smoke," the boy says as his nostrils flair and I realize just now how strange it was that he just pointed at something for me look at.

Being blind, I imagine that would be tough and I gave him a good hard look to see if his eyes were clearing up. When he didn't move I stood up straight and frowned down at him before turning back to the cliff.

"We're sure he's up there?' I say as I take out my wand and un-tuck my shirt. They both say yes. "If he's not I'm going to be so pissed off," I grumble as I walk over to the cliff and I look up before lifting my wand and using a cheat spell I had learned from climbing cliffs to go on digs. Little notches come out from the rock to help me with climbing and I smirk at them before finding some footing so I can begin my climb with my wand between my teeth. This would be so much easier if I had a goddamn broom.

The whole way I up I'm thinking of Paige and who the hell she was. I don't understand this place, it doesn't make sense, and I'm not willing to stick around to find out. When I reach the top of the small cliff, I'm too bone tired and weary from the rain to notice that Gregorios is standing directly in my way with his eyes shut and his face tilted towards the heavens as rain showers him. Creep.

"I've been looking for you," I tell him as I stomp over to him and grab his arm. "How do you get off of this Island?"

He blinks at me. "You don't," he says simply.

I punch him.

He goes falling backwards and I catch him before he falls off the cliff. I'm too frustrated and confused to be level headed and hitting him felt good. Underneath us is a body of water, clashing against the rocks and I don't feel like going down there to find him when I had to travel all the way here. He brings his hands up to his nose and turns away from me in pain.

"I am not one of your gods," I state harshly as I grab the gold necklace around his neck, the one with the snarling lion on the end, and I pull him closer to me. "I am not, but I can be terrible if you don't answer my questions. My name is Cassius Malfoy and I want to go home."

"We thought you were blessed," he says when he brings his hands away from his face. There's blood clinging to his skin, but the rain is doing a good job of washing it away. "We thought we were closer to the divine then all the others because we could do things, powerful wonderful things."

"Yeah, that's swell," I say, not caring at all because I'll already covered this with Korinna. "What does that have to do with anything?"

"It wasn't always like this, you know."

"I don't care!" I whine. I grab his arm and start to shake him in my irritation. "I don't care how it used to be, I don't care that it's raining, I don't care who the fuck Paige is anymore. My name is Cassius Malfoy and I want to go home!"

He blinks a few times and then looks at me, like he was seeing me for the first time. "You can't go home." He says and I nearly hit him again.

"Why not!"

"You…you don't know," he says and I shake my head. Obviously. "I need to tell you. I need to be dissolved of this."

I reluctantly follow him when he asks me to and we end up in a smaller cave along the cliff's wall that appears man made. Of course, because he was the 'leader' one of his priests had taken off their robes for him to sit on and he made a small place for me as he ran his fingers through his wet hair and shook the water away from his eyes. A small fire was at his feet, making his skin glow gold.

"We thought we were blessed," he says, sounding miserable as he looks at his hands. "We thought we were chosen, but we really are cursed."

"And…" Let's get this show on the bloody road. I feel this pull in my chest, like I'm running out of time.

"We wanted to live forever… I wanted to live forever" He trails off as he looks at the rain and he puts a hand out to catch a few droplets on his palm. "It was my idea. All of us who could do things… magnificent things that other's couldn't do were invited to this island. We thought we were chosen," he repeats again like I was stupid and wouldn't understand. "We thought if we could all work together, we could be with the gods."

"What did you do?"

He glances at me, like he was still unsure of who I was, before crossing his arms, looking back at the rain. "I'm not even sure. It was a spell, a gateway spell, and we built that statue in honor of our big transformation." He nods to the statue that I hate so much still visible from here. "We found a way to split ourselves… so we could live forever. We did the spell and we all woke up here… and everyday has been the same… the only thing that changed was the attitude from living the same day and unable to leave. We can't even die."

I remember what Paige said about already being dead and I swallow that lump in my throat. "Only if you want to," he adds softly and I look towards him. "You couldn't kill anyone if you wanted…Well, you never could before… but things are changing with you. That's probably why she wanted you to try it on me."

"Your wife?" I ask with an eyebrow raised and he sends me a reluctant look before turning away.

"My wife. She's a real bitch of a woman too. She's the only person who's ever come back after…" Again he trails off and I understand his meaning. "And you came too. Nothing ever comes here. Nothing is ever new."

"Are you sure the only way to leave is to—"

"Die." He confirms. "We have tried everything, but you will bring new hope to us."

"That is not my job," I tell him, actually feeling bad for him now, but I have my own live I need to get back to.

"There's only a small window," he mumbles. "And yours is probably passing."

That makes me glare, because he sounds different, because there was something he seems to be not telling me. "What does that mean? What window?"

"Tell me, if you died, wherever you're from… where would your body be right now, Cassius Malfoy?"

The question catches me off guard and I look away, not liking to think about it. "There's a cemetery in London," I tell him, just because he asked. "I would probably be in the Malfoy Mausoleum. Why do you ask?" I remember the 'we're all dead' comment Paige said and I suppress a shiver.

"I was cremated," he whispers so softly that I don't think I heard him right. "Where is London?" he asks, with his voice sounding harsh again.

"What do you mean 'you were cremated?'" I ask, looking right at him.

"Here," he ignores me and hands me a stick. "Draw me a map, show me where London is."

"What?" I ask as I look at the stick. "No, I'm not going to do that. It's not important."

"You are not from here," he says smoothly. "I want to know about it before Drusilla finds me and kills me."

Trying to tap into someones guilt is cruel. I give him a glare before drawing a jagged map of Europe. "This is where you should kind of be," I say, showing him the boot that is Italy and Greece that's close to that… of course, this place isn't on a map, but I figure it's somewhere in that area. "And London is up here on this island," I tell him pointing to the little rectangle I drew to illustrate my home country. "There, now, who can I talk to get out of here?"

"You would not have been cremated?" he asks too curiously and I nearly hit him again.

"What?" I say again. "No, I would have had a wizards funeral, now you're obviously crazy, so I'm done talking to you." I stand up and dust off my pants, pissed that mud is clinging to them. "You know what," I say as I stop and turn around. "I don't like you very much and you are not much of a leader."

It's not like my words would hurt him. "That was an interesting conversation."

My head spins as I look with wide eyes at Paige, standing so regally in the rain in a different dress than the pink fluffy mess I was use to seeing on her. It was a purple dress with golden clips holding her shoulder and a matching golden cord around her waist. The water makes it cling to her body, showing every curve.

"I just want to go home," I tell her. Right now I'm not above begging. "Tell me how to get home."

"It looks like my darling husband is going to beat you to it," she says as she glancing over my shoulder, Gregorios is walking towards the edge of the cliff and I look back to Paige with my eyebrows raised.

"What is he doing?"

She smirks. "You told him exactly where you would be," she says. "It's not easy of course, you have to know exactly where a fresh one is and mine just happened by chance… or luck… either way." She shrugs her shoulders and I narrow my eyes and knit my brows. What the fuck does that mean? "The curse he put on us left us stuck, and it's either here or there now… Oh," she looks over my shoulder again. "It looks like he's going to jump."

I turn around and look at Gregorios' back as he raises his arms and says a prayer to the sky. "What are you doing?" I ask to his back as he chants.

"You stupid boy," Paige says and when I look at her, she's smiling. "He's body snatching."

"Body snatching?" That doesn't make any sense and I shake my head. "What?"

"Your body. The magic can only work so long until you're stuck here forever… that is of course, if you don't find another body to go into if you want to go back. But that is so hard because you have to be so exact, otherwise you're just lost in-between and no one wants that." She takes a step closer to me. "Stay here with me. We can rule this place together."

"Why would I want that?"

She smiles. "It's nice to be a big fish in a small pond sometimes and there are wonderful things here, Cassius. Things you've only heard about in stories, things you would love to learn about. Let Gregorios go and be Cassius for a while. You stay here with me and we can live forever."

It's too hard to understand and it hurts my brain. I hear a loud cracking sound and my head snaps to the left, where the statue is standing. It's starting to crumble… Everything crumbles. Things change and things crumble. I need to go home.

"What does that mean?"

"Of course, the body I found was seven and just barely dead. I had to push her out, poor little thing, but it was easy after that. Everyone felt bad for me… but I imagine Greggie is going to have a hell of a time waking up in your body, speaking only Greek."

"My body?"

"You're body. Looks like he's done. I think it will be funny to watch. I've wanted that cheating bastard dead for centuries."

I look back to Gregorios, this might be one big cruel joke but I don't care because I'll be damned if he takes my body… or whatever. I spare one more glance to Paige before narrowing my eyes and running towards the cliffs edge. I remember a line from a story my Mother use to read Gavin and I when we were boys and it rolls through my head as I reach the edge.

_To die would be an awfully big adventure. _

I hold my breath and jump, hitting the water with a sickening crash before everything turns black.

_**Gavin**_

Addison has been staying at her parent's house the past couple of days because she claims she misses them and wanted to visit. I have a suspicion that it was her Mother's doing because she is one of those bossy ladies who has nothing better to do with her life but bother her only child. Needless to say, I wasn't looking forward to this visit and I had to face her father when I knocked on the door. He frowns when he sees me and I mimic his expression. I'm not too thrilled to see his bushy browed face either.

"I need to see Addison," I state with my back straight and the letter weighing heavily in my pocket. I won't even go in for a handshake today.

"She's taking a nap," he says, but I don't give a flying fuck if she's taking a nap or not, so I smile tightly at him and tilt my head.

"Let her know that I'm here," I state, as I look into his eyes, willing him to move out of my way.

He sighs and looks me over with detest clearly written on his features. "Come in and take a seat," he says begrudgingly and he steps aside to let me through.

I don't spare him another glance as I go inside their modestly middle class house and I situate myself in the pastel sitting room with the white furniture covered in some kind of tacky lace. The letter in my pocket is burning my skin, figuratively, of course… so I take it out and smooth out the crinkles that I had made in my anger. Mrs. Prescott must be out, or she would be offering me tea and some kinds of treat right about now. I'm glad she isn't here to bother me and talk my ear off about things I could care less about. In an attempt to get comfortable, I sit back in the chair and cross my legs, tapping my fingers against my knee in impatience. I'm not a man who likes to wait on things.

Hangings on the walls are photos of Addison when she was a girl and a few of her sister, Emma, who passed away so many years ago. It's depressing and it won't help what I'm about to do if I feel sympathy, so I look down at the words on the letter to spark my rage again. There's no point in stewing about it. I might as well go right to the source to work this out instead of letting it harvest inside of me.

There's a little voice in the back of my mind that is optimistically hopeful for the outcome of this conversation, but the rational side is bullying that voice into a corner and putting it in it's stupid place. I don't have any room for hope right now… not with the terrible year that I've had.

I think over it for a little while, with my mind having an all out war with my heart when Addison walks into the room. She was asleep. I can see that her father wasn't lying because her hair is braided and tussled and she's wearing a pair of striped sweat pants and an oversized shirt that I recognize as mine. I will not be moved by the warmness I would usually feel to see her in such an outfit, so I look away. She smiles at me when she gets in, but I don't stand up, nor do I return her sentiment which throws her into confusion because of my lack of enthusiasm in seeing her. She looks troubled as she sits across from me and leans forward with her hands on her lap.

"Gavin, what's wrong?" she asks as she studies my face. I look at her, wishing I knew how to read minds, but I was always to lazy to learn the art. "Is it about Cass?" she asks softly, immediately jumping to the main source of my depression.

I shake my head and lean forwards as well, putting the letter face down on the table and sliding it over to her. "What do you think about this?" I ask flatly.

She gives me a worried look before carefully picking up the letter. I watch her face fall as she reads over it's contents and then her eyes are back on mine. She's working to get her English degree from school, so she should be able to get the meaning of that letter quite easily. She doesn't say anything for a while and when I raise an eyebrow in question she looks down.

"This isn't true," she says in a voice just above a whisper, but I hear her loud and clear. That hopeful voice jumps with joy but gets bitch slapped by my rational thoughts.

"Don't lie to me, please," I say honestly and I hate that my voice sounds so broken by it. I want to be mean and detached right now… but it's hard. With her it's hard because I tried so hard not to be that way.

"I'm.. .I'm not," she says as she licks her lips and stares at the first few buttons of my shirt. I sit back and cross my legs again, trying to look cool and collected when I really want to stand up and pace, and yell, and break things. "Terrance lied… I've never been with him like that."

"Really?"

She nods her head, totally committed to what she's telling me and I want to believe her so badly… but I won't live with what ifs, so I lick my lips and look down at the silver snake bracelet on my wrist because it's too hurtful to look at her.

"Why was Terrance at the flat that one day?"

She wasn't expecting that question, so she stares at me blankly, trying to remember and formulate an answer. "He just stopped by to say hi."

"I wasn't aware you were such good friends."

"We're not…" she looks pleading now and I can see her eyes watering. That is never a good sign and I refuse to accept what that might mean. "We've already been over this, Gavin. I swear I've never been with him."

The anger is back because I feel stupid for not seeing it… because I feel bad for caring… because I'm pissed that I want to forgive her and let this go. I sit forward and snatch the letter out of her hands. She gasps from my quick movements and I send her a heated glare that makes her cheeks blush.

"If you've never been with him, then why is he claiming that he might be the father of the child you're carrying?"

Saying it out loud stings and it must effect her too because she flinches. I wouldn't have even paid any attention to this bloody letter if it hadn't mentioned that. It would take a lot of fucking guts to claim something that serious and I don't think Terrance is that kind of idiot. We had been friends for a long time, him and I, and I just can't see him wanting to sabotage me so thoroughly with out reason.

She looks flustered and her cheeks are so red I think she might start steaming soon. "It's, well," she opens and closes her mouth a few times as she wrings her hands together. I study every movement and facial reaction she makes… and I don't like the way it adds up. "He's always had a crush on me."

I wave the letter where Terrence declares his love for my fiancée with a sneer turning my face. "That is obvious, but it doesn't answer my fucking question."

Again, she flinches and a part of me is satisfied with her fear…. But another part is… well… the other part doesn't like seeing her flinch.

"Answer me honestly because if I think you're lying I will have the mediwizard perform a paternity test," I state and now she's crying, looking steadily at my throat. "Did you or did you not sleep with Terrance behind my back?"

It's so quite that even the softest movements seem amplified right now. Her Dad coughs in the other room and it's like an earthquake, she brushes her hair over her shoulder and it sounds like a typhoon coming… even when I crack my neck the sound seems to be at it's fullest volume… like a avalanche of rocks coming to cave us in. She doesn't say anything for a very very very long time and I wait it out, staring right into her, right past her, and right at her. The silence probably answers my question better than any words ever could.

"It's not like you've never cheated on me," she says in a shaky voice and it's like a smack in the face.

I honestly couldn't answer her for a long time, because the comment was so unexpected from her, but anger is a safe emotion and I rely on that as I narrow my eyes. I won't correct her on that statement either. "When?" I snap and she looks down at her lap, like the stripes on her pants were the most interesting things in the bloody world.

"It was only once," she says in a soft voice, apparently giving in and the fire of anger that consumed me when those idiots burned down my flat has been magnified ten fold. I have to hold my self back from taking out my wand and destroying the room. "You were out again and he came over and things just happened." She messes with her hair now and I feel my face fall flat and turn stony.

No emotion in the face of pain has always been my Dad's way of handling things. It's a lot easier, I'd say.

"Why was he at the flat that one day?" I repeat again with my voice sounding far away and calm.

She gulps. "It was only one time. I swear," she could swear it on her mother's life and that wouldn't help the situation. "But he wouldn't leave me alone about it. I don't even like him," she makes a face as she thinks about it, apparently trying to pretend like Terrence is disgusting to her but if she was willing to let him inside of her… he must not be that gross. "I'm so sorry, Gavin. It was just one time and you… you know you've cheated on me before."

"How many months ago was this," I ask with a tilt of my eyebrows. She doesn't say anything so I look down at her stomach… at the place where I thought my baby was growing. I almost want to cry because I feel completely gutted. "Is there a chance that that isn't mine?" I ask softly.

She shakes her head but doesn't say anything because she's crying in earnest now. Again, her silence answers my question better than her words ever could. Everything inside of me freezes as I stand up and dust off my hands on my pants, like I was ridding them of something unwanted. This is the worst year of my entire life… I feel like I'm some actor in a dramatic Greek tragedy. Nothing can ever go right.

"Are you…" she says and I look down at her. "Are you going to hurt him?"

"Hurt who?" I ask coldly with my hands in my pockets, so she can't see them shaking.

"You know…" she says as she wipes off her nose of her sleeve. "Him."

She doesn't get it, the stupid girl. I shake my head and sigh, a long and exaggerated sigh. "I didn't love Terrence," I explain and she looks at me as I walk out of the room.

I have to leave or I might strangle her, or kiss her, or hex her… I just can't look at her anymore. When I close the front door I lean my head against the wood for one second before closing my eyes and inhaling. Sometimes, things are so painful they don't seem real at first. Cassius passing away was like that… this is like that as well and I open my eyes again before taking off for the Apparation point.

Of course Addison follows after me and she calls my name as I take out the wand. "Gavin!" she calls as she runs barefoot down the gravel road way. I glance at her as I rest my weight on my right leg and cross my arms after turning to face her fully. She should not be crying. "I'm sorry… but we can get over this, right? I've never ever said anything about you stepping out on me."

Stupid stupid stupid fucking girl. That spikes my temper again, but I'm too far gone to rage about it. I shake my head again and when she gets close enough to touch, I take her chin in my hand and place a gentle kiss on her lips just because I want to and it just might be the last time I ever will.

"I have never cheated on you," I tell her honestly and her watery eyes stare into mine, with my hand holding her chin steady so she can't look away. "Never. Do you realize how rare that is for me?" I ask softly, thinking she truly might not understand. "I thought you were rare too," I say gently as I look over her face. I let go of her and turn around so I can Apperate away. "At least you'll have a warm bed to go to. Terrance still loves you." I sound bitter, that can't be avoided right now.

"But I don't love him. I love you," she says and I raise an eyebrow even though I'm not looking at her.

I'm the last person anyone would expect to know about love, but I know what it isn't. "No, you don't," I say with a sigh before Apperating away.

I go straight to Knockturn Alley to get drunk. Terrance isn't even on my radar right now because I feel so pathetic, but a good gin and tonic is, so I go to one of the newly opened pubs at the heart of the twisted dark roadways and slums. It's so cleverly called Masquerade and everyone who enters is handed a feathered mask to hide their face from the other patrons. I could care less about that; I just know they have dark booths towards the back and an unlimited supply of hard liquor.

The sun is starting to set on this Saturday night, which means the place is packed and a long line extends out from the dark doubled door entrance. A large bouncer with a clip board and black velvet rope is holding the crowd back from stampeding into the hot night spot that's just a building made out of black glass and silver accents. There's no way I'm waiting in any fucking line, so I pass by the scantily clad women and sour looking men who are already dressed up in costumes and masks as I approach the large black bouncer with tattoo's on his face.

"Name?" He asks, barely looking at me as he pretends to be busy with his clip bored.

"Move."

That makes him look and his glare is hard as he eyes me up and down, trying to size me up. He is bigger than me, much bigger, and his arms muscles are probably the circumference of my waist, but I could care less. Right now there is only one thing I care about and that's getting drunk.

"Excuse you," he says with a tilt of his thick black eyebrows.

I will not be intimidated by anyone right now.

"No, that's alright," I state and his nostrils flair. He may try to hit me soon, but I think the pain will be a welcomed distraction. "Now, move your little rope because I want to get drunk."

He eyes me again and then his focus goes to my hair— my bright blond, wavy hair that distinguishes me from most of the other brown haired sandy blonde population.

"You're one of Draco Malfoy's boys?" he asks in a deep rumbling voice.

I stare at him in response because we're not plural anymore...in fact, I'm the only boy Draco Malfoy has now.

"You can come in," he says, after a tight nod of his head, deciding that my last name is worthy enough to be accepted.

He removes the rope that was keeping me out and I give him another hard look. "I would have come in anyways," I state flatly and he glares right back before I walk through the double doors.

Some girl in a leather jump suit hands me a black feathered mask as soon as I step in and I take it from her without a thank you. I put the damn thing on just because those are the rules and I walk down the dark hallway towards the main bar area. The place is dark, with blue lighting that scatters across the dance floor and a dense fog that lurks among the customer's feet. Heaven forbid you drop something in here, because odds are you will never find it. Not with the fog, and especially not with the hundreds of people that are crowed around in here.

In the middle of the dance floor is a large bar with the table top lit up as drunk girls and buzzed men order from the busy bartenders who are scurrying around to get everyone's orders. Girls in cages dance close to the ceiling and music thumps from speakers all around the room. The bass in the music is so loud that it feels like it's pumping my own heart so I place my hand over my chest to feel it. I'm surprised I have a heart, to be honest. Especially after it was so savagely torn apart earlier.

I scowl as I think about it and I walk further into the club to drown myself. Everyone is wearing masks of varying colors and styles and I push my own on the top of my head, pushing the hair out of my eyes because I don't feel like wearing the stupid thing anymore. There are black spiraling staircases on each side of the large room that leads up to a second floor that has seating for the people who want to take a break from dancing. I head to the left and climb the staircase, not bothering to move out of the way for anyone, and I pick one of the round tables in the darkest corner I can find. In the center of the table is a red button and after I press it a small little waitress with a cat like mask comes over to take my order.

I tell her to keep my tab open and I order four drinks right off the bat and she gives me a smile, probably trying to calculate the tip she can get out of a richly dressed heir who's on the sure fire road to getting drunk. I sit back in the chair and unbutton the first few buttons of my black shirt as I look at the people around me. Everyone is drunk and having a good time. Flirting and dancing and fucking, I see, as I spot a couple behind one of the pillars going at it like bunny rabbits. A few girls and one boy approach me over the duration of the night and I turn them down by ignoring their existence and staring off at nothing when they try to speak. I wish this whole bloody year would just be swiped away and things would be as they use to.

About half way through the night and after a few drinks, I decide that I have been faithful to Addison all in vain and that I will be going home with another girl… just to hurt her and make me feel better, so I scan the dance floor yet again, trying to look for a sure bet to enjoy the night with.

"Mr. Malfoy, sir," I look at the cat waitress as she comes over to me and my focus goes to her. Maybe she would work? I wonder what time she gets off work... or maybe we could just do something now. She looks nervous as I down my drink and put it on the table before raising my eyebrows. "The owner would like to invite you to join them in the V.I.P. room."

"Really?" I state smoothly and the girl nods her head, purple hair comes loose from her pony tail and I eye it for a few moments before looking back into her eyes. "Why?"

"I don't know, sir." She says with a shrug and I figure she must be one of those waitress' for life, as opposed to the kind that only does it to get through school or because they can't find another job at the moment.

I look down at my drink and then at the girl. I didn't want to hang out with some rich old man who probably owns the club, but the soft seating of the vip room is very tempting. So I stand up and follow the cat girl to a hidden door behind some kind of viewing screen that shows all of the people dancing down below. I give the cat waitress a wink that she blushes at under her mask before stepping into the large room that smells like cherries and dark chocolate.

The room isn't so much a party room as it is a glorified bed room with blood red carpet and black metallic furniture placed around a satin sheeted circular bed that looks terribly tacky even to my drunk eyes. I wonder if people watch other people have sex in this v.i.p. room... that would explain the chairs around the bed.

I take a drink from my glass as the waitress closes the door, leaving me alone to look around the room. I walk further in as I glance around at the black paneling on the walls and the gory picture painted on the ceiling. It's a painting of a man getting eaten by wolves and I find myself frowning at the grotesque picture. Honestly, who would want something like that? And why the hell hasn't someone come out to greet me yet?

"Why, Mr. Malfoy, so nice of you to come to my club."

I turn around, not having heard anyone step into the room behind me and when I see Pansy Parkinson-White standing there with a hand on her hip and a predatory smile on her face, I find my eyebrows raised in interest. Indeed, things just got a lot more entertaining.

"I didn't know you owned this place," I state honestly as I watch her move along in a slinky red dress that shows every bump and curve on her body. It's like she was wearing next to nothing at all and I find myself looking over the curve of her hips and the roundness of her breasts because when you wear a bloody dress like that you want to be gawked at. It dips dangerously low in the front and I note that there's a mask the same shade of alarming red, resting on the top of her hair. I guess even the club owner can't break the rules. When she steps past me I see that the barely there dress backless too. Oh, joy, and how wonderfully appropriate for a woman over forty. I think that thought with a smirk and when she sees it she raises an eyebrow.

"Well, you know now."

I take another drink from my glass, taking some ice along with it and I crunch the small cubes with my teeth. I haven't heard from her since I blackmailed her with the picture I had acquired of her giving head to an underage boy. That was almost a week ago, I wonder if she's reconsidered my offer. What an unexpected turn of events, I muse to myself as I swirl my drink.

"Indeed I do," I reply as I watch her walk over to a side bar and fill herself a glass of some dark liquid from a crystal bottle. "So, did you call me in here to tell me you're going to sell me the Dailey Prophet?" I ask, half joking. She most likely wants to kick me out and humiliate me a little before hand. It's the Slytherin bitch way, after all.

"Well, maybe," she states simply and she turns around to face me with her arms crossed. Her short hair is arranged into looping curls that are slicked to her head in a call back to another area and her gold hoop earrings are probably large enough for me to wear as a bracelet. "I noticed you were drinking alone tonight, why is that?"

I look at her and finish off my glass. "Tough day at the office," I lie with a slight smirk on my face. Even though a pang pierces my heart as I think of the first girl I had ever loved who didn't have to love me back, but it's not like I'll ever tell this old cougar about my problems. You never want to give anyone ammunition against you.

"Oh?"

"Oh."

"Well, seeing you here, all lonely and miserable looking, I've decided to take pity on you," she says as she walks closer to me again, with the predatory walk of a woman in high heels who likes to get what she wants.

"Pity?" I repeat back, loathing the word. "How do you plan to do that?"

"I want to make a deal with you," she says, standing right in front of me so that we're eyelevel and I can see every erased wrinkle on her face. "I'll give you the stupid newspaper. You wouldn't even have to pay me… on one condition."

"There's always a condition," I muse to myself as I put my glass down on one of the nearby tables, allowing her to invade my personal space for a while longer until I push her away.

She smirks. "You're right, there always is."

"Come out with it, then," I say, my patience dwindled away because I wasn't in the mood to play games.

"Fuck me."

It takes me a second to process that, and I'm pretty sure that I heard her wrong so I ask her to repeat that with a tilt of my head so I can hear better. "I'm sorry. What did you just say?"

She puts her hands on my chest and I glance at them before looking into her dark eyes. "Oh, you heard me perfectly well, my little Malfoy heir."

Hm, well, that wasn't what I was expecting either. I take her hands off of my chest and study her face, trying to find her motive.

"I wouldn't say that this is below you, because I know it's not… and I know you like the younger men." Irritation filters across her face and when I catch it, I smile. "But why?"

She shrugs, a delicate kind of shrug that doesn't fit a python like her. "I just want to, that's all."

No, that's not all, and if it was any other night I would laugh in her face and leave, but Addison's betrayal is still burning in my veins. I am Gavin Malfoy, after all and falling in love and being domesticated was so against my character. I hate to admit that I wanted that life… and she ruined it by banging one of my friends. She had a _now we're even_ kind of attitude about it and that hurt me more than anything. I do have feelings. People seem to forget that every now and then. Now, I had a woman offering me something I had been denying myself for a long time and the Dailey Prophet was also in the works. It didn't seem like such a bad deal.

Add some alcohol and it doesn't seem like such a bad idea either.

I put down my mask so it's covering my face and I pull down hers as well, deciding that I don't want to look at her at all when this happens.

"Get the paperwork ready," I tell her before ravaging her mouth.

It wasn't a sweet kiss; it wasn't even a kiss at all, to be truthful. It was more like a series of bites and nips that worked against each other violently with a hard clashing of teeth and skin. I didn't like the way she felt, I didn't like the way she smelled, and I especially didn't like the way she mentioned me being like my father when my pants were down. That almost sent me out right then, but I took another shot of some thick tasting drink she offered before going back to it.

Being a drunk guy who was pissed at his fiancée can do wonders to your sex drive and I found myself being quite able to perform even with someone as distasteful as Pansy White. I kept my eyes shut and tried to keep most of my clothes on so most of my skin wouldn't have to touch hers, but she managed to tear my shirt off like a bobcat. She also refused to go unnoticed because she bit me, drawing blood with her teeth, and she ran her sharp as hell nails down my back more than a few times, leaving bloody tracks for later. I wasn't being gentle, or kind… I wasn't treating her like a lover and she wasn't treating me that way either. The more I hated her, the harder I pushed, and she was clenching and sighing under me in no time.

"Drake," she whispers in a hoarse voice and I figured she got me confused with someone else because I sure as hell wasn't thinking about her… but when I realized Drake was short for Draco… that pretty much killed the mood for me. Not that there was much of a mood to begin with, but still. I was having a nice time pretending she was some other girl before she did that.

She was still lying naked on the bed when I stood up and got dressed. The scratches on my back burned when I put on my shirt and as I buttoned up my pants I couldn't help but feel dirty. Not the good kind of dirty. The bad kind that leaves you feeling unclean and makes you want to take a steel brush to your skin to rid it of the grim. I tried not to show my distaste as I retied my shoes and smoothed out my hair, but it must have been palpable on my face because she commented on my scowl.

"I want the papers tomorrow morning," I say flatly as I push my mask back up to my hair and she makes a noise but I don't turn to her as I go over to the side bar and grab a bottle of scotch from behind the table. "And I'm taking this."

This must be how hookers feel and I don't even look at her as I walk out of the room. Thankfully no one's awake when I reach the beach house and I hesitate a few seconds, just absorbing all that had happened to me today before storming up to my room to retrieve my invisibility cloak. This is all Cassius' fault. If he wouldn't have died, none of this would have happened. I'm well aware that Addison was pregnant before Cass passed away, but I need someone to blame and I'm going to blame him.

And I plan on telling him that too.

I make sure the scotch is secure under my arm and my cloak is hiding me from view as I sneak into the cemetery. It's the dead of night and the place is supposed to be closed but that's not going to stop me right now. If he was here, he could have talked me through this like big brother's were suppose to… but he can't and he won't because he's dead and I'm pissed at him for it.

I jump the fence and storm towards the Malfoy Mausoleum, too upset to even be creeped out by the empty cemetery with the stone tombstones and moonlight beaming down from the sky. My wand lays limply in my right hand as I hold the scotch with my left, steadily making my way towards the heart of the cemetery so I can yell at my brother for dying without giving me warning. When I get to the large building with the Corinthian columns and the Malfoy family crest, I slam my hand against the door, watching as it lights up and creaks open.

The inside is impossibly dark and musty so I throw off my cloak and light the end of my wand in a quiet lumos spell. I go straight to his stupid little tomb and I kick it hard with my foot, barely even registering the pain that it causes me.

"This is all your fault," I hiss at his name plate. "This is all your fucking fault."

I rant at him for a while, telling him exactly how pissed off I was that he just had to up and die on me and that he wasn't here when I needed him most. I added a few more kicks and few more cuss words before giving up. Once I exhausted myself with yelling and my throat was hoarse and dry, I slumped against the opposite wall and glared at his tomb while taking large gulps of the scotch.

Because I was unfocused, my magic was waning and the lumos spell started to die, becoming a dim light on the end of my wand. I didn't even bother to fix it as I glared at my brother's name, intending to drink until I couldn't remember what happened today. The scratches on my back still burned and hurt and I shuddered when I thought about what I did with that woman.

"What the fuck is wrong with me?" I ask out loud to the darkness of the tomb. "There is nothing wrong with me… This is your fault." The anger at my brother is back and I sneer at his name plate. "You've messed everything up, you realize," I mutter like a crazy person, drunk in an old mausoleum at the dead of night, talking to a tomb stone.

"Mom and Dad are all fucked up because of you. Lavinia is off with that lunatic Flint and god knows what he's doing to her and Evelyn…" Well, I couldn't think of anything to say about her, but I wasn't about ready to kill my rant. "You're just bloody selfish, that's what it is. People don't need me like they need you," I say, going off on a totally different track and I stop myself before I say too much.

I lay my head against the tomb behind me and close my eyes because I'm getting weary and I'm feeling guilty about a lot of things… mostly about yelling at my dead brother and kicking his name plate. My eyes burn, but I refuse to acknowledge what that means.

"Sorry," I mutter and then I bring my hand up to my eyes and sigh. "I'm just lost."

I wasn't expecting an answer, so I kept my eyes closed as I tried to stop my mind from spinning. I need to get up and go home, but my legs feel heavy and I'm too tired to move. So I keep my head resting against the wall behind me and I bring my legs up to my chest with my hands between my knees.

"My girlfriend cheated on me," I say out loud as I thump my head against the tomb behind me. I do it a few more times welcoming the pain. "My sweet, nice, loyal, hufflepuff girlfriend cheated on me with my old fat friend," I say softly as I stare at the relief of my brother on the brass. "Isn't that funny?"

I start laughing.

"It is so funny, because no one is going to believe I didn't cheat on her. But I didn't, Cassius." I shake my head and hit it again against the marble behind me. "I didn't because I thought I loved her and I didn't want to hurt her… but it's funny she cheated on me, isn't it. She's always talking about karma… maybe this is my bad karma getting me back." I think on that for a while before taking a drink from my scotch bottle. "What about you, Cass? What did you do that got you into this mess?"

Of course he doesn't answer, and the only things I hear are the sounds of my own breathing and night noises that are so common coming from outside.

"Do you think I should forgive her?" I ask to the empty space around me as I think about Addison, all pretty and sweet and carrying a baby I had grown rather fond of already. "You probably would have," I say as I take another drink. "You were always a bloody sap."

I sigh out loud and close my eyes again. "I need to go home," I say and I go to do just that as I gather up my bottle, wand, and cloak.

As I stand up to walk out of the mausoleum, my whole body comes to attention when I hear a faint thump, sounding like it was muffled by something big.

When it happen again I take out my wand, letting it brighten to it's fullest with my alertness. There's nothing in here and when I hear it again I reluctantly look towards the place where Cassius is buried.

"No fucking way," I state as I step closer and bend down to press my ear against the name plate. Another soft, muffled thump happens and I narrow my eyes.

I keep my ear pressed against the brass plate, waiting to make sure the noise is coming from inside, because if there is some kind of animal in there I'm sure there's a cemetery worker who needs to get fired. I incline my head more towards the plate so that my cheek is resting against it, waiting and holding my breath to hear the thump again.

I jump back when I hear scratches by my ear and, in my haste to get away, I trip and fall down on my back. My head smacks against the marble floor and I cuss as I look up at the stained glass ceiling that doesn't look nearly as impressive in the dark as it does in the day time, but the moon is still shining through casting some of the things in the mausoleum—including me—in strange tints of blues, yellows, and reds. The loud scratching happens again, so I stand up straight and point my wand towards the tomb. I don't know what I would do with my bloody wand to be honest, but I just feel better when I'm holding it and pointing it at something.

The scratching continues and I eventually lower my wand to my side with my mouth dropping open.

"No. Bloody. Way." I state as I look at my brother's brass plate… and the date that just got erased.


	11. Chapter 11

_**Cassius**_

I feel pressure on my lungs and my throat feels crowded and tight. I can't breathe. I panic and start coughing, feeling my face get covered with water that expels from my throat and I turn my head to the side, trying to get the water I'm coughing away from getting in my eyes and nose because they burn. I take deep, labored breaths, trying to steady myself as I crack my eyes open. I don't see anything.

It's just blackness and I try to bring my hands up to my eyes to rub them, but they hit something solid and soft. My heart beat speeds up again as I press my hands against the thing on top of me and the sides of me, but it doesn't help. Something heavy and solid is all around me and I can't see anything. I kick my legs, feeling the same hardness and I clench my eyes shut. I'm stuck in a dark box and I can't breathe because I'm panicking. My heart is ringing in my ears as I try to save up oxygen by calming myself down, but it doesn't work because I'm too distraught at my current situation. The lining around me feels smooth like silk and I twist my head from side to side, trying to see where I am, but it's all black, everything is black and hot.

I try to reach my wand, but I can't get to it in the angle that I'm lying in and I try to remember how I would get into a situation like this. I jumped. I jumped and I hit water and I can feel that my body and clothes are soaked from it. If I died, and this is what hell is, I'm going to be so mad because this isn't fair.

I try to twist my body to get to my wand that's by my legs. I can feel it pressed against my thigh, but the walls are too tight around me and I can barely move because of what's on top of me. If I was claustrophobic I probably would have fainted by now.

"It's okay," I whisper to myself as I take a deep breath so I don't freak out. Even if I am blind, at least I can hear. "It's alright," I say and my voice cracks under the stress.

I take shallow breaths next, trying to save my energy. How long can the human body survive with out oxygen? Three minutes before brain damage… five before death. I've died so many times already according to Paige and this just seems like such a ridiculous way to go out. I resist the urge to cry and scream as I try to reach my wand again. When I can't get to it, I thump my fists against the top of the smoothly lined box in frustration. I hit them against it as hard as I can and I kick my legs, hoping someone will hear me wherever I am and help me out. I tear the silk lining with my fingernails hoping to claw my way out of here and I feel the parts that I've torn fall down on my face and chest. I'm on the verge of having a very big break down if I don't get out of here soon. I can't help it now. I feel tears stinging my eyes.

I try to do wand less magic, but I'm too distraught and unfocused for that to work so I just keep on hitting and kicking until I become dizzy. Hitting and kicking and yelling and screaming. Suddenly, a salty smell surrounds me and Ocean sounds crash against my ears, so I clench my eyes shut and try to breath against the stuffiness of the box as I count to ten to calm myself down.

This feeling that's taking me over has turned into an all too common occurrence lately and I have to say, as a Gryffindor, I hate it. I hate being afraid and I hate being alone so I kick and thump my fists even more until I have no energy left. My hands slowly fall to my chest and my eyelids feel thick and heavy as the air around me seals me tight. I try to imagine I'm somewhere else as the heat hurts my lungs. I try to remember what it was like being home, and what it was like going on digs with Byron. I try to remember times when I wasn't afraid, when I wasn't alone, and when I wasn't in the dark.

I try to be brave as everything starts to become terribly silent and all I can hear is the slow beating of my heart. I count each beat against my ribcage with my eyes clenched shut, hoping it doesn't stop. That ocean smell is back and sound of waves crashing against the shore infiltrates my ears, breaking the awful silence with it's splashes.

"_Nothing in this house belongs to me_," I recognize my mother's soft voice, whispering in my ear. I clench eyes closed tighter because I'm hearing voices and I don't want to go crazy. "_But you will be mine_."

I feel a warm hand take my own and I shake my head. I do_ not_ want to go crazy.

"I decided right at that moment that I loved you more than I had ever loved anything in my entire life," she says, gently squeezing my hand before letting go, leaving me with the silence again. The silence— and a small part of my sanity.

There's a long pause of nothing and I bring my hands up to wipe my face from sweat and tears and water, using the little space that I have.

"Do you want to go swimming, Cass?" I hear my Mom speak again and I reluctantly drop my hand and crack my eyes open in surprise, seeing Mom standing on a beach with a smile on her face as the wind whips her red hair around her. She's wearing a beautiful white dress and she has white daisy flowers in her hair as the sun casts the blue water and white sand in a golden glow. "Come on, let's go into the water."

She looks young and lovely and full of joy…. And so totally real and solid. I am convinced that I am crazy now, so I just accept it. That's one of the beautiful things about being mad, you never really care that you are.

"Come on, Cass!" Gavin runs by me with a thump against my shoulder. "I'll race you!" He looks younger somehow too, like everything on him is perfect and smooth… he looks happy as he joins Mom by the water, with his ankles deep into the waves as he takes off his shirt and throws it behind him with his hair a mess. "Come on!" he waves me over and I stare at the blackness all around me.

"Cassius!" Lavinia and Evelyn run by me on the sand, holding hands and dancing in yellow and orange dresses as their hair twirls around them. I smile at them as they skip towards the water.

"Grandmother's swimming too," Evelyn says as she grins at me and does one of her ballerina spins. She has flowers in her hair too, lovely orange roses that match her dress and Lavinia's red locks are holding up a crown made of daffodils. "Everyone is swimming!" She laughs as she kicks up some sand, making her orange skirt flip up and she giggles as she puts it down.

Lavinia comes to me and grabs my hand, her blue eyes looking bright and joyous. "Come to the water, Cassius. Don't be afraid. It will be okay."

It will be okay.

I watch as the rest of my family goes into the water. They start splashing each other, laughing and diving in, only to resurface with smiles on their faces. I feel an internal tug to go there and be with them. The sun is against the horizon, making the sky turn shades of pinks, oranges, and purples. It's probably the most magnificent sunset I've ever seen and off in the distance I hear wind chimes clank against each other, creating lovely music against the waves. I feel a pull in my chest to join them in the water as my breathing starts to slow and my eyes feel heavy. It feels different and warm here. So different from anything I've ever felt and I take a step forward on the sand, feeling it seep between my toes.

"Come on, Cassius, my little love!" Mom says, calling me her little love, which she hasn't done since I was a boy. She dips in the water and laughs when she resurfaces, smiling that beautiful smile of hers that has always made me feel loved. "The water feels nice, sweetheart. Come here and feel it!"

I smile and take another step, feeling dampness on my face that I can only imagine are tears. My feelings seem to be stripped of all their complications and I feel whole again, that kind of whole happiness that you can only reach as a child. I almost go running right back to where I came, but a strong hand on my shoulder stops me. I feel warmth against my back as the familiar scent of someone I love bends down to whisper in my ear.

"You don't have to go into the water yet, Cass."

That's my Dad's deep voice, and I look over my shoulder as he looks at me. His glasses are off and his eyes are the color of mercury, so metallic looking that I can see my reflection in them. He looks younger too and if we didn't have those slight differences in our appearances to distinguish us from each other— it would be like looking in a mirror. He brings his hand up and wipes a tear from my face that would have embarrassed me in the past, but not here. Not on this beach.

"Not yet," he repeats with a little smile.

That weird suffocating feeling is back on my chest and I look back at the beach with my frolicking family members one more time before I pass out and everything turns dark again.

_**Lavinia **_

"Wake up."

I groan and turn away from that voice as I pull the covers over my shoulder.

"Lavinia, I'm sorry, but you have to wake up. I need you."

"Why?" I ask with a loud yawn, feeling thick and heavy and gross. My eyes reluctantly crack open. It's still dark out. "What time is it?"

"You've been asleep for a couple of hours, but this is urgent and I'm going to need you with me."

I close my eyes and bury my head into the pillow. "Why do you need me?" I ask with a scratchy voice. I have a terrible fog in my brain right now. I will never drink again.

"I need a Malfoy to open the Malfoy Mausoleum," he answers softly, and that wakes me up. I rub my eyes, to hell with my make up, and I turn around to face him. "The doors won't open for me." He says quietly and when I sit up he hands me a glass of some kind of funny colored liquid. "Pepper up potion," he explains as I sniff it. "With some hang over relief added."

I scrunch my nose at the combination before tilting my head back and letting the contents of the glass slide down my throat. It tastes gross because the two potions were not meant to be together, giving it a thick sappy taste. I cough and hand the glass back while wiping off my mouth with the back of my hand.

"Why do we need to go to the cemetery?" I ask and my throat still hurts. I try to remember what I did earlier to make it that way… but my memory is too fuddled and muddy from drink.

"Our calculations show that the window is going to close in the morning," he says and I squint my eyes against the candle beside the bed because even that is too bright for me. "We need to get there before the sun rises."

That sounds dreadful, and a weird tumbling sensation rumbles my stomach because the idea makes me nervous. My teeth feel grimy and gross and when I look Byron in his eyes, I become embarrassed. "I have to brush my teeth."

He stands from the bed, still fully dressed in his tan corduroy pants and white long sleeved shirt. "Hurry, then."

I stand up quickly and stumble from the sudden movement of it because it makes my brain woozy. Byron catches me and I give him a tight smile before grabbing my bag and running into the bathroom, making sure the curtain is down so Byron won't see anything. I don't even bother looking in the mirror because I know I'll look hideous. I quickly wash my face and teeth, pulling my hair back in a bun so I won't have to deal with it… but when I notice my hair is wet, I furrow my brows.

"Why is my hair wet?" I ask out loud, hoping Byron hears. I look down at my feet, trying to remember where my shoes are.

"You went swimming," he answers flatly. I frown because I really don't remember that… wait… I remember some of it… I remember walking through a forest, getting into cold water… dancing… My eyes widen and I bring a hand up to my forehead. I was dancing. How terribly embarrassing. "Don't you remember?"

I don't answer that as I pull off my dress… I'm wearing nothing underneath and I send a troubled look to the curtain where Byron is on the other side, vaguely recalling taking them off. I am never ever drinking again. I pull on clean undergarments and I tug on my jeans and a shirt before squaring my shoulders and walking back into the main room, thankfully finding a spare set of shoes to wear because my others seem to be lost. Byron is looking down at a piece of paper on Dr. Bailey's desk with his eyes narrowed in concentration.

"Where is Bailey?" I ask as I cross my arms and look around the room.

Byron offers me the ugly orange cloak and I shake my head, opting to just take my cream colored sweater with me instead. "He's back at the university, now, we have to leave," he says briskly while clasping the hunter green cloak around his neck. He hands me my wand as we head towards the door and I slide it in my pocket while we leave the small house.

Dr. Bailey lives on top of a rather large hill, with no other neighbors and a winding dirt road that's falling down the hill with no apparent care for order because it's in such bad shape. Byron walks past the Apparationpoint located right out side of the small wooden fence that surrounds the small home, but he doesn't say anything to me as I give him a questioning look. So I just suck it up and follow after him while tugging the sweater over my head.

"What are we doing?" I ask as I catch up with his long strides. He doesn't answer, and I get the feeling I must of have done something wrong, so I keep to myself and put my head down as we make it to the dirt road.

I watch curiously as Byron lights the tip of his wand and lifts it up in the air. I'm about ready to ask him again what we're doing, but I hear a big swishing sound and suddenly a large, violently purple, triple-decker bus is in front of us. I close my mouth and stare at the golden letters written on the window as the door slides open and a young man in a purple uniform and hat glances at us with a weary sigh.

"Thank you for choosing the Knight Bus for your transportation needs," the boy says in a monotone voice like this was something he did all the time… well, he probably did, actually. "Helping witches and wizards in a bind get to their desired place on time… for over sixty years," he adds, like he had almost forgot.

I've never actually ridden the Knight Bus before, so I wasn't sure what to do, but Byron handled it by reaching into his pocket and retrieving a few coins.

"Where are you two headed tonight?" the boy asks as he takes Byron's money and hands him two tickets. I get one and put it in my jean pocket.

"We need to go to 2304 Magnolia Crest in Cauldron Cove."

I raise my eyebrows as we step onto the bus because I thought we were going to the cemetery, but Byron doesn't seem to notice or care. The boy raises his eyebrows for a whole other reason as he looks us over with a different kind of expression on his face. He almost looks impressed. "What are you fixing on getting at Cauldron Cove?" he asks slyly.

Byron ignores him and looks at his ticket to find out what deck we're on and after confirming our seats, he starts walking towards the back of the large bus, where over stuffed arm chairs and large couches are seated around a small table. He's being rude, so I look at the boy with the purple uniform, giving him a smile.

"Thank you for our tickets," I say, intending to walk back with Byron, but the boy looks over my face in a very strange kind of way that makes me uncomfortable.

"You know, Ma'am." I know I hate being thought of as a child… but I am most certainly not a ma'am yet. "We have beds on the next two floors set up. If you pay an extra sickle you could go and have a nap. You're looking a little tired."

I narrow my eyes. Apparently he doesn't know the rule either. You never tell a girl she looks sick or ill, no matter how sick or ill she may be. I smile unpleasantly at him before turning on my heels and stomping towards Byron, who has already seated himself on the mauve colored coach that rests against the back wall, under the large rear window.

The pepper up potion isn't really pepping me up much and I'm still feeling tired and weary. I don't really care if he's upset with me anymore because he's sitting on the edge of the only couch that's available. So I lay down on the remaining cushions and I put my head on his lap as I close my eyes and tuck my legs into a comfortable position. His body tenses like it usually does when someone touches him without warning, but I ignore it. It feels good to close my burning eyes, and I'm pleasantly surprised when I feel Byron's warm hand on my hip after he relaxes. I guess he's not so mad at me, after all.

"Why do we have to go to Cauldron Cove?" I've never heard of that place and I'm curious to find out why we have to go there.

"Bailey brewed us a potion and its missing one ingredient that we have to get."

"What's that?" I ask with a yawn against his knee.

"It's street name is the blood flower," he says as he traces patterns on my hip with his finger tips.

"Isn't that a drug?" I ask, barely even knowing such interesting things like that. I've lived a sheltered life at Malfoy Manor.

"Yes, and it's highly illegal," he says softly. His fingers move up a little more until they're at the bottom of my shirt and I suck in when I feel his cold fingers against the skin of my waist. "Only highly trained herbologists are allowed to carry it for study. So your boyfriend wouldn't be of much help."

I furrow my brows and open my eyes, staring at the wood on the table in front of me. "My boyfriend?" I repeat back. Wasn't he my boyfriend now?

"Darius. You told me last night that your boyfriend Darius could help us."

I shake my head and look up at him from my spot on his lap. "I don't remember saying that… if I did… you know I didn't mean it like that, right?" I say worriedly. Alcohol can do wicked things I am finding out.

"I know," he says softly, his bitterness gone. He looks down at me with his face guarded and cold. "You don't remember much from before you passed out, do you?"

I turn my head back to looking at the coffee table and the top of Byron's knees. I try to play through what happened. The party, Chloe being sad, drinking, dancing, kissing Byron, and talking to Byron's Mom.

I wince when I remember that conversation and I close my eyes, "I said something terrible to your mother," I say when I remember the cruel comments I said to her in my anger.

There's a significant pause before Byron removes his hand from under my shirt and he brings it up to put fly away strands of hair away from my face. "What did you say to her?"

I bite my lip but I refuse to look at him. "Something mean."

There's another long pause as the Knight bus soars through the night. "Well, whatever you said… did you mean it?" That makes me look at him, his hair is all tussled about his head, like he was running his hands through it, and there are dark circles under his eyes, telling me that he didn't sleep at all during my little power nap. "Was the mean thing that you said honest?"

I remember telling her that she failed at protecting Byron, that he wasn't some broken object that needed to be fixed, that he wasn't like Marcus at all. I nod my head. "It was honest," I whisper.

He sighs and makes me sit up, so that we're eye level and my feet are tucked underneath my body. "They have never given you a reason to be polite to them," he says to my worried face and I look down at his throat. "They're not bad people; they just see things in black in white most of the time. Don't ever feel bad if you say something they don't like because they won't hesitate to say something hurtful and honest to you."

This is his mother and family he's talking about, but I guess he understands them more than I do, so I nod my head and let my head rest on his shoulder.

"Do you know a good herbologist that's going to help us at this hour?" I ask, holding back another yawn as I take his hand and intertwine our fingers, liking the way they look together.

I feel his head shake. "None that would carry that flower… Bailey doesn't either."

"So where are we going?"

"Only two types would have the plant, Lavinia," he says seriously, so I pop my head up to look into his eyes. "Highly trained herbologists and drug dealers."

Oh.

The bus comes to a stop to let an old toad looking man off and Byron catches me before I go flying off of the seat from the sudden jerkiness of the stop. I smile in relief and gratefulness as I grip Byron's shoulders and he pulls me back into place. Once the toad leaves, I glance around at the interior of the bus and its tired occupants before turning back to the beautiful man by my side.

"What does that flower do?" I ask, because I really don't know much about drugs and all of that stuff.

"Well, it does a lot of things and it's highly addicting. That's why it's illegal. Most people bleed the sap from the stems and inject it straight. It makes them feel high and it causes hallucinations. Some people think it helps their magic and gives them the gift of sight during deep sedation. In some cases it makes people go mad… in most cases it kills them," he says grimly.

"Then why do we need it?" I ask cautiously.

He glances at me and then out the window, at the blurs of houses and trees. "It's also used for a very dangerous potion. A very dangerous, banned potion that deals with the dark art of Necromancy."

Necromancy? I search his face, his troubled handsome face, as he stares ahead of him with his jaw tight and his eyes narrowed. "Necromancy," I repeat out loud, releasing my hand from his. "But that's.."

"Exactly what we're doing," he says and I furrow my brows. Necromancy is a branch of very dark magic where you try to raise the dead.

I guess in a sense that's kind of what we're doing… but I never really put the two together. "But, Byron, that never works right… they only come back as—"

"Inferi," he cuts me off softly and I bite my lip. Thinking of Cassius as a mindless animated corpse makes me want to throw up—again. "That's what the potion is supposed to do," I open my mouth to object to this obviously messed up plan, but Byron grabs my face and looks at me, with his blue eyes looking earnest. "Bailey and I have worked it out, Lavinia. If there is a spark of life in him then he will come back fully. Normal and alive. He won't turn into a bewitched dead body, not if we do it right."

"Do it right?" I say, exasperated at this information. "What do you mean?"

"I already have the potion," he says, digging into his pocket and pulling out a small little vial of clear liquid that has sparkling flecks of gold swimming in it. "I think he's caught in-between. We just need one drop from the flower and that should be enough. It's the only way."

"That's too dangerous," I say with tears welling in my eyes. I want my brother back, but not as a zombie. "Byron, this isn't good."

"It will work," he says, pocketing the vial again and bringing his hands up to my face. "Please, trust me. Everything adds up and it will work."

I don't get to answer him because the bus stops again and I go flying backwards, landing on the wooden coffee table with a thud, Byron wasn't ready for the stop either and he flings forward, landing right on top of me with a thump that hurts my chest as he crushes me with his bigger body.

"2304 Magnolia Crest, Cauldron Cove!" the boy yells from the front of the bus. "Hey! No public indecency on the Knight Bus!" he calls to us as I push Byron off of me and I rub my shoulder.

"I'm sorry," Byron whispers and he takes my hand, leading me off the bus, nearly dragging me along with his quick strides.

When we reach the pavement, the bus takes off, swooshing my hair and shirt as it takes off into the night. I sigh and look around me at the dark street we seem to me standing on. All the houses are tall and thin, with boarded up windows and dead grass in the front yard. There are barely any lights on in any of them, and there are no street lamps to light our way as Byron takes my hand and starts walking me towards one of the larger homes, with gray paint pealing away from the wooden siding and a menacing black roof. The wind blows as we walk up the crumbling steps and it causes a few of the black shutters to swing and bang against the windows, making a loud clanking noise that makes me jump. The air smells thick and humid as owls hoot along with the crickets and other night creatures.

What a pleasant place this is.

When we reach the dark green door of 2304 Magnolia Crest, Byron stares at the golden numbers on the door and he hesitates the briefest second before bringing his hand up to knock, three quick raps against the wood. Byron surprises me by taking my hand and I squeeze back as I hear footsteps on the other side of the door. They pause for a second and I figure who ever is over there is looking through the peep hole, sizing us up. I wonder what he looks like. I've never seen a real life drug dealer before.

"What do you want?" a raspy old sounding voice asks. I raise my eyebrows because it sounds like a woman and I glance at Byron, who's eyes are cold and narrowed as he glares at the numbers.

"I need a blood flower." It sounds stupid to say it out-loud, really, but there is nothing stupid about the chillness of Byron's voice… in fact, if I didn't know him I would be quite intimidated. "Fresh, not dried out," he adds and I give him a skeptical look because he sounds so professional.

"Are you an Auror?"

"No," Byron answers simply and I look down at my shoes, feeling very guilty about all this. I don't like breaking the law.

"I only sell to purebloods," the old voice says.

Byron's hand tightens around my own.

"My name is Byron Flint," he says solidly. "My father was a pureblood and my mother was half."

There's a long pause on the other side of the door, and I suspect that she might have walked away from us, but I jump when I hear locks being turned, bolts being twisted, and chains being slid around. I finally get a look at this drug dealer when she cracks the door open, with one small chain connecting the wall with the door, like it would actually do any good to keep out two grown magical people with wands. To say I was surprised when I saw this drug dealer was an understatement. I was bloody confused.

She is very old, which I can tell by the deep lines around her mouth and eyes, and the grayness of her hair that's pulled back into a sever bun on the top of her head. From the little sliver of the open door I can tell she is wearing all black. A long skirt that reaches her ankles and puffy blouse, with the buttons done up all the way to her throat. She looks like a sour governess from the early nineteen hundreds with her thin colorless lips and her deeply hooded eyes.

"Byron Flint," she repeats as her dark eyes look my Byron over with a interested tilt of her thin brows. His hand tightens again and I nearly make a sound because I think he might break my fingers.

Her eyes slide to me after she's done studying Byron and I look away, trying not to notice as I wiggle my fingers so Byron will stop squeezing so hard. "You are a Malfoy?" she asks and I look at her in surprise. "I read the papers, you know," she says to my reaction and I blush, hating it when people know me when I have no idea who they are. "And I would know those eyes anywhere. I use to be very close to Lucius and Narcissa Malfoy."

I find that hard to believe, but I nod my head anyways, just to do something. She looks at Byron again and when she's satisfied that we're both purebloods, she shuts the door and removes the chain lock. She opens it wide to show us her back, walking into another room.

"Follow me," she says flatly as she slithers away, with her heels tapping loudly against the wood floor and the material of her long skirt swishing together with each step.

I look around the front hallway as we follow because the outside was deceptively small. There's a staircase against the right wall leading up to the second floor, all made out of dark wood that looks almost black, with scuffs and grooves to show it's age. The walls are wallpapered in a disgusting olive green color and there are photos hanging on the walls of sneering people with dark hair, covered in dust. Before we reach the sitting room I glance up at the chandler hanging down from the ceiling. A few of the lights are out and there are cobwebs connecting the whole thing together like a giant woven rug. This drug dealer is not a very good house keeper.

"Take a seat," she demands again when we reach the sitting room.

The walls are the same olive green and the furniture is a vomitious mustard yellow with tassels along the ends and carved wooden swan heads on the arms. I send a weary look to the couch and love seat before carefully sitting down, trying not to touch anything directly. Byron sits down beside me and he sits back with his hands resting on his knees as he looks down at his lap, closing himself off from me. The room looks like it's in a weird green fog, or that's how it seems to me. It feels dense and dark. There's a large fireplace across from us on the wall and it's roaring with green flames, dancing and licking around each other in a weird dance. Built in on both sides of the dark wood fireplace are book shelves with rows of old leather bound volumes that look dark and difficult.

This place makes me uneasy and I bring a hand up to bite my nails because I'm nervous. Byron won't talk to me. Every time I try to say something he either nods his head or shakes it, not even muttering a single word. I become restless with waiting, so I stand and walk over to the fire place where there are framed photographs all lined up in a row.

There's one of a bald man with a bushy mustache, tilting his chin up proudly as he looks into the camera, another of two women standing far enough away so I can't make out any distinguishing features about them. I look at a few more strange family photos before settling on one of a younger man and I pick it up to get a closer look, wiping off the dust with the sleeve of my sweater so I can actually see. A man with dark hair and crooked teeth, wearing a Hogwart's uniform, is sneering at me from behind the glass and I find myself frowning back until I realize this plain looking bloke is just a picture, and not a real person. The tie is silver and green so I know that he was in Slytherin, but I don't recognize him so I figure that he must be older than me.

I put that picture back down with a sigh before looking at the one right beside it. It's of the full Slytherin Quidditch team and the dark haired boy with terrible teeth is obviously team captain because he's wearing the badge with pride and he's smirking into the camera as he slings his broom over his shoulder with his green lined cape flowing in the breeze. I look to the other boys standing beside him, in their dark green and black uniforms with matching black brooms all looking proud and pompous. I was a Slytherin too, but sometimes the whole mentality can be tiresome. I catch a head of blond hair and I zero in on the boy because that particular shade is so familiar to me.

"I think this is my Dad," I say out loud, but Byron doesn't acknowledge me. I look over the youth in the photo, taking in his perfectly combed hair and the narrow features of his handsome face that are so familiar to me now in their older form. When I see the ring that Cassius always had, the Malfoy Family ring, resting on the boy's right ring finger, I know with out a doubt that this is my Father. "He looks so young," I mumble as he winks and lets a an arrogant smirk curl his lips. Yes, definitely my Dad.

"Here we are." I turn as the old woman enters the room again, carrying a dark little rectangular box in her hands. "You are lucky," she says with a smile, showing some rotted teeth. "I was nearly out of these."

Because she creeps me out, I want to be closer to Byron. So I walk back to him and take a seat by his side on the ugly couch as I watch the woman look deeply into his eyes, like she was trying to find something there.

"I used to supply potion ingredients to the Dark Lord when he was in power," she says, sounding wistful like it was one of her greatest memories. "Before the black Friday, of course."

Black Friday is what purist's say to describe the night that Harry Potter finally killed Lord Voldemort, putting an end to his regime and most of his ideals. The old woman sits down on the chair beside the couch and she carefully turns the latch on the box, popping the lid open so she can show us what's inside. I find myself leaning forward as I look at the flower resting along the velvet lining. It's petals are blood red, thus it's name I guess, and it's bright green stem stands out brightly against the darkness that it rests on.

"Beautiful, isn't it?" she asks are her hooded eyes stare into Byron's.

"It looks like a poppy," I comment and the woman snaps me a look that I retract at.

"It's more than just your average poppy. The possibilities are endless with this."

"How much?" Byron asks sharply as he sits forward on the couch. Because I'm pitiful and nervous and tired, I put my hand out and hook two fingers into his pocket closest to me. I want to touch him, but I don't want it to be obvious.

The woman watches his face, like I wasn't even in the room. "Two thousand Galleons," she says and I find my mouth dropping open. That's a lot of money for a flower. "Plus five hundred for this cooling case so it doesn't wilt before you leave the room."

"That's a lot of money," I whisper to Byron's profile because I know he doesn't have that much.

"That should just be a drop in the bucket for you, Miss Malfoy," the woman says cruelly. "Because of your father's conning, the Malfoy's were one of the only among the pureblood elite that got to keep their fortune."

I don't care about her, but I care about Byron. I know this is important and I want to trust him for this to work. The woman was right, I can easily buy this. "I can charge it to my Gringotts account," I say solidly, even though Dad will be able to see the charge, oh well. This is important. "I can afford it."

Byron's cool eyes finally turn to me. "You're not paying for anything," he says flatly and then he turns back to the woman. "In fact, I'm not paying for anything either. You are going to give it to me for free."

The woman closes the box and sits back with it resting on her lap. A small smile graces her old features as she crosses her legs. She looks menacing like that. "Why would I do a thing like that?"

"Because you have never done anything for me."

Huh? I look at Byron again, wanting more of an explanation for that weird comment, but he doesn't say anything to me as he glares at the old woman. She starts laughing, coming out in short raspy coughs, and I furrow my brows, totally confused.

"I didn't think you would remember me," she says with a crooked smile. "How is your mother? Still as twitchy and stupid as ever, I suppose?" Her smirk darkness. "Perhaps she died? The Potter's aren't in the paper nearly as much as they used to be," she finishes cruelly.

"I'm not here to visit," Byron says coldly and I'm so very lost right now. How does she know him or his mother? "I came here to get that plant and I will be leaving with it."

Her smile drops as she eyes him up and down. "Your father would smack you for taking such a tone with me, boy," she says harshly. "I won't tolerate my own grandson disrespecting me."

Grandson. I look at the mantle where the photo of the dark haired Slytherin boy is resting. That must be his father. Marcus Flint. No wonder Byron was breaking my fingers before we came in. I feel an outpouring of sympathy for him now, and I note that coming here was a brave move on his part and it makes me love him even more.

"My father is dead," Byron says coldly. I can tell his temper is rising so I take my fingers from his pocket and I gently place my hand on top of his thigh. "I don't have time to talk to you, nor would I want to if I did. So give me the flower and we'll be on our way."

"You ungrateful brat," she says and I feel Byron's body tense up as she stands. "I see you have turned out more like that dumb girl my son felt the need to shack up with. This wouldn't have happened if you were given to me after my Marcus disappeared," she sneers down at Byron like he was dirt under her shoes as I carefully remove my wand from my pocket. "I would have turned you straight." Coming from an elderly drug dealer, honestly. "I would have made a man out of you."

I stun her with a whispered spell before she can finish her rant and she falls back against the chair behind her, stiff as a board with flaired nostrils and wide eyes. Byron slowly looks at me and I give him a sheepish look, not sure if he would want me to do that to one of his relatives, but I didn't like the way his body was tightening and I didn't like the way she was talking. I don't believe people are born evil, I think a majority of them are made that way and Marcus Flint, for as terrible as he was, was once a child… with this mother.

"Let's go," I say softly as I stand up and pry the flower box from the woman's cold stiff fingers. Once free of her hands, I hold the box to my chest and turn to Byron who has yet to move from the couch. "Are you ready? My stunning spells have never been strong, so she has a half an hour before the curse lifts."

He nods his head and he follows me out of the house with a weird glazed look in his eyes. When the green door shuts behind us, I gasp in surprise when Byron pushes me up against the door, kissing me in a heated and desperate way as the box with the deadly flower presses in-between our chests. I think I may have moaned when his tongue slipped against mine, but it could have been in my head too. His kisses are just so bloody fantastic that I never know which way is up or down when its happening. When he pulls back I'm completely out of breath and I look up at his flushed cheeks and pink lips in surprise. I wasn't expecting to get kissed right then.

"You are brilliant," he whispers and then a small smile turns his lips.

"I'm glad you think so," I reply, still breathless.

"We need to do it now," Byron says as he takes the box from my hands. I'm still a little dazed from the kiss, so I just nod and stare at him. "So it's ready when we get to the cemetery."

"Of course," I say like I know what's going on. I light my wand as he kneels down on the porch and takes out a small potion knife from his pocket.

Then he opens the flower box and sets it down on the concrete, careful not to disturb it. I kneel beside him as he takes out the small vial of the clear potion with golden flecks and he hands it to me to hold after I lay my lighted wand by our feet.

"It is very important that we get it just right," he says as he takes off the blade protector from the knife and he makes a slice in the stem of the flower after gently lifting it from the velvet lined box. "Too much or not enough will have dire consequences."

He bends the flower in half so the sap comes seeping out of the stem in small drops. I uncork the vial and wait for Byron to place the flower over it, but his hands are shaking so badly that he can't move them. I can tell he's nervous and worried because his jaw his ticking and there is sweat gathering on his brows. A lot is weighing on that little drop.

"Let me do it," I say gently, handing him the vial while taking the flower from his shaking hands. "He's my brother, after all," I say softly.

He nods, not even bothering to protest, and he tilts the vial towards me as I bend the flower, placing it over the top of it. I watch as one drop lingers on the edge of the stem and after a second of holding my breath, gravity takes over and it drops. It seems like the longest drop in history, and when it reaches the liquid of the potion, it starts hissing like a wild alley cat. Byron puts the stopper on the vial as it shakes and squeals and changes different shades of colors before settling on a bright glowing red.

"Did it work?" I ask, because I have no idea what it's supposed to look like.

Byron looks to me, his eyes looking deep and open. "I hope."

He didn't sound too sure, and that scared me. We were able to Apparate to the cemetery from there and after jumping the fence we started running towards the Mafloy Mausoleum because day break was coming and Byron said we had to beat the light. I didn't even let myself get bothered by the tombstones and graves as we weaved in and around them. I knew I was the only one out of the two of us that would be able to open the door, but when we got to the mausoleum at the heart of the cemetery, the door was already open. There was light glowing from inside of it… and there was a lot of cussing happening.

Byron and I stop dead in our tracks when we see it and I send a weary look back at the giant structure with unease resting on my stomach. What could be in there? I raise my wand and so does Byron as we carefully walk towards it and when I push the door open all of the way; I lower my wand and raise my eyebrows at what I see.

Gavin is bending down by one of the tombs, trying to claw away at it with his fingers. He's wearing a black outfit with a black feathered mask set in his hair, pulling most of the strands away from his face. What is he doing? I quickly look around to see what's happening and find a bottle of alcohol, a discarded cloak, and his wand that's glowing with a lumos spell by his feet.

"Gavin?" I ask, because he looks like a crazy person.

His head snaps to mine and an expression like relief and confusion crosses his face. "There's something in here," he says, nodding to the tomb, sounding breathless. "It keeps making noise, but I can't get it out." His face is slightly damp with sweat and his breathing is hard as he stands up straight and looks at me. "I can't open it."

Byron brushes past me and stands by the tomb, looking at the name plate, lifting his own wand and lighting it for more light. "Get your wand, Gavin," he says softly. My brother, who has always hated Byron, sneers a little as I walk into the building, going over to join them.

"It's not going to work, Flint. I've tried everything with my wand. The thing is warded." He says slowly, like he was speaking to a slow child who wouldn't understand even the simplest of things.

Byron looks at my brother and sighs. "Just get your wand."

_**Gavin **_

I send a glare to Flint before doing as he says and grabbing my wand because I can't think of a bloody excuse not to at the moment. What the fuck are they doing here anyways? After getting over the initial shock of the noises and scratching, the only logical explanation I could come up with was that some drunk idiot Apparated wrong and ended up one of those tombs. They're heavily guarded against tomb robbers, so no one could just get in one with out getting pretty fucked up in the process, so whoever was in there was probably hurting bad just about now.

"I've tried everything," I tell Flint as I stand beside him, right in front of my brother's name plate that he's looking at. This seems so surreal, so surreal and odd that it has to be real. "Magic won't work."

Flint looks at me, with locks of his dark hair in his eyes. "I am very good at curse breaking," he says like the creep that he is and I roll my eyes.

Lavinia walks up to us and she gives me a pleading look. I have many things I want to say to her. Like what the hell was she thinking going off with a lunatic like him? "Gavin, he knows what he's doing."

"Right," I say, because breaking into graves is something a freak like Flint would do. The scratches on my back ache again so I shift my shoulders, trying to relieve some of the pressure of my shirt against my skin.

"Your brother is an archaeologist and I work with him," Flint says as he lifts his wand towards the tomb that has been eerily quiet since they entered. "I know a thing or two about burial curses."

He mumbles a spell and his wand glows yellow. He sighs and then looks at my sister who touches his back in encouragement. I might vomit. "There are a lot on this," he says before turning back and doing more fancy things with his wand.

I have to wonder how they ended up here and my eyes slide from the color display that Flint is doing with his wand, landing my gaze on my sister. She's watching Byron with her head tilted to the side and her eyes glassy in that lovey dovey kind of way. _It means everything, Gavin, _my Dad had said. I found out today that it actually means nothing at all. Fuck love. Love hurts. I wish I was passed out right now.

"I need one of you to do the final spell," Flint says in that deep quiet voice that he's always had. "It takes a Malfoy."

"I can do it," Lavinia says, sounding stronger than I have ever heard her. She steps closer to Flint and raises her wand. "What do I need to do?"

I almost step in a say I can do it, but I have no bloody clue what's happening so I'm okay with just watching. Them just being here is confusing enough.

"You won't need your wand," Flint whispers as he takes something out of his pocket. Lavinia pales a little but nods her head as she lowers her wand.

"Is that a knife?" I ask and they both spare me an irritated glance like I was late to the party and just ruined it. "It takes blood?"

"Malfoy blood," Byron corrects while taking the blade protector off of the small scalpel. "Wizards, especially rich ones, take their resting places very seriously. Give me your hand."

Lavinia's eyes start to water as she offers up her shaking hand. Oh, goddamnit. "Here do it to me instead," I say because my sister was looking all pitiful and scared. Even though I haven't seen her in a while, and I am very disappointed in her choices as of late, it doesn't mean she isn't my baby sister anymore. I hold out my hand and glare at Flint because I know some how this is all his bloody fault. "Get to it, then. Just stay away from the major veins."

He hesitates one moment before putting the blade against my skin, but right before he's about to cut, we all snap our heads to the doorway when we hear my father's voice. His deep, dominant, and pissed off voice.

"What the hell are all of you doing in here?" He asks. Beside him is Mom, looking serious and wide eyed as her eyes dart around the tomb, where our wands are lighting us in an orange glow. "What have you been doing?"

I don't even know how to answer that question and no one else speaks up as my Father looks to the knife in Flint's hand and then to me. "You've taken the other wards down?" he asks as he walks into the building and tucks his wand in his pocket. Mom follows him as well as she looks at all of us with a confused tilt of her eyebrows, clearly not expecting to have a little shin dig here at dawn.

"I have, sir, but there isn't much time."

Dad sends Flint a stern look before taking the knife from him and I have to wonder what he's going to do. Make us all go home and punish us for being here in the first place? "I heard noises from inside there," I say, pointing to the brass plate with my brother's name. I have no idea what the fuck is going on, but I know I heard those noises. Dad pauses a moment and looks at the newly erased date on the plate and then he frowns. "But it stopped a little bit ago."

Mom gently takes the knife from Dad and they share a look before she slices his palm. Never one to enjoy the look of blood, I turn my head away as he bends down to the tomb and places his bloody hand on the name plate and mumbles something magical under his breath. How very barbaric that little bit of magic is. The marble around the plate makes a strange creaking noise before slightly glowing around the edges and then fading away.

"Wand, Gin," Dad orders as he takes out his own and places it against the cracks around my brother's tomb.

They can't honestly be doing what I think they're doing.

Mom takes her wand out and kneels beside him, placing her wand against the tomb as well. Their wand tips glow as they slide them along the square edges of the tomb, cutting the thick marble with a whispered spell that I havenever heard of. I step back again to givethem more space and Flint and Lavinia do the same. I watch as they carefully remove the slab of marble with the name plate imbedded into it, letting it land with a crack against the marble floor when they're finished cutting, revealing the dark casket bottom secured inside. Stale air gusts out from the tomb, smelling like must and dampness that's never appealing so I crinkle my nose in disgust and turn away.

I feel a hand clutch mine and I look to my left in surprise, thinking I might have to kill Flint, but when I see Evelyn there, looking scared and confused, I raise my eyebrows. She must have come with Mom and Dad, but I didn't see it, and I squeeze her hand when her frightened eyes turn to mine. This is a strange situation and I can feel that fearful twisting in my stomach, signaling my unease. I came here to yell at Cassius for dying on me, I did not come here for this weird family reunion. There's a lot of heaving and muscle work as my parents pull out the casket, none of us offer to help because we're too shocked, but I don't think they would have allowed it anyways because they seem pretty damn determined. When it lands with a thud on the ground, everything seems to go quiet.

Mom pushes sweaty hair away from her face as she sits back on her heels and she looks at Dad. It's now that I notice she's just wearing a plain cotton night gown and Dad is wearing his cloak over his bare chest and sleep pants. It has to be late. Both are barefoot.

"We really want to open this?" she says hesitantly, staring at the casket that had been in there for over a month.

This can not be happening. My initial guess of some poor soul Apparating into a tomb kind of gets thrown out of the window with that statement.

Dad's response is to walk around to the front and pry the lid open. I close my eyes, but when I don't hear vomiting or sounds of disgust, I look towards the casket. The same surprise I felt when I saw his body at the viewing is back, because he looks exactly the same. There's no rotting of flesh or deterioration of tissue. He looks like I remember him looking before he died. Only, his hair is soaked and plastered to his head and the sides of his face. He's always had a cowlick at the left corner of his hairline, but even that was weighed down from the water.

What the fuck?

I drop Evelyn's hand and take a step closer as Dad opens up the rest of the coffin. His clothes are soaked and his white shirt is unbuttoned halfway down his chest. We put him in the tomb while he was wearing a suit jacket and tie, but now both of those things are gone now. What the fuck has he been doing while he was supposed to be dead?

He also looks very pale and his lips look as white like his skin. I have an urge to go to him, to shake him awake from the weird sleep that he's in, but I don't because I'm frozen. Frozen in fear and confusion and anger.

"Draco," Mom says worriedly. "He was trying to get out," she says, touching the scratches and tears made in the silk lining of the casket. I feel my heart plummet when I realize those thumps were really him, but how is that possible? Combined with the scotch and the musty smell of his tomb—I might throw up. "He's been crying," she says softly as she touches a trail of wetness on his cheek. "Is he okay?" she asks with a troubled furrow of her brows as she turns to Dad.

"I wasn't expecting this," Byron Flint says softly—worriedly. "This isn't…"

The rest of us are too shocked to move. People who are dead should stay dead. I walk back again, until my back thumps against the wall behind me and I bring my hands up to my face, rubbing my head because I'm confused and this whole thing seems like some weird morbid nightmare. Dad bends down and checks his pulse as I take a deep breath and try to steady myself so I don't faint. What a terrible thing for a man to do in a situation like this. Well, I highly doubt many people have actually been in a fucking situation like this anyways.

"I don't feel anything," he whispers. "But he's warm."

Everything stands still and the world seems to stop spinning as Flint takes a small vile out of his pocket. "I have something that may help," he says as he walks over and bends down by my Dad, showing him the glowing red vial in his hands. I feel absolutely useless, but I can't even make myself speak, let alone do anything. "Give him this."

Dad looks at it and then his eyes narrow as he stares at Byron with that hard glare that makes men stutter and squirm. Byron, in all his fucked up glory, stares unflinchingly back. "I'm well acquainted with that potion," he says darkly and his eyes look watery and cold. "And that is not going to help. I refuse to give that to my son."

"Gavin," I look to Flint in surprise because he's talking to me. I have to bring myself back to reality and I try to straighten my spine so I don't look so weak. "The thumps you heard, how long ago did they stop?"

"Not long," I say softly because this weird clenching feeling is around my heart, clenching me to death.

Flint turns back to my Dad. "Trust me, Mr. Malfoy."

"Just let him, Draco," Mom says softly as she pulls Dad back, but he stays rooted to his spot like a heavy statue. "He was right before."

"Please, Daddy," his cold eyes shift to Lavinia as she steps towards him. Girls get it easy. If I called him Daddy I wouldn't get what I wanted like her and Evelyn seem to. In fact, he would probably throw something at me for calling him that. "He's been working on this. Trust him."

Dad sends one more harsh glare to Flint before standing up and backing away, telling Mom she has no idea what that potion is or what it will do as Flint gets closer to Cassius. He whispers something I can't hear before gently tilting my brother's head back until his lips part, letting his jaw fall open. Then he starts pouring the glowing liquid down my supposed to be dead brother's throat. We all watch with bated breath as Byron stands up and glances down at Cassius, who I have been mourning for months in anger and sadness, while he was here this whole time, not being dead. But what the hell has he been doing? He couldn't have survived that long in there if he wasn't… this makes my brain hurt.

This is so fucking strange and I have to wonder if that harpy Pansy put some kind of drug in my drink. Nothing happens for a long time and Dad curls his lip back in anger and he's about ready to yell at Flint, but Cass' body jerks, making all attention shift to him. I even jump because it scared me and I _never_ jump. It's like a train wreck. I don't want to look at him, but I can't stop myself. So I watch him closely as he lies still in his coffin, sucking in a breath when his body goes through another spasm that makes everyone in the room react in varying expressions of surprise.

Then his head turns and my eyes widen when Cassius starts _coughing_.

My dead brother is coughing.

That makes no sense.

He coughs so violently I'm sure he's going to hack up some blood and he keeps his eyes closed as he draws in deep breaths and sits up, leaning over the side of the casket with his hands on the cold marble floor. Only a few of the wands in the room are lit with a lumos, so the mausoleum is over all dark, with a few soft glows coming from the wands to show my animated dead brother hack and cough as he tries to climb out of his casket. I'm tempted to run out of here and hide, but that wouldn't do. Not while everyone else is being brave about this whole damn thing.

Everyone stays frozen and as we stare at him. This is like a scene in some horror novel and I'm just waiting for him to start eating people. Out of the corner of my eyes I see Evelyn back up to the wall and slump down to the floor with her knees drawn up to her chest. Besides that, no one moves as he coughs and tries to catch his breath while he slumps out of the casket and onto all fours on the floor. Finally, Mom walks over to him and kneels in front of him. I open and close my eyes a few times to make sure I'm really seeing this crazy thing in front of me.

"Cassius?" Mom says so softly that I barely hear her as she touches his shoulder and then she rests her hand on the back of his neck. She's crying. The Malfoy Mausoleum has turned into one big emotional cesspool today. Even my eyes are stinging and I blame that on the scotch. "Oh, Cassius, what happened to you?"

My brother, or I think he is my brother, breathes in deeply one more time before slumping against the floor, passed out. Mom catches his head before it bangs against the hard marble floor and she sends a panicked look to my Dad.

I am going to need so much therapy after this.

"What is happening?" She voices the thought I think everyone is thinking. "I don't understand what's happening."

"Let's get him to St. Mungos," Dad says briskly.

I pick up my cloak and leave the scotch as we leave the building with quick steps. We have to get him to the Apparation point out side of the gates and on the way there I hear Dad speaking in a low voice to Byron Flint.

"If this turns out bad, I'm holding you personally responsible," he says as we walk through the iron gates of the cemetery. "You are going to explain all of this to me."

I could tell the staff at St. Mungo's were a little overwhelmed to see us all enter the building and I'm sure that they were very freaked out when we checked in Cassius Malfoy, oldest heir to the Malfoy name who had been dead for months, into their urgent care unit. When they secured him in the room, we were made to wait outside. I slumped against one of the blue chairs, holding my head in my hands as Dad paced, Mom held Evelyn, Byron held Lavinia… I had no one to hold, but my misery didn't seem to matter anymore.

"What the fuck is on your head?" I snap my eyes up to Dad who has stopped pacing to look down at me.

"A mask," I mutter and his sharp eyes look me over. Apparently he needs something to do and picking me apart is the only way to ease his worry and confusion at the situation.

"Who bit you?" he asks as he walks to me and pulls down my collar, revealing the painful bite that disgusting woman gave me. "Gavin, you're drunk. What the hell were you doing tonight?"

I stare into his eyes. Now is not the time to unload all of my heartache. "Nothing, leave me alone," I snap as I push him back and pull my shirt back up. I've had enough for one night.

"Why were you in the cemetery?"

"Leave me alone." I repeat again as I cross my arms and turn away. Day is starting to break outside and everything is in a blue haze. I hate it. "Just leave me, alone, alright?"

He glares at me before pacing around again. "Take a walk with me, Mr. Flint," he says in a harsh voice.

I watch as Flint and Lavinia exchange a look before he kisses her cheek and stands up, following my father down the hall so he can explain something to him. We all look out of place and silly right now. Mom and Dad are in their pajama's, I smell like scotch, Evelyn is clutching floo powder in her hands for no apparent reason and Lavinia looks like she's about ready to fall over from exhaustion. I have a feeling that after I wake up, this is all going to be a bad dream and things will be normal. Sometimes I long for normal.

We stay quiet then as we wait. No one talks, no one breathes, no one thinks.

But I still feel like crying.

I thump my head against the wall behind me like I did while I was ranting to my brother when I still thought he was dead in a tomb. The weight of the worst bloody year anyone has ever had is weighing down on my heart so I thump my head once more, even harder. When I do it again Mom stands up, leaving Evelyn by herself and she comes over to me. I ignore her and I go to smack my head against the wall again, but her hand cushions the impact as she takes a seat beside me.

"No, Gavin," she whispers, like I was a little boy again, doing something that would hurt me. "Don't do that," she says as she keeps her hand on my hair, gently taking the mask off of my head and placing it on the seat beside her. I look at her and she looks over my face before she shakes her head. "Oh, baby, don't cry."

I scowl. "I'm not crying."

She kisses my cheek and hugs me to her until my head is on her lap and her soothing fingers are running through my hair. It actually calms me and I allow my exhausted eyes close. Everything about today as been confusing and hurtful, but Mom still smells like home and her fingers still feel like they did when I was a child and needed to be comforted. I am a grown man, but sometimes a boy just needs his mother.

"What's going on?" I ask to the air in front of me.

Mom's finger's still before going back to work in my hair. "I don't know," she whispers honestly. "I think we're going to be in for a rough morning."

"Is he coming back?"

"I don't know," she says softly again.

I keep my eyes closed; trying not to fall asleep as I go through all of the memories I have with my brother. I did this for days after he died and I then put them all away, locking them up so it wouldn't hurt so much anymore, but now there might be a budding of hope in my chest for him to come back. So I let myself remember my brother who I loved, who I fought with, who I was jealous of. I can't even pinpoint my favorite memory with Cassius because I have so many of them, but in my confusion and in my pain of the moment, one sticks out clearly in my mind.

I was seven, and both of my front teeth were missing, giving me a very prominent lisp that Cassius always made fun of until my adult teeth grew in. We had been playing outside, by Mother's garden, pretending we were part of the army. What army? It didn't matter. We just liked fighting each other with our fake wands and our pretend armor.

"If I catch you, Cass, I'm putting you in jail and you have to be a prisoner," I had told him as I hid in my trench made out of sticks and dirt.

I was wearing some of my Dad's Quidditch gear that was ten sizes too big and I had to keep on hoisting up the shin guards and forearm protectors so they wouldn't fall off. I also had swiped a steel bowl from the kitchen to serve as a helmet as I clutched my fake wand made out of oak and painted green in my hands.

"Casssss," my brother had repeated, putting his tongue against his teeth to make fun of the way I pronounced it because my top baby teeth were missing.

I frowned. "Don't make fun. I can't help it."

He rolled his eyes. "You won't catch me, anyways. And stop telling me what you're going to do! We're enemies, we don't speak to each other!" he yelled from his hiding spot, he looked around the large tree to see me. It was midsummer then, but he was wearing one of his black winter cloaks and one of Mom's scarves was tied around his head because he thought it was good for his armor.

"Am I the good guy or bad guy?" I asked when his eyes landed on me. The bowl on my head fell down over my eyes so I made a big show of pushing it back up.

"There is no good and bad in war, Gavin," he said as he lifted his wand and started to charge me. "I just hit you with a spell," he said when I tried to stand up in the clunky Quidditch gear to run away. "Your feet are in mud so you have to move in slow motion."

I pretended that I really was in mud and I started taking long, slow strides. It's amazing the things you can accept when you're a child. I pointed my own wand at my feet. "I know the counter charm," I said and then I turned to him. "I just turned you into a chicken."

He stopped and made a face at me. "No one turns anyone into stupid birds during war."

I raised an eyebrow, a habit I picked up from my Dad even that early. "You're a chicken."

"Oh, fine," he muttered as he got down on his knees and started clucking. I giggled before running away, hiding behind a hedge.

We played like that for a while, until it ended up how it usually did. Our fake wands were eventually discarded and we were rolling around wrestling like muggles, kicking and hitting, with no real intention of hurting each other. Cassius had accidentally kneed me in the stomach and my eyes started watering as I tensed and tried to push him off of me.

"Oh, Gavin," Cassius rolled off of me and kneeled by my side as I gripped my stomach, "I'm sorry."

"That hurt!" I yelled back as I sniffed and wiped away tears.

I acted like it hurt more than it actually did, which was an act I had perfected to get him into trouble, and it usually worked unless Mom saw through my acting skills. When he bent down to give me a hug, I grabbed my wand and pointed it at his chest. He felt the pressure against his skin and he looked down with wide eyes.

"You're dead," I told him with a smirk, proud of my conning. "And I win."

He made a big show of dying, putting his hand on his heart and stumbling back a few paces. That was half the fun of the war games. It wasn't over until someone had a very entertaining death scene. He made a few gurgling noises as he tore off the blue scarf and he threw it behind him, falling down on his back and laying perfectly still, taking his final ragged breath. I had laughed and got up, pulling off the shin guards because they kept sliding off of my legs as I stomped over to him.

"Let's go inside now, Cassius," I had said to his still form, trying not to lisp the S's in my words. It was a hot and sweaty summer day and the cool air of the Manor was looking more appealing the longer we were out in the sun. "I am hungry." When he didn't move I began to worry, so I poked his side with my shoe. "Wake up, Cass."

Still he didn't move, he didn't flinch, and I couldn't even tell if he was breathing. So I bent down beside him and touched his shoulder, making his head loll to the side causing his blond hair to fall over his eyes. When we were younger he wore it much longer than he does… did… now. See, this whole thing fucks up my tenses.

"Come on, Cassius. Let's go inside now."

He remained silent and I started to worry. Cassius and I had been doing accidental magic sporadically before we reached Hogwarts to learn how to tame it. The first time it happened was when we were very young. We had gotten into a fight and broke all of the glass in Mom and Dad's bedroom. I was an all together frightening experience for a toddler. Another time Cass had made all the pipes in house burst because he didn't want to take a bath and I had made my hair grow longer after an unwanted hair cut when I was five. With Cassius lying motionless on the ground, I had a real fear that I might have done accidental magic and killed him for real.

"Okay, stop it now. Get up," I stated angrily because he wasn't moving. I shook his arm and his head lolled again. "You get up now or I'm telling on you."

I even tickled his ticklish spot and he didn't even bat an eyelash. I sat back on my knees as I stared at him, convinced that I killed him.

"Oh, Cassius wake up. This isn't funny," I said as I shook him again. "You get up."

I crossed my arms as tears stung my eyes.

"Wake up!" He didn't move, so I stood up and kicked his side. "I am telling Mom on you."

I stared at him for a while, trying to figure out what to do.

"I'm sorry, Cassius. Please wake up" I even kissed his cheek for good measure, even though it was gross and disgusting—it worked for snow white. "Get up now."

When he didn't respond I knew with out a doubt that I had killed him. So I sat beside him and I cried and I apologized with my eyes clenched shut and my knees drawn up to my chest. I didn't know what to do and I knew my parents would be mad that I had accidentally killed my brother. I just kept imagining them giving me away because I was so bad and I would never be able to play with my brother again and I would miss him so much. I kept at it, sobbing and crying, until I felt a hand on my shoulder.

"I was only joking."

I remember turning my head and seeing Cassius on his knees beside me, looking serious and worried as he looked over my face.

"Don't cry, Gavin," he said softly, putting his arm across my shoulder. "It was just pretend. It was supposed to be funny."

"Well, it wasn't funny," I spat out. I had the urge to pummel him then, but he was older and stronger than me at the time so I resisted because he would have easily over powered me if I did. "And I'm not crying," I snapped, rubbing my face against my shirt sleeve. "I just have something in my eye. I wouldn't really care if you died anyways," I said cruelly because I was angry.

"Now, that's not true," He replied with a little smile turning his lips. "I think you love me very much."

"That's not true," I said in disgust even though it was. "I just didn't want Mom to be mad. She likes you for whatever reason," I added spitefully.

"Let's go inside," he said, holding out his hand so he could help me up. "Maybe we can convince her to let us have some sweets if we play with Lavinia."

I let him help me up and as we were walking back towards the Manor, with my bowl helmet under my arm, I started kicking rocks that got in my way to let out my frustration. "Don't ever do that to me again," I mumbled to him because it had scared me.

He glanced at me, the sun catching his gray eyes in just the right way to make them look silver. "I won't, Gavin," he said because he's always been a good older brother. "I'm sorry it upset you so much. It was really just for a laugh."

"It wasn't funny," I muttered again as he put his arm back around my shoulders until we reached the house.

I crack my eyes open and look at the blue chairs across from me in the waiting room at St. Mungo's. That memory kind of fits this situation. He promised me he would never do something like that again, to make me that sad again, to make me that scared. I narrow my eyes. Cassius inherited Dad's long and slim body while mine is thicker with broader shoulders and thicker muscles. I'm stronger than him now, and if he wakes up all fine and healthy like he did so many years ago when we were boys… when I thought he was dead…. If he does wake up—I am going to kick his ass for breaking his promise.

_**Evelyn **_

I couldn't move for a long time. I just was there, looking forward, trying not to be traumatized by what I saw and then I tried to find myself. The human mind can do terribly wonderful things when faced with things that are so out there, so strange, and so upsetting that you think you wouldn't be able to function. I take a deep breath and close my eyes as I reign myself in until I feel normal again. I find myself tapping my foot and counting the cracks on the floor, trying not to think about anything.

This is one of those times I wish I had that Mood Manipulator with me, so I could be happy and calm and content... even in this situation.

I have never been patient and this is taking a very long time, so when Mom goes to comfort Gavin I'm feeling particularly restless. Lavinia is sitting by herself, picking threads on her sweater because Daddy took Byron out of the room to talk. So I take the opportunity to sit beside her. I haven't seen her in weeks and she looks older now… she looks different to me. It's almost like in the few weeks that she has been off with Byron, she grew up. Officially turning into a woman from the girl that she once was. It makes me sad in a weird kind of way that I can't express.

"Liv," I whisper so she'll look at me. I think we're all looking pale and shook up right now, but Lavinia is looking very out of it. There are dark circles under her weary blue eyes and her face is pale like a ghost. "What's going on?"

"I'm not totally sure, Evelyn," she whispers in a thick voice. "Byron was right about everything, but he didn't think Cassius would find his own way out of it."

"Out of what?" It's an understatement to say that I'm a little confused.

As soon as that location thing went off, everyone back at the Manor stood still as Mom and Daddy looked at each other. Then they started to scramble around for their wands as I stood and watched them in their madness as Nero nipped at my hand. Dad was draping his cloak over his bare chest when I finally found my voice to speak up.

"Where are you going?" I asked as Mom gripped her wand and looked at the location sphere that was still spinning on the ground.

"We'll be back," Daddy had told me sharply as he took Mom's hand and they started to half run/half jog towards the front doorway.

Of course, I followed them, with the floo powder still clutched in my fingers. "But where are you going?" I called after them, not liking that I was being left behind.

"Just stay here, Evelyn, we should be back in a bit," Mom said, trying to mask her worry with a tight smile.

When they reached the front door and opened it, I was determined to go with them. I hated being alone and I didn't want to stay here without them. "Stay, Evelyn," Dad snapped at me when he saw me following after them down the porch stairs.

"But I want to go!"

Dad stopped fully and turned around with a weird fire burning in his eyes. "I will not argue with you on this, Evelyn Grace," he said sternly and I took a step back on the porch. "You are going to go to your room and you are going to stay there until I say you can come out."

"But…" I was kind of speechless because he was talking to me so harshly. "But where are you going?"

"Just go inside, sweetheart," Mom said, still holding Daddy's hand. "We'll come home soon. We just need to check something."

I watched with my mouth hanging open as they turned around and started storming down the long drive that leads up to our house so they could reach the Apparation point. I crossed my arms and started to pout, but the curiosity was just too much. Were they going to Cass? What would that be like and what would they do once they were there?

I could see that they were getting closer to the gates so I started to sprint towards them with my cloak whipping around me from the wind. I pumped my legs as fast as they could go as the gate started to slowing swing open and my parents stepped outside. I saw Mom lift her wand to Apparate them, because Daddy said he was too upset to do it right now, and I lunged at them. I grabbed his arm before they popped away and when we landed outside of the cemetery where all the magical folks in the area were buried, I knew I was going to be in trouble.

When Dad saw that I was with them, his lips curled in anger and I was convinced I was going to be grounded until school started back up. Of course, I just smiled in my uneasy and tight way when I'm nervous or in an awkward situation like this one.

"Stay close," Mom muttered as she took my hand while Dad made the gates to the cemetery open.

I was glad she wasn't ignoring me like Daddy was, and I followed them as they made their way towards the Malfoy Mausoleum. When they saw that the door was open and people were inside, Mom dropped my hand and she entered the place with Dad at her side, looking at all my other family members and Byron Flint all standing around Cassius' name plate.

It was weird.

As Dad and Mom where cutting up the marble I realized something was missing from the brass plate that had my brother's name. Cassius had died on my birthday and that date was etched into the plate forever so anyone who saw it would know. But it wasn't there anymore. The brass was smooth like nothing had been etched into it at all and I found myself clutching Gavin's hand just because I needed something to hold onto.

What a terribly strange night.

It was confusing. It was confusing and scary when they took out the coffin, and it was confusing and frightening when Cassius crawled out of it, coughing and trying to catch his breath like a man who had been underwater and just reached land. And now, here at St. Mungo's, it's confusing and scary because I have no idea what's happening.

"Well, what do you know?" I ask my sister as I scoot closer to her for her body heat and the comfort that the closeness would bring me.

"I know," she licks her lips before continuing, "I know that it's some old ancient curse, I know that Byron never believed that he was dead, and I know that just because it was an old curse, doesn't mean it wasn't placed on the stone recently."

That all just went right over my head and I tilt my head to the side as I study her profile. "What does that mean and what was that potion that he gave him, and why where all of you there in the first place, and why do you look so tired?" There were so many more questions I wanted to ask, but I got distracted by another's voice.

"Ginny." My head snaps to the left as Dad and Byron walk back into the waiting room. "You and I have to speak to the healers," he says flatly, with that cold detachment that he gets when handling important things like this.

Mom nods her head and gently makes Gavin sit up. He does so with heavy limbs and as soon as our parents walk through the double doors at the end of the hall, he stands up and claims he has to go to the bathroom, leaving me, my sister, and Byron Flint in this cold, brightly lit, waiting room.

"Did you tell him everything?" Lavinia asks as Byron takes a seat beside her.

He nods his head.

"Does he believe you?"

"I think he does now," he says softly and I watch as he puts his arm around the back of her chair. "He's determined to find out who put the curse on statue now. To find out if it was specifically for Cassius."

To be honest, I was a little annoyed that Lavinia had turned to him to talk because I thought it was rude that all of her attention wasn't on me right now. I wasn't done speaking with her yet. When they started talking about some Bailey person and some ancient texts, I felt quite pushed out of the conversation and I especially didn't like it when she unconsciously leaned her body into his while pointing her body towards him, away from me. I crossed my arms with the floo powder still stupidly in my hand as they spoke in hushed voices to each other, but then I realized something very important that made my irritation melt the slightest bit.

She was his now.

She was his, but not in a weird and possessive way. She was his in a way that she would never be anyone else's. That's what had changed when she left home. Mom once told me that when you fall in love with some one, the right someone, then they become your everything. They morph into your love, your best friend, your therapist, your partner, and your confidant. They don't just get welcomed into your family—they become your new family. And most people reach a point in their life when they have to leave home so they can build another with someone else.

I glance at Lavinia while she pushes some strands of dark hair out of Byron's eyes as he looks down at her face, gently touching the back of her neck with his hand. I know she loves him, but she's too young and I'm not ready to give her up yet. She has been gone for so very long already, and I didn't realize how much I missed her until now and I know if she takes off with him again I'll still be able to see her and talk to her, which is so much more than my own mother has with her own family, but it won't be the same. There's just a certain look a woman in love gets and a certain maturity that surrounds them when they reach that point. I fear that the older and mature Lavinia sitting by my side won't have fun hay fights with me in the stables, and she won't have any time to talk because she's too busy loving him.

I feel tears jerking my eyes because this whole thing with Cassius is playing with my emotions and I have missed him terribly, but I was reserved with the fact that he was gone. I had mourned him everyday, but I thought he was never coming back. If he comes out of those doors, normal and healthy, I will be so pleased and I will thank whoever needs to be thanked for that miracle, but by possibly gaining my brother back, I have officially lost a sister. I haven't lost her in the same earth shattering, heartbreaking way like Cass. I've lost her into a more subtle way to Byron Flint. It was so subtle I didn't even see it coming.

"I'm going for a walk," I say as I stand up, not wanting to sit by them anymore.

Lavinia pulls away from Byron and sits forward. "Where are you going?" She asks softly as I go and dump the floo powder in one of the trash bins along the wall, wiping the remaining dust off on my blue cloak. I wonder what Jeremiah is doing, is he still waiting for me to show up at his house? My poor Jeremiah, he probably is. He's forever waiting on me.

"Just a walk," I say with a shrug with out looking at her as I go out of the waiting room and into the hallway so they won't see me as I start to cry.

By the time I turn the corner, I'm all out sobbing, breathing heavily and wiping my eyes as I try to hide my reaction from the people walking around me. I'm not even sure why I'm crying. I just think it's all the stress this whole thing is putting on everybody and how utterly exhausted I feel.

I make it to one of the small lobby rooms where snack machines and colorful drink dispensers are lined up along the teal painted walls. I step into the room and look at the brightly colored machines which are glowing in hues of oranges, yellows, and violent purples. I sigh with my head aching before spying a small spot beside one of the fizzy drink machines. There's a small space between its glowing orange outside and the teal wall, so I go over and sit down in the little area, scooting back so I'm hidden from view if anyone wanted to come into the room as I draw my knees up to my chest and I cry into my knees, thankful for a hiding spot to give me some peace for a while.

I'm crying that ugly and annoying cry too. Where I can't catch my breath and snot is dripping all over the place. I didn't even cry this hard when Cassius died, I wonder why I am now that he might be coming back to us. I thought a moment like this should be happy and hopeful, so why do I feel so terrible? I don't know how long I sat there, crying into my cloak, in the little nook between the wall and bright orange soda machine, but I try to calm myself when I hear footsteps wonder into the room. I don't want to be discovered, so I fold my legs back even more and try to calm my breathing. Whoever it is walks over to one of the soda dispensers and puts money in to get something to drink. I close my eyes and try not to sniff because of the snot in my nose, but I can't help it and I end up making a rather loud and unappealing sound.

I hear the soda drop and I clench my eyes shut tighter as a shadow falls over me.

"That's a pretty good hiding spot."

Oh, well, darn.

I crack my eyes open and tilt my head up to look Byron Flint in the eyes. "Not so good because you found me," I say, wiping snot off on the back of my hand, not even caring if he sees. He searches my face before kneeling down in front of me, unclasping his cloak in the process as he sets his drink by his feet. "Is that for Lavinia?" I ask between deep breaths as I look at the yellow bottle of Lemon Fizz, the only carbonated caffeine drink my sister likes.

He nods his head. "She doesn't drink coffee and she's dead tired. I've found that pepper up potion doesn't really pep her up, either," he says softly, in that deep voice of his that sounds very fitting on him.

I nod my head.

He looks over my face again, taking in my tears, snot, and my attempts at calming my breathing. "I know a good scourgify charm," he says as he hands me his hunter green cloak. I glance at it and then at him. "Go ahead," he sighs as he looks at my nose.

I smile a little before cleaning my face off with his cloak, thinking he really is terribly nice and gentleman like. "Thank you," I say as I hand it back and he cleans it with his wand before draping it over his arm.

"Are you alright?" He asks with his serious eyes looking into mine. His hair is falling over his brows again and his skin is smooth like marble. My sister has chosen well, because even I have to admit that he is the most handsome man I have ever seen up close. Even more handsome than Xavier, who I think is most attractive.

"I'm just relieving some stress," I say, trying to tilt my chin up as I flick a tear off of my cheek. I bring my hand up to my neck, where the wooden necklace that Cassius had given me the last time he was home still rests. I only take it off for dance. "Cassius gave this to me, you know," I say as I take it off to roll the beads between my fingers.

I felt the need to say something because Byron Flint is one of those strange people that is okay sitting in silence for hours. I look up in surprise when his fingers wrap around the necklace and he takes it away from me.

"I know," he says softly as he looks down at it and rolls the beads like I was doing before. "I was there when the woman made it for him. It's meant to bring good luck."

In between the brown wooden beads are small painted stones and I watch as Byron touches them with his long pale fingers. "This blue stone here," he says as he taps it. "It symbolizes mans—and woman's," he adds after sparing me a little glance, "It symbolizes our connection to the divine. The Calzu people believe that everything is connected and that because we are made from god, we are all godly."

He has a deep soothing voice and I find myself leaning back against the wall behind me as he continues. I don't even care about the dust I'm sitting on, or the buzzing from the machine beside me that's lulling in my ears.

"Yellow is the color of enlightenment and joy. It's the hope of an optimistic future and the rebirth of the seasons and the human soul," he moves to another bead as I smile at him with watery eyes. "Orange is the energizing life force that flows through us all and white symbolizes our morality. The Calzu believe that death is only the beginning, and to live a good life, you must die."

"But my brother isn't dead?" I ask, cutting him off from continuing with the other colors.

He looks at me again, his piercing eyes almost glowing blue against his dark lashes. "No, I don't think he ever actually was." He squints his eyes, like he was thinking of something before look down at the necklace again. "Not totally."

"It's confusing?" I say in soft voice.

He nods his head, the way an adult would to a small child. "It is confusing," he confirms.

I nod my head and look down as he hands me the necklace back. "So, what do you and my sister talk about when you aren't solving problems?" I ask, because I really can't see either of them having long and lengthy discussions of anything. He's one of those quiet guys who barely talks and she's so weird and shy about things. I wonder if they just sit and stare at each other. "Don't you think she's boring?" It wasn't meant to be mean, but I guess it could come out that way, so I try to think of a way to defend myself as he replies.

"No, I find her very interesting," he says as he stands up and when I look at him I see that there's a little smile on his face. I don't think I've actually seen Bryon Flint smile before. "In fact, she surprises me everyday."

I find a smile tilting my lips because he is not what I expected him to be. I only ever saw him with Cassius and he barely spoke when I was around. "You are a perfectly lovely person, Mr. Flint."

"I'm glad you think so," he says softly as he offers me his hand. I smirk before taking it and letting him pull me out of my little hiding nook. "Would you like something to drink before I head back?" he asks, tilting the bottle he got for Lavinia towards me.

"No, thank you. I think I am quite okay now," I tell him honestly and he nods his head before starting to walk out of the room. "Byron," I call, rolling on my toes just because it's something I do when I'm nervous. He turns when he reaches the doorway and lifts and eyebrow. "Do you believe my brother will wake up?"

"I hope so."

"Will he be the same?"

"None of us are," he says in his deep voice. "It wouldn't be fair to expect the same from him."

I settle back down on my heels and turn my head down in thought. I don't get to see Gavin walk into the room because I'm too busy thinking over what he just said, but I do feel the tension when Byron stops again.

"Gavin," he greets with a flat voice, different from the one he used with me.

I glance up as my brother looks Byron over with a cold glare before he sighs and rolls his eyes. "I still think you're fucking weird."

"I can live with that," Byron answers before walking past him.

Gavin watches him go before turning back to the room, letting his gaze fall on me. "What?" he asks because I guess I was looking at him in a strange way. His face is flushed and his eyes still look glassy. I hate seeing my strong, sometimes jerky, brother like that.

"I think Byron Flint is wonderful," I say because it was true and I think Gavin calling him weird was terribly rude considering all that he's been doing to help our older brother and he loves our sister so terribly much.

Gavin sneers a little as he walks over to one of the drink machines and puts some coins in the slot. "Every girl thinks he's wonderful," he says with an irritated bitterness in his voice. "Ew, I was abused when I was a boy and now I'm all dark and mysterious," he says, using a stupid voice to make fun of him. "Most people think he's a wounded puppy dog. No one would care if he was ugly."

"That's not true," I scoff because of his cold words, but when he gives me a look my resolves melts a bit because it is easy to like Byron _because_ he is so ridiculously handsome. "Well, that's not totally true. He's very nice," I add so I don't seem like a bad or shallow person.

"Right," he says as he gets himself a drink and as soon as it drops he takes it out and unscrews the lid, taking a long drink from the colorful looking fizzy liquid. "Why have you been crying?" he asks, almost dismissively because he's not looking at me. He's picking lint from his shirt, but the fact that he noticed makes my heart warm.

"I am tired and my brain hurts."

"You and everyone else," he mutters as I take a step closer to him.

"Gavin?"

"What?"

"Why were you in the cemetery?"

He snaps an irritated look at me before looking away. "Why were you?" he counters back, trying to distract me.

I take another step closer. "Well, I followed Mom and Dad, but you were already there and I know you weren't with Lavinia and Byron."

"You know what I think is strange?" he asks as he takes a drink from his bottle. "I think it's strange that our brother, who was supposed to be dead, crawled out of his casket and is currently being treated by healers because he suddenly has a heartbeat. I think it's strange that you feel that is an important question to ask right now," he finishes tiredly.

Well, Gavin sure can pop a balloon, can't he? "I guess you're right," I say softly and he lifts his eye brows at me.

"I am always right," he says, but I notice his voice doesn't hold the smug conviction that it once did.

I lean against one of the machines and I start fiddling with the necklace in my hands as I study his face. Poor Gavin looks terrible, his eyes are puffy and there are weird red bite marks on his neck. Whatever gave him those? Surely Addison didn't, because the last time I checked she wasn't part feline.

"Where is Addison?" I ask because she is the one that takes care of him now and if he was in a cemetery in the middle of the night, what was she doing? "Shouldn't you call her?"

When his dark eyes look into mine I want to hug him because he looks so sad. Something more than what's going on right now has happened to him. Even I can tell. "Evelyn, one day you're going to grow up and realize that not everyone is perfect."

"I don't think everyone is perfect," I say softly as I tilt my head to the side.

"No, but you expect them to be good," he says tiredly. "I think you're officially an adult when you expect them to be bad." I take his hand and gently squeeze it before he nods himself out of the daze he was in and he shakes his head. "Let's get back to the waiting room. Maybe Mom and Dad have found something out to explain what's bloody going on."

We return to the sitting room, where Lavinia is drinking from her Lemon Fizz with her head on Byron's shoulder as he looks out the window. It's officially morning and the sun is shining blindingly through the blinds of St. Mungo's giant windows. I'm very tired and I'm very weary so when we sit back down, I curl into a ball, resting my head on one of the blue plastic chairs as I wrap my cloak around me to cover my whole body, like it would protect me from the sun so I wouldn't feel so terrible. I wish someone would hold me right now, but everyone is too involved with other things. If Jeremiah was here he would probably hold me. He's good at comforting me.

He was there when Cassius supposedly passed away, and he was there when Grandma Malfoy died two years ago during our first year of Hogwarts. It was the spring and my little timid Jeremiah even snuck into the girl's dorms and he stayed in my bed until I fell asleep, because I had been so upset and didn't want to sleep alone. That was when I knew Jeremiah and I would be friends forever.

After a while I feel my head being lifted and I crack my eyes open as my sister lets my head rest on her lap. She smiles down at me and I smile too as I get comfortable. I wanted to be held, I wonder if she could tell.

"Are you hungry?" she asks softly, looking and sounding so much like Mom that it throws me for a second until I realize that it is actually her.

"No, not really." My stomach is too knotted to even think about eating right now. Byron gets up and starts pacing as Gavin crosses his arms and closes his eyes, thumping his head against the wall behind him. I tilt my head up to my sister who has her hand on my hair as she watches Byron walk back and forth across the waiting room.

"Lavinia?" I say with a yawn as she runs her fingers through my curls as I think of Jeremiah and Xavier and other relationships that surround me.

"Yes?"

"When did you know that you loved Byron?" I ask quietly so the other two in the room won't hear.

I realize I've been asking that question a lot and my sister pauses a second before looking down at me with a strange little look on her face. "I don't know. I think I always kind of did."

_Always. _I can't escape that word.

I close my eyes and I almost fall asleep, but I jump up when Mom comes walking into the room, looking watery eyed and weary. "What's happening?" Gavin asks first as he stands up with his back straight in attention.

I sit up as well and rub my eyes. "Well," she says and I know she wishes Dad was beside her because she keeps on wringing her hands, fiddling with her fingers. "This is all very confusing," she says as she takes a seat in one of the chairs. No duh. "But he's doing well."

"Doing well?" Gavin says in angered disbelief. "We thought he was bloody dead. What the hell happened?"

"I don't know," she answers softly. "But he's breathing and his vitals are good. That potion that you gave him," she looks at Byron who's standing with his arms crossed. "It had a very strong sedative in it, so he'll be out for a while. He just keeps on mumbling now. If he wakes up we'll know…." she trails off while pushing thick hair away from her face. "But, thank you, Byron. I know Draco has a hard time of saying it, but you did save his life."

"What was he mumbling?" I ask curiously because I can't rightly wrap my head around this, so I might as well blindly accept it.

"Nothing really," she says softly. "Your father thinks it's something, but I can't understand him."

"What did he say?" Byron repeats and everyone looks at him before turning back to Mom.

"No words I know. Draco didn't know either."

"Can you repeat it?" he asks more firmly and Lavinia and I both look at each other before turning to Byron because of the hard way he's speaking to our mother.

Mom repeats the strange words and I agree, he was definitely mumbling. Mom felt silly doing it and it showed by the way she was furrowing her brows and bringing her hand up to her face. After she says one word Byron steps forward and repeats it with more confidence. Mom nods her head to show he was right.

"Water," Byron says after she was finished and we all looked to him again in surprise. "He was talking about going into the water."

"How the hell do you know that?" Gavin snapped at him, because he has such a beautiful way with words.

"It's Greek," Byron says with a weird narrow of his eyes. "He's not mumbling nonsense, Mrs. Malfoy. He's speaking ancient Greek."

"Well, does he know Greek?" I ask because we all had the same primary education and ancient Greek wasn't on the list of things to know.

"He didn't know it well," Byron says, sounding strange and worried. "He could barely speak it."

I turn away and frown as Mom stands up and tells Byron to follow her to Dad. As they go I hear Byron muttering something but a Horcucks--thing, but I have no idea what that is, so I ignore it. Why can't things ever just make sense? I cross my arms and slump in my seat, feeling useless and tired and upset.

What does this mean? My brain hurts again because I am so very confused, but now I have a pull in my chest to stand up and walk through those double doors towards Cassius. I want to see my brother.


	12. Chapter 12

_A/N: So, sorry for this long ridiculous wait. You know, I have a lot of stories on my alert list that haven't been updated in ages and I always wonder if something happened to the author… so when I started to get reviews asking if I was alright and still alive I knew I had to get my act together and update. _

_Unfortunately, life always gets in the way... new school, new town, new major, new job, new place, new boy… a lot of new things headed my way, so I've been lagging behind on this. I know! I'm sorry! Anyways, only a couple of chapters of this story are kind of beta'd but sadly I don't even have that anymore. Real life just ruins everything. So you must forgive the multiple mistakes and typo's that I'm sure I missed after I proof read this. You won't have to point them out either… I'll eventually see them later and I will flinch along with the rest of you while remaining too lazy to go in and actually change it._

_I am sorry for making you wait! I usually try to keep ONE story updated frequently because I know it's bloody annoying to follow a story only to have it stop completely. I also know author notes are irritating when they're too lengthy and I usually skip them so I commend you if you read this far. _

_Anyways, thanks and I hope to keep this story rolling._

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_**Gavin **_

"What is a Roller Disco?"

I glance at Evelyn as I sling my leg over the arm of the red high backed chair I'm sitting in. "Why?" I ask before taking a sip from the hot mug of coffee, swinging my leg impatiently back and forth as I do because my nerves are just about shot.

"It says right here that they opened a roller disco in a part of wizarding London," she says as she looks down at her magazine, curling a strand of hair around one of her slim fingers with that damn dog laying beside her. "What is that?"

"I believe it's pretty self explanatory," I tell her as I close my eyes and tilt my head back.

Dad ordered us all to go home. Saying that he would let us know when Cassius woke up, but until then we should get some rest. I had to Apparate Evelyn to the Manor because she doesn't have her license yet and Lavinia went wherever the hell Flint went, of course. I know that I have a lot going on right now, but when I'm finally myself again, I'm going to have a long talk with my little sister and her unhealthy attachment to that crazy person. I still remember what a drunk Byron Flint said to me when I found him all beat up behind that pub. Now I have to question if that was true. He had better hope it isn't, I think darkly, as I crack my knuckles.

"Well, what does the roller part mean?"

"Roller skates, I imagine," I say with a sigh. I couldn't go to sleep so I had one of the elves make me some coffee to keep me going… and to get rid of my drunken stupor.

Evelyn decided she wanted to stay up too because she's annoying and constantly wants to bother me. She followed me into each room that I went into and right now she's laying on her stomach in front of the dead fireplace, reading magazines and bugging the hell out of me as her annoying new dog bounces around the room and barks at everything that moves. I _hate_ animals with a passion and that little hyper puppy just might get kicked if it doesn't leave me alone.

"And the disco part?"

"Are you serious?" I ask as I open my eyes and glare at her.

She spares me an irritated glance before sighing and turning the page. "What's the difference between a magical roller disco and a muggle one?"

She really does bother me sometimes and I resist the urge to growl in frustration. I just want some quiet time… She never knows when to just be quite. I'm starting to resent Lavinia for going off with Flint even more because if she was here with our little sister, I wouldn't have to be.

"I don't know," I say with a shrug because a roller disco is one place I will never fucking go. "But I'm one hundred percent positive that the wizard version is going to be way better than anything a stupid muggle could think up."

She nods her head with her brows furrowed in concentration as she swings her legs up and down. "What is the point of muggles?" she asks quietly while turning another page in her magazine.

"I have no idea," I say honestly, tapping my free hand against my knee as I think of my brother who might be coming home.

Cassius might be coming home. What a weird thought.

Why am I so pissed off?

"I feel bad for the poor creatures," she says with a sigh. "I would hate not being able to do magic. What a terrible way to live."

"Well, there are more of them than us," I say, taking another drink from my coffee. "And I think they're getting by just fine."

"Hm," she says with a tilt of her head and then her slate eyes shoot up to mine. "Do you know what I want to do when I grow up?"

"Learn how to stop talking?" I ask with an eyebrow raised.

She scowls before remembering she's telling me something she's happy about and she sits up on her knees to face me. "I'm going to open a school for squibs, where they can learn how to make potions and how to do other magical things that don't involve a wand," she sits back on her heels with her hands on her thighs. "I always feel so terrible for squibs, having to know about magic, but never able to do it."

We went from a roller disco to talking about a school for squibs, all while our 'used to be dead' brother is on a hospital bed at St. Mungo's. Evelyn sure can steer a conversation, can't she? "Why do you care?" I ask because I personally don't know any squibs besides the janitor at school... and he didn't exactly spark sympathy in anybody.

"Jeremiah's older brother, Tony, is a squib. He had to go to some muggle school his whole life and now he repairs tellie… tellie… tellie something," she says, stumbling over the muggle word she doesn't know. "People in his family are so mean to him and he's never invited to their get togethers because it always takes him so long to get to those places. At my school, squibs can learn to use the floo and the can ride brooms…."

"It wouldn't work," I tell her as I flip my leg back over the arm of the chair so I can sit forward. I set my half empty cup on the table and then rest my elbows on my knees. "For those things to work, you have to have magic in you. If they worked for everyone, don't you think some wizard would have banked in on that with the muggles already?"

"But… what?" she asks, confused by my statement.

"If you gave a riding broom to a muggle or squib, they wouldn't be able to ride it because it's magic counteracts with a wizard or witches. That's what makes it fly." She still looks confused and I roll my eyes. I guess she hasn't gotten that far in her Wizarding world lessons.

"But, they could still make potions, right?" She asks because I am slowly killing her improbable dream of a stupid squib school.

"Ninety five percent of potion making is magic," I say, trying to make her understand. "We have a potion that can heal bones in twenty minutes… muggles have to wait months for their own bones to heal. Do you think we'd actually be that selfish and keep it to ourselves if it worked for everyone?" She frowns. "A magical person has to make it for it to work and a magical person has to drink it for it to work. Your magical school for squibs would accomplish nothing, no matter how good your intentions are."

"Oh," she says as she looks at the empty fire grate. "Well, nevermind then."

I stand up and walk over to one of the large bay windows so I can look at something other than the four corners of this room. As my tired eyes squint against the bright fucking sun that's shining in, I can't help but feel completely and utterly lost. My head hurts, my heart hurts, and my stomach is twisted in knots. I have no idea what I want to do or what I should think right now. I'm angry, I'm sad, I'm happy, I'm upset… that all boils downs to be being bloody confused and being bloody confused is never a good thing with me. Even though I'm pleased that my brother, by whatever miracle, might be coming back, I'm still miserable and I'm still pissed at him.

"What was Lucius Malfoy like?"

I look over my shoulder at Evie, who's reading the magazine again. "I don't know," I say. "He died when I was young."

"It says here that he was killed by a whole group of Aurors."

"What are you reading?" I ask in annoyance. I'm perfectly fine with wallowing in self pity and depression right now… but Evelyn is just like the freaking pep squad at school that never shuts the fuck up.

"Just this magazine," she says with a shrug. "Daddy's in here too… so are you and Cassius." Her eyes flick to mine. "I bet the press will never leave us alone now," she says seriously.

I nod my head in agreement. Someone from St. Mungo's had tipped off the press, so when Evelyn and I arrived outside of the gates of the Manor there were forty reporters and photographers wanting to know about my brother. I'm actually dreading it because I have a lot of stuff I need to take care of and it's going to be hard to sort out when an idiot with a camera is following me everywhere I go.

"What's the article about?" I ask curiously as I cross my arms and watch one of the trees rattle with the wind. I know she'll tell me about it eventually, I might as well beat her to the punch.

"Just the Malfoy men and how our family tree has depleted rapidly since the Great War," she says softly. "There is a lovely picture of Grandpa Lucius and Grandma Narcissa in here," she says as she turns the magazine over to show it to me.

I take a few steps closer to her so I can see it properly. It's a black and white photo taking up a whole glossy page in the magazine. I can tell it was a candid shot, taken during a sunny day out on the veranda of the Manor. They're sitting by the tapered columns on white wicker chairs by a small table that has a bouquet of flowers as a centerpiece. Judging by the looks of my grandparents, it was a very long time ago. They seem very young to me, probably around their early twenties or even late teens maybe, but despite their youth they have clearly already mastered the casual elegance that would define them in later life.

My Grandfather's reputation as a Death Eater and business man has always been very severe and towards the end of his life, father said he had been riddled with madness because of the horrors of war. I didn't know what that meant, obviously I was too young to even remember him, but in this photo he looked like the arrogant stately young heir of a wealthy family who didn't have a care in the world.

He looked like my father.

He looked like Cassius.

He looked like me.

"I think our grandparents were a handsome couple. Don't you agree?"

"Yeah," I agree as I study the photo. "They were."

Lucius was sitting across from my Grandmother, wearing a three piece suit with a white undershirt and matching tie. His legs were crossed, making his pants ride up just enough to show off argyle socks and polished leather shoes. He was speaking to her with a charming, almost mocking, smile on his face as his right hand held a cigarette that he periodically took a drag from as they talked, blowing out smoke from the corner of his smirking mouth. This wasn't Lucius the Death Eater that I had known from stories; this was Lucius the young man who had a future ahead of him. His hair was closer in texture to mine, more so than my father's or brother's, and he had it cropped short to his head and combed away from his face in thick waves.

I tilted my head and walked closer, taking the magazine from my sister so I could get a better look at my grandparents. I wonder what advice he would have given me for my current problems. He seemed like a man who got things done… viciously… but got them done none the less.

"Doesn't Grandma look lovely?" Evelyn says wistfully as she puts her chin in her hands, letting her elbows rest against the glass coffee table.

The Lucius in the picture reaches over the table and moves his fedora out of the way to put his cigarette out in the crystal ash tray. My eyes slide over to Grandma, who I had loved dearly, as she sips her tea. She was the only extended family member that we had that didn't hate us or want us to change who we were for the sake of compromise and I loved her for it. Evelyn was right. She did look beautiful in this picture as she always did. Never once did I see my grandmother look plain or tired because she was always so meticulously put together and styled in an elegant grace that only old money and a good primary school can give you.

She was also beautiful in the way you expect women to be beautiful, with her blonde hair and glacier blue eyes surrounded by long lashes. She walked that fine line between looking like a woman and looking like a girl, the combination that holds a man's fascination quite attentively. Even then she held her self with such confidence that she looked much older than she was in this photo. In her younger form, I could see Lavinia's eyes and chin. I could see Evelyn's body and lips. It was weird seeing her like this when I remember her as an older woman.

"I wish I had that dress," Evelyn says as she gets up on her knees again so I'll hand the magazine back.

I ignore her as I study the picture more closely.

The dress she was wearing was light, I'm not sure of the color, but it looked like it was made out of some smooth silk material and it hung off of her shoulders, revealing her birdlike shoulders and sharp collar bone. Her golden hair was swept up, with a few strategic curls falling free by her temple and the base of her neck, brushing over her shoulders and onto her pale skin. She was sipping tea and she smiled at her husband as he spoke, with white wrist length gloves on her delicate hands and a beautiful beaded necklace around her neck.

I ignore my sister's grumblings as I turn the magazine over to see the article printed beside the photo. _The Many Masks of the Malfoy Line—A history of mental health problems in the pureblood elite. _Evelyn had obviously lied to me about what the article was about and I shoot her an irritated look before looking back down. There's a small graphic of a cracked death eater's mask by the title and I sit down on the high backed chair I was in earlier to read it, ignoring the way Evelyn is griping about giving it back to her and ignoring the way her fucking dog is sniffing my shoe.

I usually ignore articles written about my family because they're written so often, especially since Cass passed away, or whatever the hell he did. It renewed the presses interest in our family and this article is a prime example of the public's obsession with wealth, drama, tragedy, and an extravagant life style that most people will never reach in their lifetime. If they only knew life is boring and hell for the rich and the poor alike. We just get more toys to play with.

At the lower right hand corner is a baby photo of my Father when he was just a year old, wearing some ridiculous sailor outfit and knee high socks. The caption tells me it was the official photo released by the family of the first Malfoy heir born to my grandparents. The beginning of the article runs through our family history that dates back centuries, how we've always come from money, but our fortune really grew during the late 1800's. I skipped most of the first page because I already knew most of the things in it, but I started reading again when I got to my Great Grandfather's involvement with a boy named Tom Riddle. Whether Abarax Malfoy knew that boy was going to become the Dark Lord, I can't say, but he followed him blindly and funded most of his bribes and functions when he started the first war.

He was also bi-polar and suffered from dramatic mood swings. One which led to my Grandfather's brother, Claudius', death, sending my great grandfather to a mental institution for four years for the accidental shaking death of his youngest son during a fit of undiagnosed sickness. I never knew that story and, to be honest, it gave me a sick feeling in the pit of my stomach. It was bad enough knowing my own father's horror stories but it really makes you think twice when the crazy seems to be hereditary. He was busted out early, like most Malfoy's are, when the Dark Lord took control of the Dementors that guarded Azkaban and other federal buildings during the first war's take over.

Then the article started talking about inbreeding and how most pureblooded families suffered from mental and physical health problems because of genetic imperfections that never get weeded out.

I skip those paragraphs too. I don't need to think about my future children having six toes or a hair lip because a cousin of a cousin got married to a cousin back in the day.

I skip a few more pages until I see a photo of my father. It's obviously a paparazzi shot because he's walking into Malfoy Enterprises with out bothering to look at the camera. He's wearing his winter cloak and his leather gloved hand is clutching his brief case in barely veiled frustration. An expression he usually had after Cassius died and the press followed him around, wanting to know how he felt. Ask a few reporters that my Dad cursed out of frustration… I'm sure they have an idea how he bloody felt after losing his son. They write about his shadowed past and about his time as minister, how it was clouded with controversy. Another picture is one of my Mother in a yellow cardigan and a flower patterned dress, smiling at my father as he gave one of his speeches when he was campaigning for the Wizengamot.

It was a real smile… not a fake one she usually had at those types of things and I figured Dad must have winked at her when it was taken. That's something he always does at big functions when they're far away from each other because it calms her down. Even though my Mother is constantly being thrust into the spot light because of our last name and my Father's career decisions, she is still a shy person underneath it all.

I totally bypass the Cassius section, because it would make me sad and angry, and other confusing things that I'd rather not feel at the moment. I pause only to glance at a photo of my sun kissed brother standing in a sandy desert with a smile on his face as he holds up some kind of artifact that he found. It was when he was in Egypt, studying the pyramids and other stupid things during college.

"Oh, disgusting!" I look to Evelyn as she spits the rest of my coffee back into the cup. I guess I'm finished with that now. "How do you drink that stuff!?"

"I'm going to go take a nap," I tell her. I take the magazine with me as I leave the room.

"Hey, Gavin," she snaps as I walk through the doorway. "Stop, I don't want to be alone!"

I ignore her as I jog up the long fucking stairway towards the second floor and then I take the split stairs on the right to the third floor so I can get to my bed room. The old place is just as I had left it because my parents have so many rooms there really is no need to change them for something else. I heel out of my shoes when I reach my old bedroom and I fall down on my bed, flipping through the bloody magazine like a woman until I spot a picture of me.

I'm coming out a pub late at night with some dark haired witch by my side, drunk and laughing as she holds my hand. The article at least commends me for working at my father's company instead of just mooching off of the family's money the rest of my life. I really didn't have a choice, to be honest. Mom and Dad give me an ultimatum when I graduated from Hogwarts. Either I go to college to get a good job, or I work at my Father's business… I wouldn't have been able to touch my trust fund unless I had a job of my own or if I was in school working towards a degree to help me get a job. My decision was obvious, I thought.

The rest of the article wasn't so nice.

It mainly focused on me going out and partying late at night… even with a pregnant fiancée. I rub my forehead as I see a photo of myself next to some professional singer named Wendy Westwick who had her hand on my thigh. We were at an after party for a record release sometime last fall. I hate music industry parties because there are always hard drugs and desperate people there, but I just happened to go to that one because I needed to be reminded why I hated it, I guess. New money went to parties like this one, where famous people hung around and talked about how great they were and rich people talked about their bank accounts. My Father told me that a Malfoy has more class then that and we should avoid new money and empty fame because it was tactless. Of course, when this photo originally came out in the papers, hinting towards a relationship, Addison was so upset with me she wouldn't talk to me for a week.

The whole fucking section on me was about me stepping out and partying while I had a girlfriend at home who never came with me. It makes me think of Addison and what she said about cheating… even though I never cheated on her, it seems like I'm the only one who thinks so. I tiredly rub my eyes again and throw the magazine on the floor, unable to read it anymore. I'm tired. I want to go to sleep, but there is no way in hell I can get comfortable enough to actually do it.

I scowl into the pillow and then the scratches from my back burn against my shirt so I hurry to take it off. I sit on the edge of the bed, unbuttoning it half way down my chest and then pulling it over my head in impatience, throwing it across the room like touching it any longer than I needed to would contaminate me somehow. I walk over to the mirror along the far wall and I look at my body, tilting my neck from side to side to see the bite marks and looking at my arms and my back to see the trail of red scratches on my pale skin. I narrow my eyes before taking out my wand and healing my body until I look normal and unblemished again.

"Bloody harpy," I mutter as I remember Pansy White and my disgusting rash decision from last night. I better get those bloody Daily Prophet papers today.

I find myself staring at my reflection in the mirror for a very long time, seeing nothing and hearing nothing until I decide I can't stay at the Manor anymore. I want someone to talk to. I want someone to confide in but the two people I would talk to are indisposed to me now. I refuse to talk to Addison and Cassius is… whatever the hell he is right now… I don't have many friends. Well, I don't have many _close_friends. One thing you learn early as a Slytherin boy is that you can't show weakness or you'll lose your alpha male status. I don't want that gone but I don't want to stay here by myself. Evelyn is too young and my parents are too wrapped up in Cassius to care about me so I look down at the open magazine on the floor to see the photo of my Grandmother and Grandfather again.

What would Lucius do?

I think I know someone who could tell me.

Lucius' portraits in the Manor never speak… the only two that do are Grandmother's portrait in the ballet room and a random painting in the foyer of my great grand uncle named Cleotis Malfoy who constantly talks about how much he hates cats. It's never fun to talk to a painting. I've found that they're much too eager for conversation for my tastes. I glance at the bedside table where I had placed that camera my mother had given me at the beach that one afternoon. I think of the two pictures there on the film inside and I narrow my eyes while looking at the door.

I make up my mind in two seconds and when I'm sure of my decision I barrel out of my room and down the stairs, jumping two at a time in my haste to leave the Manor while tugging on a gray shirt I had grabbed from my closet. I leave through the front door and when I reach the Apparation point I lift my wand and pop away, landing squaring in front of a large white house with glass double doors and a statue of a stupid looking dragon protecting the porch. I pocket my wand and knock, my knuckles banging against the glass so harshly that they begin to ache.

Two seconds later a pissed off Theo Nott answers the door, tying a bathrobe around his body and cussing under his breath. He glares when he sees me like I just ruined his day.

"What the fuck, Malfoy?" he says gruffly as he opens the door.

"I need to talk," I tell him. He's older than me and I kind of look at him as a mentor figure even though he's not that responsible or that good of a role model. Alright, so he's the only old guy I know outside of my father who could help me out.

He looks me over and then he steps aside so I can come in after deciding that it must be serious. I push past him and when we reach the main sitting room, decorated in an unfortunate art deco style with teal colors, I sit down heavily on the chair and slouch down with my hand resting against my face.

"What did you want to talk about?" he asks carefully, taking a seat across from me, making sure that his bathrobe is covering his body. I suspect he might be naked under there… I wonder if he has a girl upstairs.

"My dead brother came back to life, I fucked Pansy White, and my fiancée cheated on me making me question the paternity of the baby she's growing."

There's a long pause where Theo just stares at me and then he lets out a long sigh. "That's a lot to take in," he says, standing up and walking over to a glass cabinet along the wall. I agree with him as he takes out two crystal glasses and fills them halfway with some kind of alcohol. "When did all this happen?"

"Oh, yesterday," I say, realizing that yesterday was a pretty fucked up day for me. I lean my head back against the white cushions and close my eyes.

He walks back and hands me the glass which I accept readily because alcohol always seems to make things better even when it's twelve o'clock in the afternoon.

"Well, start from the beginning then," he says tiredly and I dive into my story, stating every painful horrifying detail of my fucked up day that had sufficiently crushed me a few times over. When I'm finished with my tale I sit back and he raises his eyebrows. "That's horrible, Gavin. What do you want me to say?"

That's irritating. "What would my grandfather have done in this situation?" I ask because the man seemed strong… demented, but strong.

"Lucius Malfoy would never have been in this situation," he says seriously and I scowl. It seems like he was saying that Lucius was a better, stronger, smarter, man than I would ever be. He looks me over again as I debate leaving him here because he's no help what so ever. Then he sits forward on his chair with his elbows on his knees and his eyes shining. "You know, when you first knocked on the door, I thought you were an agent from the Ministry."

"Why did you think that?" I snap, still upset that he's not very fucking comforting me like I bloody expected. I guess I thought he would be because he reminds me of my father sometimes. They're the same age, they used to be friends, they're both intelligent and they're confident, but this man isn't my Dad and he doesn't love me the way my father does. Coming here was a mistake.

"All registered Death Eater's were supposed to sign a documented oath promising not to join the new Purist Party that's rising underground. If we don't sign it we could go to Azkaban and if we do, and break the oath, we get cursed and have to go to Azkaban anyways. You're father probably has to do it too."

"Did you sign the paper?" I ask, just to carry on the conversation until he gets to his point.

"No, I think it's an infringement on our rights. The government should have no say on what political affiliations we decide to align ourselves with."

This is taking my mind off of my fucked up life so I carry on the topic, hoping it will loop around to me again so I can find some peace. "What about the unregistered Death Eaters?" It would be naïve to think that all of them were caught, charged, and tagged.

"They're lucky," he says with a smile. "What do you believe? I know your father's party is conservative, but they seem to be getting more moderate, don't you think?" he asks as he crosses his arms. "What do you believe in?"

I'm too tired to have a political discussion with him now. "I don't believe in anything," I say softly. As sad as that is… it's mostly true.

"Well, I think as a pureblooded son you should want to preserve our wizarding culture."

"I wasn't aware it was under threat," I say, kind of annoyed that we've gotten so off topic from me. I'm very self centered so this just pisses me off.

"Oh, it is, Gavin." He says seriously. "I know the Dark Lord went about it the wrong way. He had different motives and I was never cruel… nor did I believe in the killings, but I do believe that we need to protect ourselves."

I rub my forehead. "Yeah?" I say, not really caring.

"Yes," he says solidly so I'll look at him. "If we let enough diluted bloods and their muggle families come into our society than we'll lose our magic forever."

"I don't know if that's true," I say tiredly. I know Theo was basically one of Dark Lord's PR men… I don't need a pitch right now.

"It is," he says with more zeal, obviously liking this topic. We've been meeting together for years but we've never breached the discussion of blood status and all that because I never fucking cared about it. But I guess he sees an opportunity. "Muggles can't do magic and everything that's magical dies around them… just imagine, all those mudbloods are messing up our magical balance with their dirty blood."

I stare at him and blink a few times. What the hell is he talking about? He didn't even ask me how my brother came back from the dead. That seems like a pretty important question to ask, even if it's just out of curiosity.

"We're not even half as powerful as we used to be," he says seriously with that fire in his eyes. "Muggles out number us ten to one, but we have our own places of concentrated magic that's starting to die because of halfbloods, mudbloods, and their filthy parents. We have a messed up system, Gavin. If I went into the heart of muggle London and did a simple spell I would get my wand snapped in half, but all those bloody muggles and their spawn can just waltz into Diagon Alley whenever they please and no one cares. It isn't fair."

"I guess not," I say as I take a drink from my glass. It's strong and it burns my throat. There's nothing quite like a Firewhisky in the afternoon.

"You should come to our next meeting," he says as he takes a piece of discarded paper off of the table beside his chair. "I think you would like it."

"Doubtful," I tell him honestly, but I accept the flyer he hands me anyways. With out reading it I stuff it into my pocket.

"You asked me what your Grandfather would have done," he says seriously. "Lucius would have gone to this meeting and took over. Let your life have some meaning… have something to fight for, Gavin."

I look down. I have nothing to fight for anymore I guess, but I'm too tired to care. "I need to go home. Thanks for the advice," I tell him sarcastically as I stand up. "I'll see you later."

That was a bloody waste of time. "Just think about it," he says as he stands as well, walking towards the front door. "We meet on Saturdays. Just think, your brother is back because of magic… you don't want that to go away."

I look at him and then leave with out another word. Everybody disappoints me. I stand on his front porch for a few moments, thinking it unfair that the sky is so clear and the sun is so sunny today of all days. The sun just pisses me off anyways. I pull the lime green flyer from my pocket and quickly skim the cover as I stall myself from going home.

_The Political Party of Purists for the Preservation of Pureblood kind_.

"Clever," I mutter before scrunching it up and throwing it behind me as I walk away.

_**Evelyn **_

"Jeremiah!"

I run over to him as he stands in the fireplace covered in soot and looking nervous.

"Are you mad?" I ask. My surprise at seeing him is making my voice sound shrill and annoying so I try to tone it down. "What are you doing here?" I whisper as I pull him out of the grate and unto the polished floor, looking around to make sure Gavin isn't nearby to see him.

"Well," he says as he wrings the bottom of his stripped shirt with his thin fingers. "Well, you said you were coming over and you never did and I got worried." He finally looks into my eyes and then his face changes, becoming much more serious. "What's wrong?"

"Oh, Jay," I say as I think about my morning. "You will never believe it."

"What happened?" he asks seriously, turning his body towards mine to give me his full attention. Nero nips at his fingers and poor Jeremiah jumps and twitches his hand away while giving me an alarmed look like the little Dalmatian puppy was a savage beast as opposed to a little baby doggie. "Is that yours?"

"Daddy got him for me," I tell him as I pull him towards the couch and I push his shoulders so he'll sit down. When he thumps on the couch I put my hands on my hips. "I never came last night because something strange and magnificent happened," I say as I walk over to the door and I peek my head out to make sure no one is there. If Dad ever knew Jeremiah came over without permission and without supervision I would probably be banned from seeing him ever again. Even though Gavin is the only one home right now… he's more like Dad than he'd care to admit and I don't want to test that.

"If it's magnificent, why does it look like you've been crying?" he asks as I take a seat beside him once I'm sure we're safe.

"Cassius is in the hospital right now, he might be okay!" I nearly squeal at saying it out loud and Jeremiah has no idea what to say so I tell him all that I know, all about Lavinia and Byron, and all about the cemetery. I exclude the part about me crying at St. Mungo's because he didn't need to know that particular detail.

"Whoa," he says when I'm finished with my tale. "That's… that's confusing."

"You're telling me," I say with a nod of my head. It's so confusing and so different that it doesn't even seem real to me right now. But it has to be because that would be grand!

"So, what does that mean?" I shrug and glance at his attire. He's wearing a green and blue stripped polo shirt and a pair of orange shorts that have more zippers and pockets on them then any decent pair of clothing should. I turn away and smile, resisting the urge to shake my head at his silliness. My poor fashionably challenged Jeremiah. "Are you just waiting then, for your parents to come home?"

"Yeah, that's about all I can do. Isn't it wild, though?"

"Yeah," he says heavily as he looks away and nods his head. "Yeah."

I look over his face that's partially covered with black soot as he glances at me from the corner of his eyes. "First things first," I say, trying to organize the conversation I want to have with him. Since he's here I might as well get out with it. "Do you love me?"

His large blue eyes widen and he looks horrified, obviously he wasn't expecting that change of direction in the conversation. "What?"

"Well, do you love me?"

"You're my best mate," he says uncomfortably.

I furrow my brows as I think about what Xavier told me. About how I was blind about Jeremiah and the way he looked at me.

"But do you love me?"

"I'm fourteen," he says tightly as he shifts his shoulders a few times telling me he's nervous. "You… you just, like… you, like... I love you, but not… you're just like one of the guys." He laughs nervously and he punches my arm to get that 'one of the guys' point across.

"One of the guys?" I repeat as I rub my arm because he hit harder than I think he should have. I have no idea why I feel a little dejected that he said that. "One of the guys," I say softly to myself and then I look at him and force a smile. "Yeah, I see you as one of the girls," I tell him as I punch his arm, harder than he did to me and he flinches while falling back on the couch.

"Yeah," he says as he winces and rubs his arm as well.

"Yeah…" I repeat as I look away.

"Er… why did you ask that?" he asks as he itches the back of his neck, sitting up and trying not to flinch when he touches his arm again. No doubt he'll bruise, the poor thing. "Why… I mean…" he trails off and I immediately regret bringing it up because things feel awkward and the air seems heavy and dense. I hate that feeling.

"Well, it's just nothing," I say with a sigh and I sit back against the cushions, realizing how very tired I am. "I think I'm going to ask Xavier out on a date," I muse out loud because he obviously wouldn't care since I'm 'one of the guys.' "We kissed, you know. I believe I like him very much."

"But…" there's along pause and I raise an eyebrow at my soot covered best friend because he looks like he just swallowed a lemon. "But he's always so mean to you."

"Not always," I say with a yawn as I curl into a ball on the couch with my head by Jeremiah's lap.

Nero barks and Jay glares at him before looking back at me.

"He said your hair was the color of sick cat pee."

I frown when I remember that but then I brush it off with a shrug. "I think he's just misunderstood."

"I think he's a jerk." He says crossly, pushing coarse curls out of his face.

"We should all go out on a double date to a roller disco," I say with a yawn. "You and whatsherface and me and Xavi… I think it could be fun," I tell him as my eyes droop shut. "I read about it, you know. They just opened one in London."

"It doesn't sound like fun," he states bitterly. "Why do you all of a sudden like him?" he asks pointedly. "You said, and I quote, 'I shall loath that evil French toad for the duration of my life until I die where I will hate him with my last breath.'"

"Hm…" I say softly as I nod off to sleep, pulling myself back out because I don't want to be rude to my Jeremiah even though he is being quite chilly with me at the moment. "I suppose I did say that. He's not so terrible anymore, though." I smile sleepily. "I will be so happy if Cass comes home," I say with a yawn, going back to the thought that's most important to me now. "I believe I loved him best," I say and then I smile at the confession, not totally sure if that's true or not.

"I hope so too," Jeremiah says warmly and I smirk when I feel him push some curls away from my face. I suppose he's not so sour now. "He wasn't as frightening as your Dad or Gavin. He was the most approachable of your siblings."

I snort and bring my hands up to tuck under my chin. "He is very nice," I say, happy that I don't have to use the past tense anymore, god willing. "People don't expect that, you know?" I say and Jeremiah makes an agreeable grunting sound. "Because he's the oldest and he looks so much like Dad people expect him to be ruthless and sly… but he's not at all. He's very open and honest and kind."

"Yeah," Jeremiah replies, saying that because I'm sure he has nothing else to say that's constructive.

"Did I tell you about that one time I broke my ankle?"

"Yes, you did."

"Well, did I tell you that it was Cassius who found me? I could have been out there all night and no one would have found me."

"I've heard that story before…" he says softly. "A few times," he adds and I sigh.

"Oh," is all I say as I clench my eyes shut against the sun shining in through the windows.

That was probably one of the most frightening times of my life. I was eight and terribly stubborn when I didn't get my way. I can still be that way, I suppose, but when I was younger it was pretty bad. I wanted to stay outside and play, but Mom called me in and made me take a bath and go to bed because it was getting late. Of course, I threw a fit that could end the world until my father stepped in and used that sharp voice that always makes me obey. I stomped to my room that night and refused to say goodnight to anyone as I went to bed with a furious feeling settling on my heart.

I didn't sleep. I was too upset to do such a thing and when I was sure everyone was asleep I decided to sneak outside and continue playing. I snuck out barefoot, still in my night gown, without any fear of the dark as I ran through the garden towards my play house. I didn't even realize how creepy the Manor was in the dead of night until I started to climb the tree house's ladder to get to my pink house that was placed up there the year before for my birthday. It was my young minds way to defy my parents by playing even after they told me to stop, but the wind picked up and my foot slipped.

I tried to hold on, I really did, but I screamed when I feel. It wasn't even that far up because my Mom and Dad refused to put it any higher than where it was, but I did land on my ankle in a strange, twisted way and when I heard it snap I just knew something was wrong. I didn't even feel it at first as I laid in the dark on the grass, surrounded by the flowers of the garden. Intense pain like that doesn't come until later and I tried to stand up, only to crumple back down to the ground in a weak heap. It was dark outside, but my eyes had adjusted to it, so I could see the vague outlines of things around me. I ran my hands over my bare legs and my ankles, immediately feeling the deformed bump that was already forming there.

Then it started hurting.

Then I cried.

Suddenly, I was all too aware of the darkness and the creepy noises that were surrounding me as I called for the house-elves, but none came. I called for my Mom and my Dad… I called for just about everyone, but no one heard me. I tried to crawl, but I just felt so terrible that I couldn't make it and the pain was unlike anything I had ever felt before so I slumped back against the grass and closed my eyes. Trying to pretend like I was inside, in-between my parents as they slept in their bed, where it was safe and warm. I figured then that I was just going to die there because no one was ever going to find me. As silly as that thought was, I believed it.

While I was accepting the fact that I was doomed to die outside in the garden by myself, I heard footsteps and I saw a light coming towards me from the end of a wand. At first glance I thought it was my Dad and I nearly stood up to fun over to him if my ankle would have allowed it.

"Daddy," I had said, somewhere in between a sigh and a whine. "I fell."

"What were you doing out here?" I recognized Cassius voice right away and I sat up when he approached me, looking concerned and pale with his wand held out in front of him lit with a lumos spell. "Are you alright?" he asked as he bent down at my side, taking me in.

I thought one of my parents would have found me out of intuition, so the fact that Cass was the one who did confused me. "How did you know I was here?" I asked and my voice sounded horse from yelling and crying.

He tucked his wand behind his ear as he felt along my leg, wincing when he saw the knot forming on my ankle. "I have my window open and I heard you yelling," he said as he ran gentle fingers over my broken bone. I whimpered so he stopped. "I thought it was a hurt cat or something," he says and I realize he wouldn't have been able to distinguish anything I said because I was so hysterical and the garden is a good deal away from the main house. "I think this is broken. I'm going to go get Mom."

He went to stand up but I gripped his shirt and pulled him back down. "Don't leave me alone. I hate it," I stated. Even though I went out by myself, that was mostly in anger and revenge… I didn't even think of it.

"I do to," he said and then he gave me a lopsided smile. "I guess I'll just have to carry you, then."

I smiled when he scooped me up, carrying me like a baby back into the house. "Don't tell Mom or Daddy," I said to his chest as he carried me through the back entrance with one arm under my knees and the other supporting my back. "I don't want them to be mad at me."

"Why were you out there? What happened?" he asked softly as he walked into the Manor. What I liked about Cassius was that he looked and sounded like Dad, so he made me feel safe, but he acted and smiled like Mom, which made me feel comforted. He was like the best of both of them.

"I just wanted to play some more," I admitted, which earned me a stern glare from my seventeen year old brother. "It got windy and I slipped from the ladder," I explained.

"You're lucky you didn't break your neck," he told me seriously and I became confused when he walked me into the kitchen. "The potions are in here," he said to answer my questioning gaze. "I haven't mastered any bone healing spells yet," he said as he went over to a large locked oak cabinet along the wall. He unlocked it with his wand and sorted through the labels before taking out a honey yellow bottle. "Two spoonfuls," he muttered as he unscrewed the lid and took a spoon out of the drawer.

I watched him from my spot, sitting on top of the island as he measured out the correct dose and fed it to me like I was a little child. I felt my ankle tingling, not quite healing but getting there, as I digested the potion into my body. It wasn't steady enough to walk on just yet so Cass carried me up to my bedroom to lay me down. I remember thinking how strong he was because his arms never strained, nor did he complain about having to carry me because at, eight years old I was past the point of being held and carried like that.

"Please don't tell them, Cass," I stated as he tucked me into bed. "They really will be angry."

"Never do it again and I won't," he said as he made sure the covers were up to my shoulders and that the pillow was straight behind my head.

"Thank you," I told him, leaning up to kiss his cheek as he bent down to retrieve a twig that had gotten tangled in my hair. "I love you so very much."

A small smile broke his face as he looked down at me. "Go to sleep now, Evie," he said in a deep voice. "And stay in your bed, you silly girl. You're lucky I heard you or you would have been out there all night."

I nodded my head, knowing it was true and my eyes watered again. "Will you stay in here with me?" He didn't want to, I could tell by his facial expression. Judging by his messy hair, and the shorts and t-shirt he was wearing, I knew I had woken him up. "Just until I go to sleep," I whispered, remembering how menacing the trees looked when I was laying hopeless in the garden. "Please?" I asked, blinking my eyes and trying to work my adorable charm on him.

He sighed and looked away, letting the lumos from his wand dim. "Alright, then," he said and I smiled, resisting the urge to clap my hands. "Scoot over," he said and I did as he asked and scooted to give him more room. He put his wand on my bed side table, turning the lumos spell off before folding his hands behind his head. He was laying on top of the covers with and he stared up at the ceiling as I got comfortable on my side of the bed. I turned on my side, letting my body face his as my ankle healed and I began to feel warm and safe in my own bed again.

I fell asleep to his deep breathing and when I woke up in the morning he was gone. He never told our parents about that night and my ankle healed beautifully.

I smile when I feel Jeremiah move my head to his lap and he lets his hand rest on my shoulder. I take it off and kiss his palm before handing it back to him. That depression that was with me at St. Mungo's seems to be gone and I'm just excited that my brother may come home.

"Today might be great," I whisper before falling asleep, with Jeremiah's hand touching my hair, curling and twirling the strands around his fingers.

When I wake up a few hours later, I'm completely laying on top of Jeremiah with his body stretched out under mine. I lift my head from his chest and squint against the light as he snores and I yawn. I have to wonder how we ended up in this position, but I suppose I don't mind. I've always been a skinny girl, but Jeremiah is impossibly skinny as well and I rarely feel dainty around him. It's good to know I won't crush him to death while lying on top of his frame. I smile at him and his sleepiness as I carefully crawl off of him and stretch my stiff body. Since neither of us is dead, I can assume that no one came home while we slept. I pick up a throw blanket and cover Jeremiah with it so he'll stay warm and I tuck his long limbs under the cover so he's not sprawled out all over the place.

He turns his head and mummers to himself before falling back into a deep sleep and I push some sandy colored hair away from his face before kissing his cheek and standing up straight. This is when it's good to have a boy as a best mate. Girls aren't half as fun to cuddle with. I watch him as I leave the room, making sure he doesn't wake up and when I reach the hallway I turn towards the stairs and head up, still half asleep myself as I turn towards the attic.

I walk blindly, not really sure why I'm heading this way, but just feeling like I should. I didn't truly realized how much I had missed Cassius until now, and I want to remember him again before he officially comes home. Most of the photo's that were around here that Cass was in, Daddy had taken down because he couldn't stand seeing them so I make my way towards the attic with light footsteps and tired eyes. I feel a pull to be there and when I finally reach the musty air of the large attic room my eyes immediately go towards the far wall, where a cluster of wooden chests are resting. I go over to them and kneel in front of the chest that has Cass' name on it and I pop open the lid. Sorting through pictures of my brother, I find a smile on my face because it feels different this time.

To be honest, I think I almost forgot what he looked like because every time I tried to focus on him before, it just turned fuzzy in my mind and I couldn't even remember the exact shade of gray of his eyes. I'm no longer sad looking at his things or seeing pictures of him. I feel hope and that is such a wonderful and addicting feeling that I can't contain my smile.

As I look warmly down at a picture of Cassius when he was a boy, I spot a shiny object by my left foot. I look down and see a tiara with pearls dangling from the silver frame. I remember this from the last time I was up here and I look behind me as I place the photos back in the chest to find the white box with the beautiful white dress. Mom had said it had belonged so some wicked aunt of my father's, but I don't care who it belongs to because I think it's pretty. Maybe I could shorten the hem and cut off the sleeves to make a nice dress to wear for when Cassius officially comes home. I bet my parents will throw a ball for it because they are forever throwing balls for every little thing. I go to the box and open the lid, taking the beautiful gown from the tissue lining and walking over to the uncovered mirror against the wall. I put the dress up to my body and check myself out in different angles to see how it will look, and imaging myself laughing and dancing with my lost brother who I will finally see again.

It seems silly, with all that's going on right now… with Cass in the hospital and Jeremiah asleep downstairs, but I just really want to wear this lovely dress. I carefully strip out of my clothes, letting them land in a thud beside me and I slip on the dress with its lace, satin, and long sleeves. It's too long for me, but it actually fits around the waist and bust, telling me that wicked woman my Mom was so upset about was just as tiny as I am now.

If I shortened the hem and cut off the sleeves I think it could be a pretty good dress for me. I'd have to clean it of course… but that won't be too difficult. I imagine all the different ways to make the dress better as I tie the green sash that's under my breasts… or lack there of. To finish off the look I put the tiara on my head while I stand in front of the mirror and turn around to check the back. I wonder who Bellatrix Black was and why my mother hates her so.

"Pretty," I say out loud to myself and I turn away from the mirror to try to find some matching shoes.

"You do look lovely."

I turn back at the mirror in surprise to see my reflection, only it's not my reflection at all. The black haired woman with dark eyes is wearing the same dress and tiara I am and when she sees me her face falls.

"Who the hell are you?"

I raise my eyebrows in surprise because I had never talked to a mirror before and I couldn't imagine one so rude. "Are you a ghost?" I ask as I walk closer to get a better look at the beautiful woman in the mirror who's wearing my dress.

"No, I'm not a bloody ghost, you moron." I sniff and cross my arms because of the way she's treating me. I don't even think she's real for goodness sakes. "Why are you wearing that dress? It isn't yours, so take it off!"

"Are you a Flint?" I ask as I take her in, not responding to her craziness. All the Flints have black coal hair and beautiful eyes like the young woman in front of me, but apparently that question was distasteful because the woman scowls.

"No, I am not related to those wart infested bridge trolls who call themselves purebloods. I want to know who you are and why you are in that dress!"

I just stare at the weird reflection until said reflection raises an eyebrow and crosses its arms. "Who are you?" I ask back as I match her stance. "This is my house. What kind of spell is this?" I ask as I step closer and tap the mirror with my finger.

She sneers. "I asked you first."

"I'm real and you're not," I counter back as I tap her face again with my fingernail.

She scowls and then her glare becomes cold and appraising. "You kind of look like Cissa," she says after her eyes look me over.

"Cissa?" I say in confusion as I mess with the drooping lace sleeves of the dress. Magic is a magnificent thing, so things like this never really creep me out. I just find it interesting. "Who is Cissa?"

"Who is your mother?"

I frown because we seem to be going around in circles… maybe I should go back down stairs. "Ginevra Malfoy, of course," I say arrogantly as she tilts her nose up at the name.

"I've never heard of her… did she marry into the Malfoy name?" she asks snootily and I sigh. This is getting boring. I do terribly hate boring things.

"Yes, my daddy is Draco Malfoy," I say because people usually know who he is.

Her smile lights up. "Ah, now, him I know. So, Cissa's little boy is all grown up? You know, Bella was always very envious of the fact that her little sister was married to such a powerful man before she was."

"Cissa," I repeat again. "Oh, Narcissa… you're talking about my Grandmother…"

"Indeed," she says with a snap, like I was stupid. "I've never seen a Malfoy with that shade of hair before," she says, eyeing my curls distastefully. "What was your mother? A Macnair perhaps?"

"Er, no, my mother was… is… a Weasley."

"Oh, well," she looks disgusted again and I'm insulted. What a funny thing, to be insulted by a mirror. "That is something, isn't it? Is little Draco a blood traitor now? That would just be terrible! Why, Lucius would just die, wouldn't he?"

"He already did," I say, and then I remember the name on the box. "Are you Bellatrix then?"

"Yes and no," she says as she waves me off. "That dress has a reflective compliment charm on it and here I am. Wasn't she beautiful?" she asks with a proud smile as she twirls around to show me the dress that I'm wearing, only on her it looks like a perfect fit. I can't decide how old I think this reflection is… maybe mid twenties… "Of course, I was only supposed to be for Bella, but since you were rude enough to wear her dress without asking, here I am. She would probably tear you to bits for doing this, by the way. Where is she now?"

"I think she's dead too," I say seriously, trying to sound sympathetic because I wouldn't know how to handle a mirror crying. "She's been gone for a while now."

"And Cissa?"

"My grandmother is dead as well," I tell her with a frown. "Sorry," I add because I think it would be polite. To be honest, I don't know the proper etiquette for a mirror, but I can try.

"So, you are Draconis' daughter, hm?" she says after a few moments pause. I nod my head because I already told her that minor detail. "Yes, I can see it, turn around then." I spin around, feeling quite silly. "Yes, you have a Black woman's body. All three of the Black sisters were thin, tall, and beautiful. How old are you?"

I answer her with an impatient voice because now I feel like I'm wasting my time. What if Cassius is awake now and I'm too busy talking to this fuddy old mirror to know? "I should get going now," I tell her as I start to take the pearl tiara off. "It was nice… seeing you or whatever."

"Oh, don't go yet. I haven't spoken to someone in such a terribly long time."

"That's because you're a spell," I tell her bluntly. "I could get my Mom to counter you so you can be done."

"Your mother is a Weasley. I'm surprised she's not a squib," she sneers and I narrow my eyes.

"For your information, my mother is the greatest witch in all of England," I say even though that's probably not true, I still need to say it. She merely lifts and eyebrow and then her face changes to something more approachable.

"Maybe you're right. Why were you up here in the first place?" she asks as she looks around the room I'm standing in. I can tell a Slytherin 'change the subject' tactic when I see one, but I won't call her… it… out on it. "I'm a very good listener." She says eagerly as she sits down on the floor and puts her elbow on her knees. "I use to listen to Bella all the time."

"You mean this Bella woman would just put on this old dress just to talk to you whenever she felt like it?"

She nods her head. "She hated her husband, you see, and she was desperately in love with someone else…. It was very exciting and I gave her a needed boost here and there."

"That was good of you," I tell blandly and she smiles.

"What's your name?"

"Evelyn," I say honestly and her eyes light up.

"What's your story, Evelyn?"

Perhaps it would be nice to have a friend that won't confuse me with feelings. I mean, Jeremiah is just grand, but he is a little daft sometimes when it comes to emotions and the other girls I'm friends with I wouldn't trust enough to spill my secrets to. This is like a built in friend… how cool. I doubt many other people have their very own dress wearing friend charm.

I smile before sitting on the floor in front of her and telling the whole story about Cassius being dead and then coming back to life. The whole time she watches me with rapt attention as I speak, with her head in her hands and her lips graced with a barely there smile like an amused cat. When I'm finished and the girl knows everything there is to know about the Cassius story, she leans forward, so far I think she may go through the mirror, but she doesn't.

"I've only known one wizard who came back from the dead," she says seriously and then her smile becomes dark and twisted. "Oh, yes, I know all about him."

"Who?" I ask, clueless. I am usually in the loop but the past few days I just feel like a total airhead.

She looks down at the dress she's wearing, the same dress I'm wearing, before turning back to me with that wicked smile.

"Would you like me to tell you about him?"

"Yes—" I start, but I get cut off by a house-elf's voice.

"Miss Evie," the elf squeaks and I sigh in annoyance before turning around and facing the pitiful creature. "The Mr. Jeremiah is up and wanting to know where you are," the old creature states and I nod my head.

"Oh, yes, tell him I will be down in a second." I say. I stand up and I turn back to the mirror. "Sorry, but I have to go," I say to her disgruntled look.

I start to remove the dress as she watches me with glacier eyes. "You should come back and speak to me again," she says calmly but even I can hear the desperation in her voice. "I have a lot of interesting things to say."

When the dress is off, she's gone, and I quickly get dressed again. I don't spare the charmed dress a second thought as I go bounding down the stairs to meet Jeremiah.

I'm tempted to make a welcome home sign for my brother, but I refrain as I sit beside Jeremiah and wait for news from my family.

What a wonderful and amazing day this is turning out to be.

_**Lavinia**_

I can feel him staring at me. I try to hold on to sleep a little longer with my eyes closed and my hands tucked under my cheek, but when I feel his soft fingers brush hair away from my face, I smile.

"Have you counted each freckle yet?" I ask tiredly, keeping my eyes closed but knowing Byron will be right there when I open them. I've never actually seen him sleep besides that one time when I jumped his bones at the Potter's house. Usually I wake up to him working… or staring at me… which would be creepy if I didn't like him so much.

"That would be like counting the stars," he says in his deep voice and when I crack my eyes open I see a little smile on his face. He's lying on his side, facing me and matching my position with his hands under his pillow. We're both still fully clothed in the outfits from St. Mungos. Everything is still on but our shoes. "You have so many," he says and his eyes soften as he takes me in.

I smile and turn on my back to stretch my arms above my head and yawn. When Dad told us all to go home, I wasn't sure what to do with myself until Byron asked me to go home with him. Of course, I followed him, thinking we were going back to Bailey's… but we ended up going back to the decrepit flat that he used to share with Cassius. There was a notice on the door and he said it was because he needed to pay his rent which made me feel weird as we went inside. It was just as terrible as I remembered, only Cass' room is empty now, leaving it bare with just a bed frame and empty closet. The house elves must have cleaned it out and it made me wonder what would happen now if Cassius came back.

What a weird and wonderful thought.

"You would have a hell of time with Gavin and my Mother," I say with a yawn as I run my fingers against the navy blue cotton sheets of Byron's small bed. There's barely enough room for two adults on this twin size mattress, but we're making it work. "They have more freckles than I do."

I just have some light spots dusted across the bridge of my nose and cheeks and a few scattered along my shoulders. It's nothing in comparison to my mother and brother.

"I bet, but I wouldn't care to try," he says softly. "I find yours fascinating."

"Have we heard from my parents yet?" I ask as I turn back to him and give him a tired smile.

He shakes his head and lets his hand brush against mine. "Not yet."

A thought strikes me and I sit up straight. "Oh, Byron, what about that Paige woman?" I ask because she was in the same boat as Cassius. What if her window was closing and no one helped her? How terrible.

"Bailey's on it," he says tiredly, not sounding as panicked as I am. "I got a letter while you were sleeping. She was still unconscious."

"Did he give her the potion?"

"Yes."

"How did he get the flower?" I ask because we had to go to a bloody drug dealer. He shrugs and I frown before asking another question. "Did she wake up too?"

"He didn't say," he whispers as he pushes my shoulder down so I'll lay back.

I scoot closer to him so that or faces are only an inch or two away. Once I'm satisfied that the other woman might be taken care of I allow myself become comfortable again. "Are you happy now?" I ask softly as I bring a hand up to play with the hair by his ear, letting my fingers go to his skin so I can outline the contours of his handsome face. He's officially accomplished his goal. No one thinks Cassius is dead now and he's out of the tomb. Everyone believes him. "I know you were disappointed that he was already awake before we came… but your potion still helped him. Mom said it saved his life. Are you happy?"

"I will be," he says, equally as soft as he studies my face. He leans forward and kisses my cheek, causing my eyes to slide shut as he plants his body right against mine. "Do you believe in God?" He asks when he gently pulls back.

I open my eyes so I can look at him. "Which one?" I joke and he smiles. That wonderful barely there smile that melts my heart.

"Anyone."

"I don't know," I say with a shrug. I wasn't raised in a religious house and no one I knew really cared that much. The people who did seemed to believe different things anyways. "Do you?"

"No," he answers solidly and I raise my eyebrows. "I don't, but I know that we all have a soul. It has to go somewhere, right?"

"I suppose so." I say as he gets up on his elbow, propping his head up with his hand so he's above me. "Why do you ask?"

"Have you ever heard of a Horcrux?"

I furrow my brows as I bite my lip, trying to remember if I've ever heard that word before. "No… no, I don't think so. What is it?"

"It's very dark magic," he explains as his glowing blue eyes look into mine. "The Dark Lord used it to insure his survival… his immortality. A Horcrux is a magical object that holds a part of a soul. Voldemort did that, so even if his body was gone, a part of him would stay on earth, able to take over so he could never really die."

"How do you know that?" I ask as I stare at his strong jaw and the stubble on his face. He needs to shave.

"Harry told me," he says as he looks at the wall over my shoulder…the crackling beige wall that I'm afraid to touch because I'm afraid it will give me hepatitis or some other bad medical condition. "Knowledge is power, Lavinia," he tells me and I nod my head because of the intense way he's looking. "Voldemort wouldn't have been able to be half as powerful as he was if people knew about Horcrux's. Nobody wants to know about things like that until it hits them in the face."

"I didn't even know that was possible," I say honestly. The idea of a soul just seemed like such a fairy tale, not a real thing that could be contained or identified.

"To make one, you have to commit murder," he says and my eyes shoot to his. "Taking someone's life is the only act a human being can commit that could tear the soul apart."

"That's horrid," I say as I shake my head.

"I think…" he starts and I touch his arm so he'll continue. "I think that earring on the statue might be a Horcrux."

"How?" How, why, what, where, when? All of those are questions I want to ask right now, but I'm still too tired to focus.

He rubs his lips and then he places his hand on my waist, letting his fingers run up and down my curves as he thinks about what he wants to say. "It's just a theory, but it might be a very primitive version of one. That would explain why Cassius' body never decomposed and why he could come back. It's all very confusing," he says as his eyes shift to mine.

"You think a part of Cassius' soul went into that earring?" It sounds ridiculous. He nods his head tightly, like he wasn't sure. "But he didn't kill anyone," I say slowly. "You said you had to kill someone."

He's silent for a while as his fingers play over my hip and waist and arm. "No." He says but he doesn't say anything else so I let my eyes close because I'm still so very tired.

I lay on my back and try to let myself fall into a light sleep while his fingers work around my body, but I can still feel him staring at me, and when I feel him kiss me I smile against his lips.

"You know, you and I would probably be married with children by now."

Now, that makes my eyes open and I stare up at him. "What?" I say and it came out snappish and short because that was the last thing I expected to hear from him. Weren't we talking about souls and dark lords and stupid statues?

"If Voldemort would have remained in power, they probably would have brought back arranged pureblood marriages like they did during the first war." He says, bending down to kiss my neck. "Of course, you being a Malfoy girl would have placed you high on the wanted list for potential suitors."

"And you think you would have gotten me?" I ask as he situates himself on top of me and I part my legs so he can settle in-between them. This conversation is strange, but I'm trying not to show it because I like it when touches me like he is now.

"Probably not," he says as he sits up to pull his shirt off, throwing it on the floor before settling back on top of me. "My grandfather was a muggle on my mother's side, so that would have counted against me. But I would have worked my way up the Death Eater ladder until I could claim you."

"You think I would want to marry a ruthless Death Eater?" I ask, taking a pause to kiss his lips before pulling back.

He looks at me seriously as he unbuttons my jeans. The sun is shining in front of the window above the bed, making him look positively heavenly. "You wouldn't have much of a say in the matter." I frown but he ignores it. "Like I was saying, if life would have been different, we probably would have been married a few years already with a couple of kids to show for it." He kisses my stomach. "I would have gotten a job at the Ministry during the day and then I would come home and we would have dinner together and I would take you to my bed…I would always take you to bed," he says as his deep voice gets lower. "Always."

I furrow my brows as he slides off my pants. The casual way he's speaking about this is kind of worrisome to me, like he had thought of it before and had it all planned out. "And you would want me that way?" I ask softly. "With out my consent?"

"I would want you anyway I could have you," he says seriously as he tugs off my sweater and the shirt underneath it, leaving me in my bra and knickers.

"You would force yourself on me?" I ask, kind of fearfully because I know the death eater horror stories… some of them from my parents own history.

He grabs my wrists and I take a short intake of breath at the sudden movement as his hand crushes my watch into my arm. His eyes become level with mine as he hovers over me and I hold my breath because of the intense way he's staring.

"You can't rape the willing," he says and for some reason the blunt way he said it makes me laugh.

"What makes you think I'd willingly sleep with a murdering death eater?"

"Because I make you wet."

My eyebrows shoot up in surprise at his words and he laughs, letting go of my wrists and settling on his forearms. I've never heard someone talk like that and it makes me blush. He smiles again, before kissing me and pulling back.

"I have always wanted you," he says seriously as he sits back on his heels to look at my body. The body that I'm trying hard not to want to cover up because it's day time and he can see everything. "Even when you were a girl I knew," He bends down and kisses my hip with his hands on my waist. "I knew when you grew up you would be…"

He trails off as he licks and kisses his way up to my breasts, but I want him to finish his sentence. "Would be what?" I ask as I put my fingers in his hair while he reaches behind me to unclasp my bra. I arch my back to give him more room with out event thinking about my actions.

"Mine," he says simply. That makes me freeze and my fingers fall from his hair because I know how dangerous possessive words like that can be. My parents are a prime example of that and even if my mother loves my father now… it shouldn't have happened that way. You belong _with_ something, you shouldn't belong _to_ them. "Even if we never were together," he continues as he slides the bra down my arms, seeming to have missed my tenseness. "Even if you loved someone else, I knew that no matter what, you would be mine."

"Oh," is all I can think of saying as he kisses my body and touches me with his long fingers. For some reason I feel uneasy with that word. It feels dangerous to me.

I look at the ceiling as he unbuckles his pants and I do nothing as he slides them down his legs. "Lavinia," he says to get my attention as he props himself up on his forearms above me so that he can look into my eyes. When I do finally look at him he takes my hand and places it on his chest, right above his beating heart. "Yours," he says softly before dipping down and kissing me, holding my hand steadily against his heartbeat.

Now, had it been any other guy I would have thought that was corny, but because it was Byron I felt my heart skip a beat before warming considerably towards him. I found myself kissing him back with a vengeance, feeling empowered by the newly achieved confidence in our relationship, no matter how fleeting it may be.

He takes my hand again and pulls it below the sheets to touch something else on his body that makes me blush. "Yours," he repeats with smile, sounding more amused by the expression on my face.

"Wait," I whisper as I pull my hand back from his hardening body. "I don't think…" I trail off because now is not the time to do what he's about to do. My brother just crawled out of a coffin not too long ago for Christ sakes.

"I need you," he says, sliding his body along mine to show me just how much he needs me. Well, maybe right now might be the right time… "Today has worked for us," he says and I guess he's right. It just doesn't feel like such a celebration right now with things so up in the air. I don't have that feeling of completion yet. "Don't say no right now. I want you so much it hurts sometimes."

What could I say to that?

I just stare at him and then I nod my head after he presses his lips against mine. I try not to think about how things are going to change now that Cassius may be coming back as he slides inside of me and I try to get the terrible image of Byron as a dominating Death Eater out of my head as he pushes up on his hands and drills into me, which was an easy thing for him to do because he always turns me on, no matter what he does. I think I might be addicted to him.

"I love you," he says deeply. His voice sounds steady and controlled even though I'm sure I wouldn't sound so solid and I'm not even the one doing all the work.

I smile and pull him down for a kiss. "I love you too," I whisper against his lips as I wrap my legs around his hips.

I'm finding that sex can be used for many different things. For comfort, for need, for love, and for pure lust… it's quite an interesting act and when Byron changes angles and hits something inside of me that sends sparks through my body, I'm convinced it's one of the greatest things in the world. I love being so close to him and I love feeling my skin against his, knowing this is as close as two people can get to one another. He's going slow and deep and it was so different from the hard shag session we had in that tavern on Diagon Alley the other day that I almost couldn't believe it. I feel every movement and he kisses me gently all over my body. I think this is what making love is… this is how you show someone you love them through sex.

I enjoy watching the facial expressions he makes as well. Like right now, he looks like he's in pain with his jaw tight and his brows furrowed as he pumps into me. When he slows down, he lets his face relax and he opens his eyes to smile as we make eye contact.

"Soft," he mumbles as he lets his head rest against my neck.

"What?" I say with a smile as I close my eyes, enjoying the friction and the closeness of his body.

"Every thing about you is soft," he says and his voice is breathless and strained now….that cool control he had before seems to have left him. "Your hair, your voice, your skin," he brings a hand up to my breast as he kisses my neck. "Your body…" His breath hitches and I tilt my hips because I'm starting to feel that wild build up inside of my body. He pulls up to give me an opened mouthed kiss on the lips. "Your lips… Everything about you is soft."

"I can't say the same about you," I say with a smile and he laughs. I didn't know you could laugh during sex, but I like the sound of it.

I grip his arms and let my eyes slam shut as he works his body into mine with a silly smile on my face. He lifts himself from me again, propping himself up on his hands. "Look at me."

The strained demand surprises me so I crack my eyes open to stare into his. I lift an eyebrow playfully but he looks so serious that I tilt my head when he stops moving all together. I really didn't want him to stop because I was building up to something wonderful, so I have to stop myself from yelling at him. Which is something I wouldn't do in a normal situation, but this is not a normal situation to be in.

He's just staring at me and I almost ask him what he's doing, but he bends down to kiss me, a hard kiss against the lips, before pulling back again.

"Never leave me."

I nearly start laughing at his silly statement. "Please start moving," I say with a whine in my voice, ignoring his silly demand. "I was almost there."

He narrows his eyes and he thrusts hard, just once before stopping again. I gasp, but he doesn't continue. That earns him a glare. "Say that you won't."

"Won't what?" I say as I push damp hair away from my face. I'm a little frazzled, to be honest, and my body is still humming. I don't feel like having a serious conversation mid shag.

"I can't lose you now that I've had you." I sigh when he starts moving again, with those deep slow thrusts that are so exquisitely frustrating. "Things are going to change, but I don't want this to change."

"Byron, I'm not going to leave," I say as I try to lift my hips up to meet his aggravatingly slow pace. I close my eye and bite my lip when he stops moving yet again. I just might smack him. "Please." I almost want to cry in frustration.

"Please what?"

I open my eyes to glare at him and notice the devious little glint in his eyes as he smirks at me. I try to turn us so I can be on top and in power because I think he's abusing his, but he's stronger than me and he holds me down with his hands on my wrists as he shakes his head and smiles. I could easily kill his fun by telling him to stop, but I kind of like playing like this. It feels fun and normal and that's hard to come by with me and him.

"Now, what were you asking for?"

"There's no point," I sigh and look away. "It's already gone."

"Oh, I can easily fix that," he says as he releases one of my wrists so he can put his hand in-between our bodies. My watch digs painfully into my other wrist that he's still holding, but I ignore the pain as I look into his eyes. "You see, all you ladies have this place on your bodies that gets you all hot and bothered," he says as he touches said place with his fingers, causing my body to respond noticeably as my cheeks heat up.

"That's not fair," I say as he continues to work me up while I grip the pillow under my head with my free hand. He moves a little and then stops. I almost slap him again. "What gets you all hot and bothered?" It was a stupid question considering he was still rock solid and still inside of me, but I wanted to distract myself.

"Every time I look at you I get hot and bothered," he says with a sweet smile on his face.

"That must be uncomfortable for you because you look at me often," I state honestly.

"You're just so lovely," he whispers as his eyes look over my face. "It's hard not to stare at someone who is so absurdly good looking."

I laugh, not totally sure if that's a compliment, but then I pout because his fingers are doing amazing things but I'm still not satisfied. "Oh, please move," I say while arching my back to press my chest into his.

"Are you begging now?"

"I will never let you get into this position again if you don't start moving."

"Hm, nice," he says with an amused laugh as he pulls his fingers away from doing amazing things to a part of my body I didn't even know I had. "Sometimes I forget what house you were sorted into. Do all Slytherin's take a class in blackmail?"

Even though I love when Byron talks and smiles and acts like a real person, I don't want him to right now. I bring my hands up to his hair, well, I bring my one free hand up to his hair because he's still pining the other one down like a brute.

"Please, Byron," I say softly with my lips pouting. "Please make love to me?" I'm not going to say the F word or any other crude language people use to describe sex. So if that's what he wanted then he's out of luck.

A full smile breaks his face and I mirror his reaction because he has such a beautiful smile. "I suppose," he says with a pretend sigh as he starts moving again, frustratingly slow, I might add. "I suppose I should put you out of your misery, lover." I smirk at the name, remembering awkwardly calling him that at that jewelry store because the sales girl was all over him.

When he starts moving faster and harder, I close my eyes and smile every time I feel his lips against my skin. It takes a moment for my body to get used to it because he was so still for so bloody long, but we eventually fall into a familiar rhythm again. Things feel lighter now… I may have my brother back and he may have his best friend and we did it together. He's right, things may change, but I didn't want this to change either.

Out of no where a panicked and rational part of me reminded me that I was not on any kind of potion or pill. My eyes snap open as he kisses me as I think about getting pregnant. Oh, damn. The first time Mom gave me the morning after pill… but the second and third time I didn't even think about it. How could I be so stupid?

"Pull out before you finish," I say, successfully killing the light and sweet mood.

"What?" he whispers in a daze, barely even paying attention to me.

I push his shoulders so he'll stop thrusting into me and when he does he gives me a very strange little look of annoyance. "I don't want to have a baby," I say with genuine fear in my voice. If I became pregnant, Byron would be killed and I would be locked inside of the Manor forever, never allowed to leave. A horrible thought entered my mind—what if I was pregnant already?

"Just pull out."

He closes his eyes and his arms shake. Apparently he could handle being still when he was teasing me, but he seemed to have been pretty intent on finishing what he started and it was hard for him to stop.

"Are you serious?" he asks with his eyes still closed, but raising one of his dark eyebrows.

"Yes," I whisper because I don't want him to be mad at me for just now thinking about this. I really can be a fool sometimes. He starts moving again as I let my feet fall flat against the mattress. I push his shoulders. "Byron, no," I say because he's not stopping. "Stop."

He keeps going and I start to panic.

"Byron, stop!" I say with more force.

"Damnit," he says in a strained voice before pulling out of me and then I feel wetness all over my inner thighs. I resist the urge to say ew. "I'm sorry," he whispers with his eyes closed as his body relaxes. "I'm sorry."

"It's okay," I say because it was my fault.

He moves so quickly that I'm not totally sure what he's doing but when his face ends up between my legs I try to push him away.

"No," I say because what he is about to do doesn't seem… well, it makes me uncomfortable. He wipes off his release from my legs with the bed sheet and I make a mental note to avoid touching that later.

I try to close my legs, but he puts his hands on my knees to keep them apart. "I want to do this," he says seriously. "You're just going to have to lay back and take it."

"But that's…" I try to pull his head up. "That's gross."

"You are not going to think it's gross after I'm finished," he says in his deep voice. A wicked smile comes to his handsome face and then he _licks_ me there.

I think I might die.

I cover my face but I lay my head back anyways and close my eyes. I like to kiss him, but I doubt I'll want to kiss him after he's been down there. There's just something very unsanitary about that and my hips jump up when I feel his fingers slide into me. This new experience brings a whole new bought of feelings and sensations… and disgusting sounds, I might add. I pull the pillow out from under my head to cover my face because, even though it feels good, I feel embarrassed.

"Come on," I hear him whisper before dipping down again.

My cheeks heat up and when I feel that thing coming back to me I inhale deeply against the pillow, feeling extremely unclean. "Oh," I say softly. I refuse to look at him while he's down there but I'm sure he's smirking. I even make a strange moaning noise when I feel that 'before the bursting' feeling of warmness and tingling. "Oh," I say again just so I don't scream out after he uses his skilled fingers and tongue. I remove the pillow from my face so I can breathe because it seems to get harder and harder with each turn of his clever movements.

"Oh," I say as I suck in a deep breath and I bring my hands down to his hair, feeling that blinding electricity that accompanies the wonderful things Byron can do to me. "Oh!" I say again and I'm mortified that I sounded so loud and that my hips lifted to press against his face.

"No, no, no, stop," I say because I'm acting like a mad woman. I tug on his hair until he looks up. "No," I say even though I don't want him to stop.

"You're so close," he says with a charming smile, still working those wonderful fingers of his. "Just close your eyes," he says softly. "You'll be done in a minute."

I do as he says and I clench my eyes shut, letting him do whatever it is he's doing down there. It is a pleasurable experience and he was right. I was so close. I whisper his name and clutch his shoulders in a painful grip as I finish, feeling those sparks that ignite from the center of my body, spreading out for one blinding moment until that after glow feeling of ease surrounds me. I relax against the bed, not realizing how tense I was and he hovers above me with smug smile on his face.

"See, that wasn't so bad," he says as he licks his lips. I might faint, but when he bends downs to kiss me I turn my head and crinkle my nose.

"No kissing until you brush your teeth," I say even though I did enjoy what he just did. I don't want to know what I taste like.

"Why? You tasted delicious."

"Oh, yuck," I say and he laughs as he rests beside me, looking all handsome and disheveled even after doing a dirty sexual act to me. I should take a shower.

"_Oh, yuck_," he repeats as he lets his fingers touch my stomach. "But you liked it."

I won't admit that… but when I notice his naked body next to mine, I glance at him from the corner of my eyes. "Do you want me to…" I look down at his body. It's only polite to ask right? Since he did it for me… "Do you me to do that for you?" I've never done that, but I could learn.

"I'm alright now," he says and I guess it's the truth considering what he had to clean up between my legs. Oh, yuck again.

To be honest, I really didn't want to do it because even though I loved Byron and I loved his body, there was still something scary about that area. His was the only one I had ever seen and I was still getting used to it. There was no way I was going to do that during the day when the lights were on. My Witches of London books were full of sexually promiscuous teenagers who fell in love and just had sex all the time whenever and however they wanted… none of them seemed to be shy or self conscious about the things they were doing. I don't think that's very believable anymore.

I feel him put some hair behind my ear so I look into his eyes as I settle my heart beat and try not to blush. "We need to… we're going to have to do something about the whole birth control thing," he says awkwardly, looking at the wall. This makes him uncomfortable and I find that endearing. "I didn't even realize… It was my mistake to just assume that… anyways," he finishes rambling to look at me. "I'm going to want to sleep with you again. I'll pay for it… you know, since it's my fault you need it."

I nod my head. I wish it would be as simple as a contraceptive spell or charm. I have a suspicion that adults purposely hide the existence of one so kids would have consequences if they had sex.

"We'll figure something out, okay?" he says, kissing my forehead and pulling the blankets up to cover our bodies. I kick the bed sheet to our feet, opting to just use the black comforter.

"Okay," I smile as I run my fingers up and down the back of his arm, wondering if I'll be able to actually do more things than just the comfortable missionary sex I was growing used to. I like the feeling of him on top of me but I can't wait to try all those different positions that I've heard about. Again, I'm reminded with that thought that I've turned into some kind of sexual deviant, but I don't care.

"Byron?" I say softly as I kiss his neck as he settles by my side again. My mind is still working even with the mind blowing orgasm he just gave me.

"Hm?"

He doesn't move and I can feel his warm breath against my ear because he's so close.

"Why didn't you tell me we were going to your Grandmothers?" I ask curiously as I think of that decrepit old drug dealer that I cursed, who just happened to be one of Byron's relatives.

"Because it's embarrassing," he says and then he sighs as he rolls onto his back, resting by my side with his hand behind his head. He rubs his face with his free hand before staring at the cracked ceiling. "It's bad enough that my mother is rude to you… I just didn't feel like telling you my Grandmother was a drug dealer."

I turn onto my stomach as I my place my chin on my folded forearms so I can watch his profile. He's sweating and his cheeks are flushed as pink as his swollen lips. I take some guilty pleasure in that. "Was she terrible to you when you were a boy?" I ask as I glance at him from the corner of my eye while he shifts his body on the small bed.

"They all were terrible," he whispers and then he turns his head to me. "My father had the same scars on his back. She gave them to him and he gave them to me. That's a great family legacy, isn't it?"

I turn on my side and kiss his shoulder. "You are a good man now, Byron," I tell him because sometimes I know he doesn't think that. It's like he's just waiting for the poison of his family to finally infect him and make him evil.

"I have an uncle too," he says as he turns on his side to face me, getting into the position we were in before we took a break to have sex...or oral sex… I don't know exactly how to put it. How very scandalous of us. "He's in Azkaban… that picture you saw, the one of the bald man with the moustache." I nod my head, remembering the unfortunate looking man. "That's him. We use to have muggle born servants when I was little. I remember once, during Christmas, I saw him beat one of our maids with a silver candle stick. There was blood everywhere and I couldn't even recognize her face when he was finished."

I feel a sympathetic pull in my chest as I put one of my legs over his. "You saw him do this?" He nods his head, like it was an everyday thing to witness. "How old were you?"

"Five… four maybe," he says with a shrug as he props his head up with his hand.

"That's terrible," I say, thinking of him as a boy, having to see something so horrid. I take his hand and play with his fingers "Why did he do it?"

He shakes his head. "Because he thought she stole his pocket watch. My father watched him do it too and did nothing to stop him. Of course he didn't. Later that night he found his bloody watch… it was in his pocket." He looks away and narrows his eyes. "Then they laughed about it. That girl died, I don't even remember her name… but she died for nothing and they laughed. She was nice to me," he says softly, like he was remembering it. "We weren't allowed to talk to the servants, but she would give me sweets when no one was looking."

I let his hand drop so I can touch his face. "I'm sorry you had to go through that," I say honestly, but even I know this is one of his less haunting memories because it doesn't involve his abuse directly.

"How can one family be so sick?" he asks me seriously and I shrug my shoulder because it makes me think of my own family and the dark past that surrounds us.

I want to tell him that he's not sick, that he doesn't have to worry about any of that, but the conversation I had with his mother stands out in my mind and I can't shake it. The more I'm with him, the closer I feel, but there's still this unbalanced part of him that kind of scares me. Even that shine he had in his eyes when he was talking about Voldemort winning and being in power… it was strange and it worried me. Every generation likes to think they'll be better than the one before them… but we all have to live with the scars and Byron has enough for an army.

"Your Mom said that you weren't taking your medication," I say and when his eyes snap to mine, I try not to flinch because he looks panicked, worried, embarrassed, and upset. "She also said you weren't seeing your therapist."

"She told you all of that," he says worriedly as something new and insecure swims in his eyes.

"Is that… shouldn't you keep doing that?" I ask because I'm not totally sure if he needs to. I don't know much about mental health and, well, I'm not sure how to approach this.

If he had Dragon Pox I would tell him to go see a healer, but what he has I can't see or identify. I don't know how to handle it and all I can see are the rows of medication bottles that he had to take in Spain. He stares at me, and then he looks away. I take his hand and trace one of the thin white scars on his wrist.

"When did you do this?" I ask because out of all the scars on his body, those are the only self inflicted ones. If the medication and the healers keep him from repeating something like that, I would want him to keep doing it. Maybe that's why his Mother was so worried.

"Stop looking at me like that."

"Why did you do this?" I change my question the slightest bit, but his worried face falls flat and he becomes shut off and closed from me.

"Stop," he says snatching his wrist away from me and sitting up, "looking at me like that," he finishes before turning around and showing me his back as his feet land on the hard wood floor.

Considering I wasn't sure Byron had any emotions, he sure could go through a range of them in a moment.

"I don't think I'm looking at you any certain way," I say, sitting up as well while pulling the blanket up to cover my nudity. Now that the mood isn't light and intimate anymore, I feel silly being naked. Considering what we just did, I think it's strange that I don't feel like I should touch him either. "I was just asking a question."

"You know what I liked about your brother," he says as he pulls on his pants and buckles them in haste, like he was angry. "He never looked at me like you are right now," he says as he stands up. "He never looked at me like that." He walks out of the room, shutting the door behind him.

I glare at the doorway as I sit up, pulling the blanket with me to cover my body. What the hell was that? He has a pile of clean clothes folded on his desk so I pick up the first red t-shirt that I see and pull it on as I stand from his bed. It has a golden Gryffindor lion on the front and the Gryffindor motto printed across it in loopy letters. I feel weird wearing another houses color, but I don't change as I leave the room to find him. So I can scold him for acting so short with me and making me feel bad. I'm already confused enough with this brother stuff. I don't need him adding to it.

When I stomp out into the hallway, I notice that the bathroom door is shut and the shower is on so I try to twist the handle to open the door, but it's locked. How terribly frustrating he is. I slump my shoulders and glare at the door before glancing at the closed door right across from Byron's. Does this weird little fight with Byron matter right now? Now that my brother, who everyone thought was dead, is at St. Mungo's breathing, with healthy vital signs?

I guess not.

I suppose I'll apologize when the grump gets out of the shower and I sigh before going back to his room because it seems like the cleanest place in this dingy flat. I could always go home… but it doesn't hold the same feeling that it used to anymore. I think of the Manor as I go over to Byron's desk, sorting through some of his papers to pass the boredom as he moodily takes a shower. On top of the pile is the letter he must have gotten from Bailey this morning and I put that to the side because it doesn't tell me anything of interest.

A pink piece of parchment catches my eye because, well, because it's pink and I gently lift it from under the stack of sandy colored parchments and ink stained quills. The handwriting is a woman's and I nearly dismiss it to look through some of his books, but the name on the bottom gets my attention because it's no one I know… so I sit down on his wobbly desk chair as I read it.

_Byron! _

I frown at the exclamation point, because even though I love him dearly, he is not one of those guys people are overly excited to see.

_I haven't heard from you in ages. So, I'm sure you can imagine my surprise when a public owl perched on my window sill to delver a letter from you. As always, I was blown away by your exemplary use of the English language. You can always fit so much emotion into two sentences. It simply amazes me. _

I think she's being sarcastic.

_Well, I have to say that I won't be free this weekend because, unlike you, I have a real job. So the casual shag I'm sure you were hinting towards will have to wait. This is me calling in a raincheck for your midnight hookup call, because even though you are terribly strange about keeping your clothes on and talking about things in general, I still think you are one of the most lovely men I have ever been with and look forward to seeing you again. _

_We'll work something out. _

_With all my lust and love, _

_Eva _

"With all my lust and love," I repeat out loud in utter disgust.

I hate this Eva woman, I've decided. She's probably skinny… I frown as I throw the letter back on the desk because, even though I'm feeling that twinge of jealousy in my chest, I can't be upset with him for this letter… I was dating someone else when we first slept together so I can't rightly be mad if he's been seeing other people before. Even though it hurts and I actually am upset, I have no right to be, so I try to calm myself and pretend like I didn't read that stupid letter. I look around the room and try to find something to focus on, but I can't and I look back at the pink parchment on the desk. Just out of curiosity I check the date at the top of the letter and bite my lip.

"Last month?" I say out loud like a mad person, talking to myself. Last month wouldn't make any sense because last month we were together.

This would have been sent right around the time I had my horse accident and we left for Spain. Byron's taking forever in the shower doing whatever the hell it is he's doing in there and I ball up that stupid letter and throw it against the ugly beige wall. My anger might be unjustified because I have no idea what is actually going on with the woman who wrote the letter, but since he's angry with me right now it makes it easier to be upset.

The water stops in the bathroom as I sit on the bed and pull my knees up to my chest, pulling the shirt over my legs to cover my modesty even though he just saw and kissed… and licked… just about everything on me. When he comes back into the bedroom he has a towel wrapped around his hips and his hair has been towel dried, meaning it's still damp and as messy as hell. He ignores me as he goes to his drawers and starts pulling clothes out to put on. He doesn't even spare me a glance as I stare at the long scars on his back.

"I'm sorry, Byron," I say, even though I'm not sure if I should be apologizing, I don't want him to be mad at me. "I didn't mean to upset you."

He doesn't say anything as he pulls on a thin t-shit and I stretch out my legs, making them come free from the t-shirt cage I had them in.

"I think I'm going to go home," I say as he disappears back into the hallway to put on his pants and boxers. I just saw him totally naked. You think he could change in front of me.

"No," he says from the bathroom and I frown as I walk into the hallway to confront him. The door is partially closed and I can see him moving, putting on his clothes in the little sliver that's visible.

"No?" I walk to the doorway, confused.

"No, you aren't going to go home because I'm overacting," he says harshly and it takes me moment to actually process his words… he said he was overreacting, right? Not me? He opens the door and walks by me so I follow him into that disgusting living room with the lopsided furniture and dingy walls. "I shouldn't have snapped at you like that. You aren't leaving."

"Is this your attempt at an apology?" I ask as he sorts through mail left on his window sill.

"I got those scars when I was eighteen," he says, still not looking at me. "I didn't do it to kill myself," he says and I wince because I hate that he said it out loud. "I just did it one night when I was feeling bad and I liked the way it felt. It was stupid and I don't do it anymore."

"Okay," I say softly, taken aback by the blunt and sharp confession.

"And I can't think straight when I'm taking all of those pills… I can't feel anything. It dulls everything so I'm going to try to go without them for a while." He adds, looking everywhere but at me

I don't know if that's safe, but I'm going to trust that he knows what he's doing. I sigh and then I walk up to him, wrapping my arms around his torso and kissing the back of his neck. It was something that I had seen my Mother do to my father many times to comfort him.

"Thank you for telling me," I say because I know he really didn't want to. Those types of things are hard to admit.

"Do you still want to go home?" he asks carefully as a bird swoops towards the open window.

"I am home," I whisper so quietly I'm not sure if he could hear it because he didn't respond. I look at the owl that perches on the ledge, offering the letter tied to its leg to Byron. "Do you think I should write Chloe?" I ask quietly as he takes the letter and breaks the seal. "I don't think we parted on the best terms."

I don't remember much from her birthday party, but I do remember her being upset. "I would advise against it," he says softly as he unfolds the letter. "She is going to have a lot to say to you, so I suggest you wait for her to make the first move."

I nod my head and let my arms drop from his chest, but I keep my cheek pressed against his arm. "Who is that from?" I ask as he skims the contents of the letter. I didn't recognize the owl.

"Your parents," he says softly. "Cassius is awake."

We leave the flat right away but we weren't allowed to see him. He stayed there three more days for observation before coming home and I went back to the Manor afterwards because I felt like I should be with my family, but for some reason my father refused to talk to me…. He couldn't even look at me anymore and I was hurt and confused.

It made me stay longer to find out why.

_**Cassius **_

"I have always wondered what you would look like with red hair."

I smile a little before turning on the sink. "I'm afraid you'll never know. Red hair will stick out too, I think," I say as I bend down and put my head under the rushing water, letting the dark dye wash from my hair. The sound of the water blocks other noises from my ears until I pull back and shake my head, letting water droplets splatter against the white sink bowl.

"You could have asked, Cassius," Mom says as she walks further into the room, watching me run my fingers through my newly dyed hair. "I know how to do color charms."

I know how to do them too, but the healers told me to not use my magic too often. They said it was kind of like a muggle battery and after what I'd been through my magic would have to recharge. Of course, no one knows the full story because I refuse to tell them so they have no idea what they're talking about. They just know what I told them… and all that I told them was how I woke up in that coffin, scared almost to death.

"I don't mind doing it this way," I say as I stand up straight and turn off the sink. I accept the towel my mother hands to me and I shake it through my hair to dry it, rubbing my scalp and wiping off my face in the process.

"You don't have to go anywhere today," she says softly as she rests her body against the marble sink ledge beside me. "You can stay home for a little while longer."

I've been home for three weeks and I haven't left the house other than to go to St. Mungo's so healers can poke at me and try to figure out what happened to me. I'm like a new case study and every doctor in the area is jumping at the chance to check me out and categorize the new magic that I seemed to have caught myself with. That and the potion that Byron gave me could revolutionize the way they do medicine… or that's what they say. I have no freaking idea. If my father didn't own half of the hospital than I would probably be locked away in an observation tank the rest of my life.

"I need to get out of the house." I state steadily as I bring the towel down and I glance at the mirror. I've never seen myself with dark hair before and it makes me look like a whole different person.

"You even did your eyebrows," mom says gently as she takes me in. I nod my head and throw the towel down by the hamper for the elves to get later. "How are you feeling today? You look tired."

"I wish people would stop asking me that question," I say softly as I turn around and grab my shirt that I had folded over the towel rack. I slide it on and start buttoning the front as mom grabs the box of hair dye and reads the label. "I'm fine."

There's a long pause while I button my shirt and she reads the box before sighing. It catches my attention, so I glance at her over my shoulder.

"Dark Brown," she says as she scans the box. "I thought dying kits had more colorful names then just dark brown," she says before throwing it away.

"It's for men," I say and when she looks at me, I smile. "I doubt guys care about Carmel brown copper fusion whatever…"

She snorts before letting her eyes fall deeply into mine, like she was searching for some answers there. She hesitates a second before taking a step closer to me and pulling a stray hair off of my shirt. Then she turns and looks down at the sink while biting on her lower lip.

"I didn't know anything about babies when I had you," she says in a quiet voice as I watch her profile. She looks different to me now. There's something sadder about her and her eyes don't seem as bright. I look away when she glances at me because I hate thinking that the change is my fault. "I think your father assumed I did because I was from such a big family… but I was the youngest and I had never even been around a baby until I had you."

"You were always my baby, though," she says and she glances at me with a gentle smile. Her eyes are starting to water again and I look away because I'm already tired of seeing her cry. It hurts me because it's my fault. "There were days when I wouldn't even put you down. I once spent a whole day just memorizing your little face. You were such an adorable baby and so smart too."

I don't know why she's telling me this, but ever since I came home both her and my dad have gone into these weird trances around me where they act like I'm a ghost, someone still to be remembered but not present in the conversation. I hope they stop it soon because I will never get used to it.

"I imagine that was difficult," I say as I play with my wet locks of newly darkened hair. I hope it's a decent enough disguise to fool the press. I kind of want to get out without getting trampled by cameras and people wanting to know how I came back from the 'dead'. Granted, I could use a polyjuice potion and go as someone else completely, but there's a pride issue with that and I refuse to totally hide myself for a day out. "To have a baby so young," I elaborate.

"It was…. But I just loved you so much and most of the things came naturally." I nod my head and pretend I'm looking at things on the bathroom shelf so I won't have to face her directly. They always stare at me now and it's kind of annoying. I can't say I blame them because they thought I was gone for good… but it still makes me uncomfortable. "The first time you ever got sick I was so scared. You were just a little baby and I was here by myself with no way to contact anyone. I felt so helpless."

I finally look at her as her dark eyes study my face. "I'm sorry," I say because I can't imagine what she felt when I was gone. To me it was only a couple of days, but I was shocked to find out that to everyone else it was a couple months.

"That's the worst feeling," she says as her eyes dance over my face. She brings a hand up to her auburn hair and starts twirling a strand around her finger like she couldn't stand to have her hands idle around me. I know she wants to touch me again to make sure that I'm real. She comes into my room at night just to tuck me in like I was a little boy again, running her hands through my hair and kissing my cheek. She thinks I'm asleep when she does it, but I'm awake. I'm always awake now. "Knowing your child is in pain, but not able to do anything about it. It guts you."

"I'm not in pain," I tell her, only believing half of it. I wish I could reassure them, but that's just something I can't do right now. "I'm just glad to be out of that place."

"What place?" she asks as she furrows her brows.

I turn away again. I haven't told anyone about that island because a part of me thinks that it might have been made up. After all, no one can be two places at one time and according to everyone around me I was sealed up in a tomb the whole time I was having that messed up adventure on that frustrating Island. I don't want them to think I'm crazy as well. I run my fingers over the small scratch on my cheek, the one I got when I was running through the forest on the island to get away from those arrow wielding youths who wanted to kill us. Does that make everything real? I don't know, but I refused to let the healers heal it because it makes me feel sane.

"I have to get going."

There's a pause before she nods her head. "Just be careful and remember to meet your brother at five. Maybe you'll be able to talk some sense into him."

"Bye Mom," I say and I go to walk past her but she grabs my arm. I look at her with an eyebrow raised and a small smile comes to my face when she lifts her wand and dries my wet hair. "Thanks," I mutter, because I had forgotten what it was like to be around her. I forgot what it was like to be someone's little boy because I had been away from home for so long after I graduated from Hogwarts.

She leans up and kisses my cheek. "I miss the blonde already," she whispers before pulling back and smiling. "Come back soon."

"I will," I say because there is genuine fear in her voice and it's all because of me.

To be truthful, I think everyone is waiting for me to drop dead again.

I grab my cloak and clasp it around my neck before I leave through the front door, pass Evelyn who is on her way to the attic yet again to do god knows what, pass Lavinia's room where she's chewing on her lower lip, trying figure out how to get our father to speak to her again, and pass my Dad's study where he's looking up old acquaintances so he can find out who put the curse on the stone because I haven't told him anything I know.

The first place I go is my old flat, obviously all of my things have been moved out, but it was the last place I called home so I felt like I had to see it. I was able to find my key in a box of my things tucked away in my room at the Manor, so I didn't have to worry about using my wand to get it. When I push open the dingy door I cringe, not remembering it looking so terrible or unsafe. I guess when you're in it for so long it doesn't look as bad and I figure I could get used to it again. I'm surprised Byron still stayed here, to be honest. We never had much money and the fact that he had to cover my rent was a surprise.

I carefully walk over to the window that rests along the living room wall, showing a pleasant little scene of a back alley dumpster. It's one of those weird misty days where everything looks dull and the air seems chilly even though it's not all that cold and the yellowing blinds just add to the aesthetic quality of the overcast, dreary day.

"Who are you?"

I turn around to the familiar voice and smirk when I see Byron. I actually haven't seen him yet because only family was permitted to see me at St. Mungo's and for some reason my Dad refuses to permit him into the house.

"You missed me." I state, knowing without a doubt that those words are true.

"Your hair," he says as he looks at my new brown hair. In his hands is his journal and he crosses his arms over his chest as he looks me over. "I didn't recognize you at first."

"Yeah, well, that's the point."

He nods his head and just stares at me for a while. I'm tired of everyone staring at me all the bloody time.

"I'm glad you're back," he says softly and I nod my head, feeling that familiar swell in my chest that happens every time I see someone I was close to before this happened.

This feels like a hugging moment, but Byron doesn't hug so we just stand here, staring at each other.

"So, not to be a dick or anything… but what the hell did you do to my Dad to make him hate you so much?" I ask because whenever his name is mentioned my Dad turns cold. He's never been overly fond of Byron, because he's not overly fond of anyone, but he tolerated him, now he won't even do that.

He looks down and then sits on one of the old busted couches. I follow suit and sit across from him on the chair. "I'm glad you're back," he says. "I have missed you."

"Yeah," I say. "Don't avoid the question," I say because I'm tired of talking about me. That's all I do now… that's all anybody ever wants to do.

"How is your sister doing?" he asks instead of answering my question and I raise an eyebrow. Honestly, I wasn't expecting that question.

"Why?"

"I haven't seen her in a week."

"And you haven't seen me in months. Who cares?" I say with a shrug. I'm not totally blind, though. The pieces are starting to fall together. My father has always favored Lavinia as his little girl… but since I've been back he barely looks at her… and then he won't allow Byron to enter the manor… I'm not stupid. Something probably happened with that but I don't want to talk about it now.

"I do, actually," he says and when I stare at him he sits forward. "So, what was it like?" he asks with his blue eyes glowing.

"What was what like?" I ask as I sit back and cross my legs, trying to be normal again with my best friend.

"Being dead," he says bluntly.

I could tell him. I could tell him everything but for some reason I just can't right now.

"I really don't remember," I lie as I turn my neck and look out the window. "I think I'm going to check out my room."

I stand up and go towards it and Byron is right behind me. "There's nothing in there. They packed everything up a couple of days after…" he trails off and I know why. After I died, he didn't say.

"That's alright," I say softly as he stares at me.

I walk into my small closet sized room and I sigh at the empty bed frame and desk that use to hold all of my things. I used to live here and now it looks like I had barely made a mark. When I woke up at St. Mungo's, confused and disoriented, Mom and Dad where both there with me, looking at me like I was creature from another planet and when I asked them what had happened Mom lunged at me and held her tightly against her chest. Apparently they were worried because of the things I was saying when I was passed out, but they tried to hide their anxiety as I woke up and I was relieved that I was finally home… but joy was something I didn't feel right away and that upset me.

"Was there just darkness the whole time?" Byron presses again and I close my eyes before opening them and glaring.

I haven't told anyone about what had happened to me yet. First off, I thought it had only been two days since I was gone, but when they said it had been months I nearly passed out again from the shock. And then there was the fact that they thought I was dead and they buried me in a bloody tomb for a while. I got here by jumping off a bloody cliff, but technically my body was in a cemetery here the whole time. That does something to a person to imagine that. How could I be two places at one time? I really didn't care to find out right now because I'm afraid what I would find so I'm trying to ignore it. I bring a hand up to my cheek where a faint red scratch is healing. I swear it wasn't a dream even though a part of me is afraid that it was.

It's a lot to take in and everything seems different to me now. Mom and Dad's relationship seems strained and more rocky than I remember. I hear them arguing late into the night with each other, thinking I won't hear. The few times I have talked to Gavin he was like a totally different person altogether. He seems darker somehow and angrier on the surface. My brother and I have always had opposite personalities, but I've always felt connected to him… I don't feel that anymore.

Evelyn seems older and Lavinia is… well… Lavinia is… I don't even know. She's always moping now and Dad won't talk to her. Even though I'm finally home, I hate that I don't recognize it. Same people, same place… but nothing is familiar to me. Not to mention the bloody doctors that I have to see every day so they can run tests and charms to try to find out what happened to me. The doctors and the press are making my life unbearable… I wanted to come home to this romanticized version I had of my life, but with each hour and each day I realize how silly that was.

I also feel guilt— A very weird and heavy sense of survival's guilt that's making it hard to function as I think about the people on the island… the boy and the girl who helped me find that cliff… what's happening to them right now? If I wasn't convinced that a part of me was mad I'd probably try to find out.

"What about Paige?" I ask carefully, trying not to let on that I know anything more.

"Bailey tried to bring her back too… but it was too late."

"Good," I mutter but he didn't hear.

"Cass," he says, stepping closer to me until I can feel his body heat. "Before you woke up at St. Mungo's you were speaking Greek. Very good Greek," he adds quietly. "And when we got you out of the coffin you were soaked and some of your clothes were missing. The healers said you had alcohol in your system as well. Something happened to you and you've never been good at lying."

I swallow before attempting an answer… but I don't want to go down that road yet so I bring up something else. "Were you and Lavinia together while I was gone?" I ask to get attention away from me.

"Yes," he answers without any pretense and I tilt my head to the side as I look at my old bed frame.

"The whole time?" I sounded bitter and I shook my head to try to calm myself down. Things will never be the same again... and no matter how little the change is… it's still a change.

"Just about."

"You move fast."

"Cassius," he says seriously to get my attention but I don't bother turning. "I think I've figured a few things out about what happened to you. I'm pretty sure your healers are on the wrong track. The thing that she touched… it was a—"

"My Mother told me what you did to help me." I cut him off with a snap and he steps back to give me space.

"Lavinia did too," he adds and I glance at him from the corner of my eyes.

"My Dad won't talk to her… why is that?"

"Because of me," he says morosely and I cross my arms, feeling chilled all the way down to my bones. "Before we got the letter that you were finally awake… your sister and I had been together since you've been gone." He explains, chopping up his sentences in a way to get me to understand. "She's… we've been staying together," he finishes uncomfortably. He looks away and runs a hand through his dark hair as I watch his face. "She has that watch…"

"Yeah," I say because he's taking such a long time to get to the bloody point.

"I know you aren't going to like this… but we were having sex and I said some things… that I guess your father heard because I accidently pressed the button on her watch."

"That's disgusting," I say as I feel my lip curl back in disgust. Byron has always been without a filter on most of the weird things that he says… but I didn't need to know that.

"Yes, but it's not important right now. I know what that earring was. All we need to know is who put the curse on it."

"Would you be okay if I shacked up with your little sister?" I ask curiously because I'm actually not sure how that makes me feel when I get pass the disgust factor.

"Chloe would never do that," he says softly after a pause. He obviously wanted me to respond to what he said instead.

"Why? I never thought Lavinia would do something like that… no matter how much she liked you," I carry on because it's easier to talk about this than worry about what happened to me.

"You're not her type," he says and I give him a look. The question was actually rhetorical and he knew it. "But it doesn't matter. Listen—"

"Thank you, Byron, for helping me," I say softly because I hear that he worked hard and saved my life and all that rot… but I don't want to think about that place anymore. "I appreciate it."

My eyes burn so I close them against the light outside. I haven't slept in three days. I'm too afraid to because I fear that if I let myself fall asleep, I'll wake up back on that stupid confusing island. I think if I was to realize this was a dream, I would scream. I hate the looks that I get from people now, though. Either they are frightened when they see me or they have a look of pity on their faces because I'm the new circus freak in town. This isn't my fault and I hate that I have to carry the stigma with me. Stupid Paige and that stupid fucking curse.

"So, you love her then?" I say to the window because I don't want to look at him.

I've only been gone a couple of days but to everyone else it has been months and most have them have moved on with out me. I wasn't too thrilled about them being together when I first caught them at the Manor and after his drunken idiocy I was pretty sure it would never come to fruition… but I guess I was wrong about that.

I'm a bit bitter, to be honest. No matter how unfair that is because it's almost like he replaced me with my sister while I was gone. Minus the sex and love part. God, I might vomit.

"I do," he says. "You know I always have."

Just because that's true doesn't mean I'm comfortable with it. "She's young," I say because I don't want to talk about myself. "She's young and you," I look at him from the corner of my eyes as he stares at me. "You are you."

I predict that they're both going to get hurt somehow… they're both too bloody sensitive to be normal and neither of them communicate particularly well. I cross my arms again and start biting my nails, a habit I picked up with the headache from not sleeping. When I mentioned having a headache to my Father he summand ten healers and he refused to let me leave my room for two days. Apparently everyone thinks this is a fleeting miracle and I'll just fall dead again with the slightest tick. I don't think anyone realizes how annoying that is.

"Yes," he says gently. "I am me."

Maybe I am being a dick, but who cares? Either I'm being coddled by my parents or pissing off my friends but everyone seems to want something different from me. I look down at my watch.

"I have to go," I say without looking at him. "I have to meet my brother."

I leave without saying goodbye and he does nothing to stop me as I leave the flat. I stop by the main building before I Apparate and I pay my share of the rent for the past couple of months to a shocked and startled landlord who accepts my Gringotts key check with shaky fingers and wide eyes. After that awkward encounter I go to the Poison Seraph, a restaurant in an upper class section of Diagon to meet my little brother for lunch. It wasn't my idea and it wasn't his… our mother actually set up this little play date for us because we haven't spoken more than five words to each other since I came back… or woke up… or whatever the hell happened to me. It's an exclusive place, though, and it's known for its discretion towards its higher profile customers. At least I know no tabloids will be tipped off here.

I pause when I step into the building and I look around the room, spotting Gavin's trademark head of blond hair right away. I barely even look at the hostess as she walks me to my seat and hands me the menu as the people around us whisper to each other to announce my arrival. I try to ignore the way I'm being gawked at as I stare at my brother who's looking blankly back. Everyone stares at me now… I'm like a burn victim minus the scars, but now I look a little different so it takes people a few seconds to actually recognize me.

"Here you are, Mr. Malfoy," the woman says as I take my seat across from my brother while unclasping my cloak. I look at Gavin, who lifts his eyebrows in greeting and takes a drink from his wine glass. "Can I start you off with something to drink?"

"Whatever he's having is fine," I say, waving a dismissive hand to my little brother who turns his head to stare at group of girls to the table at the far corner. I place my cloak on the back of my chair to get settled in as he watches them.

"Gavin," I greet because he doesn't say anything.

He glances at me again before setting his glass down and licking his teeth. "So… was this all a joke?"

"What are you talking about?" I ask as people in the restaurant send me sideways glances, pretending to eat their meals when they really just want to approach me and ask me what happened. Such a public place was a bad idea and I look down at the table cloth…. Trying not to feel paranoid.

"The whole you being a dead thing because if it was supposed to be funny, you really fell short," he states flatly, looking away again and tapping his fingers against the table.

"It wasn't a joke, Gavin," I say, completely irritated that he asked and that he's not looking at me. "I almost wish it was," I mutter and I sit back as the waiter pours me a glass of wine and he takes our orders with a shaky hand.

"What did I get you for your birthday last year?"

I stare at him and he blinks at me. "Why?" I ask.

"Just answer the question."

I shake my head and put my elbows on the table as I fiddle with the silverware. "Nothing," I say flatly. "You never get anyone anything for their birthdays and signing your name to a card from Mom and Dad doesn't count."

He's not impressed and he takes another drink from his wine as he looks away. "How old were you when you lost your virginity?"

"Jesus Christ, Gavin," I say in frustration as I look up at the ceiling before glaring at him. "It's me, now stop asking me all these damn questions," I hiss in a whisper so no one else hears. It's all he's been doing.

"You were seventeen and it was to that pudgy hufflepuff girl, you should be embarrassed," he says, a little of his mocking humor coming out.

"Carmen wasn't pudgy," I say haughtily and when he gives me a stern look I frown. "Yeah, well, I never got the herp," I cut back and I see a smirk appear in the corner of his mouth even though he refuses to look at me.

"That was a rumor," he says and then his dark eyes flick to mine. "It was never true."

"Hm," I say as I take my wine glass and gulp it down. At first I was hesitant to drink wine… but now I'm trying to be normal again. "You look tired."

"And you look like hell," he counters and I smile.

"I was dead… what's your excuse?"

"You're going to be milking that one the rest of your life," he says jokingly and we both pause when our food arrives. "I won't be able to stay long," he says as he unravels his napkin and puts it on his lap. "I have other plans so whatever Mom was hoping to accomplish with this little meeting is going to be stalled."

"What plans do you have?" I ask as I take a bite of the fish I ordered. Food I can trust is a good thing. Between the oranges and the drugged wine on the island, I was starting to think I'd never eat again. "With Addison?" I add because I haven't seen or heard about her since… yeah… well…

"No, something more important."

I furrow my brows. "What's more important than your pregnant fiancée?" I ask because he sounded hard and cold then. This is the Gavin I don't recognize.

"Do you realize how fucked up everything has gotten since you've been gone?" The anger in his voice makes me raise my eyebrows as he leans across the table to get closer to me. "We thought you were dead, Cassius… Dead." He repeats again to get his point across. "That hurt everyone and everyone suffered." He sits back and shakes his head, like he was upset that he let himself say that. I watch as he pulls a cigarette from his pocket and he lights the end with his wand.

"When did you start smoking?" I ask as he takes a drag and blows the smoke out from the corner of his mouth. My brother was always too lazy to have bad habits.

"When did you become a brunette?" he counters back to avoid the question as he looks at my hair. "Does the disguise actually work?" he asks as he looks me over.

An elderly couple passes by our table and the old woman in the pearls looks at Gavin, noticing his Malfoy blonde hair that makes my brother and I stand out from everyone else. When her gaze slides to me, her eyes widen and she grabs her date's arm, whispering furiously to them as they take their seats. "I guess not," I say tiredly as I take a drink from my glass.

There's an awkwardly long amount of dead silence where the music from the restaurant and the voices of the other patrons scratch against my ears. My focus shifts from my knife cutting into my food, to Gavin when he scoots back his chair. "I have to go."

"Sit down," I tell him because people are starting to stare without a care now. At least they tried not to be obvious about it before.

That spikes his anger and I can see the tightness in his jaw as he places his hands on the table. He has never liked being told what to do, especially from me, so I know my order irritated him. "I have a meeting to go to."

He stands up and I stand as well so I can counter him and impose myself on him. I am taller, that usually works to my advantage with him. "This has been fun, little brother. I'm glad we did it." I say sarcastically as he buttons his suit jacket.

"Goodbye, Cassius," he says flatly, dropping money on the table before taking off. I watch his back in annoyance before glancing around me at all the stares I'm receiving from the patrons and employees. I glare at Gavin's retreating back before chasing after him, grabbing my cloak from the chair and folding it over my arm as I jog after him. He has no reason to be acting this way with me. He should be bloody happy I'm back.

"What is your problem?" I ask as we make it outside. I grab his arm to get his attention and make him face me. "What is wrong with you?"

He throws my hand off and scowls at me. "There's nothing wrong with me," he says, on the verge of yelling. I look around to see the people passing by as he flicks his cigarette on the ground and tramps it out with his dress boot. No doubt this will be reported in the paper tomorrow and I bring a hand up to tug through my darker locks because I've never been comfortable in the spot light. "There is something wrong with you. People don't just come back like you did. What the hell was that?"

"I don't know," I say in frustration because I don't know the answer to any of the questions he wants to ask. "I don't know, but I know that I'm here now, so can you please be a little more fucking welcoming."

"Don't you have somewhere to be?" he replies, trying to get rid of me.

"Where are you going?" I ask as he takes off down the road. I follow right behind and he's annoyed by it. I don't care and I fall into step beside him as I throw on my cloak.

"I have a meeting."

"What kind of meeting? Surely you didn't plan anything for the company on Saturday." One thing that will never change about my brother is his lack of work ethic.

"Go home, Cass. I'm sure mother is waiting," he mocks because it's true. I'm a little boy again to my mother and father and, even though it makes me feel good that they care, it's also freaking bothersome.

"I want to go with you," I say as I try to sound casual, putting my hands in my pockets and trying to pretend that I'm not jogging to catch up with his strides.

"No."

"Why not? What kind of meeting is it?" I stop walking. "Is it an AA meeting?"

He stops to and glares at me over his shoulder. "I'm not a fucking alcoholic, you idiot," he says like the wonderful ray of sunshine that he is. "Goodbye now."

He starts walking again and I just stand where I am, staring at his back. "Fine. Bye, Gavin," I say softly.

To be completely honest, I had expected him to stop and stay… or at least invite me along, but when I saw his back retreat down the road I grabbed my wand and made up my mind to follow him. There is something wrong with my brother… even I can tell that and I don't like it. I'm not all that surprised to see him turn down knockturn alley because I know Gavin has always favored the pubs and clubs that were situated on knockturn's main drag, but when I saw him turn into a notoriously dark Apothecary with another slim looking witch, my interest, and my concern, was peaked.

"What the hell, Gavin?" I whisper as I watch the door shut behind him.

I throw up the hood of my dark cloak and I settle myself in an alcove across the street in one of the dark brick buildings. It's really not suspicious for me to do this because most of the people in Knockturn are creeps and dirt bags. I watch as a few more jumpy eyed wizards enter the building where my brother just went, noticing that there's a charm that slightly lights up the threshold whenever someone steps through. One witch with a leather jacket and striped tights tries to get in, but whatever spell they have on the door rejects her, and she goes flying backwards, landing hard on her bottom on the dirty cobble stone street.

"You told me both of your parents were purebloods," one pointy faced witch with dyed green hair sneers from the doorway at the girl on the ground.

"They are!" the girl in the leather jacket stands up and dusts off her tights. "There must be something wrong with the ward!" she says with a red face.

She tries to enter the building again, only to chucked right back out on her knees.

"No dirty blood." Some gruff voice says as he joins the green haired witch in the doorway. "This is a pureblood meeting only."

A pureblood meeting only? Surely Gavin didn't know that. I watch as the woman in the street winces as she gets up on all fours, wiping gravel away from the side of her face.

"But…." The woman fumbles to stand up with holes in the knees of her tights from the second fall. "But I am! I swear, there is something wrong with your wards."

"There is nothing wrong," the big gruff man with a dark hair and graying goatee states flatly. "Go home, mudblood."

The woman in the street looks miffed and she sends a pleading looking to her green haired friend who totally ignores her and walks inside. As the woman in the street cusses and swears, the man with the goatee closes the door and pulls the blinds down tight. I furrow my brows and watch as the girl storms off, down the opposite way of Knockturn, muttering under her breath and cussing about what just happened to her. When she's out of sight I look back at the old Apothecary with curiosity and dread pooling within me. A meeting where only purebloods are allowed to attend? That can't be good.

Gavin is my baby brother, after all, and I kind of like the idea of helping him if he needs it. These past couple of weeks since I've been home have all been about me… what I'm doing, what I'm feeling, what happened to me… but this is something that I'm use to. I'm use to taking over that big brother role and helping out other people. It's a position I'm more comfortable with.

I assume the meeting is already in session so I pull my hood down further to cover my face as I walk towards the building. I hesitate one second before tugging on the door handle and I breathe a sigh of relief when it opens for me and I'm able to walk in without any problems. Two pureblooded parents—check.

"You're late," the gruff voice man says and I glance at him once before looking away and tugging on my hood again. "Shut the door, would you?"

I quickly shut the door and send a timid look around because I've never been in here before. The Apothecary is lined with old cedar shelves that are full of potions and healing ointments that fall along the line of dark magic. From what I've heard, most of the main selling items are in some mysterious back room where unicorn blood and dragon's teeth are sold by the pound. The room is full of people… witches and wizards of all different ages and social class are mingling together in the large shop, making a dull roar as their voices try to speak over one another. The green haired who ditched her friend is speaking to some pudgy looking old house-wife wearing a housecoat and loafers…. It's a weird crowd… but one thing is similar about everyone in this room right now. They're all purebloods, and from what I know of history… a secretive pureblood only meeting never leads to anything good.

"Everyone take a seat please. We're ready to begin!" Some round looking man in a top hat claps his hands and the noise in the room dies down. I didn't notice the wooden folding chairs set up around the room as people begin to separate to sit. I slide towards the back, by a shelf of snake skins, as I look around for my brother.

I spot him instantly because his hair sets him apart from the others in the room. He's sitting down, towards the front, with some thin looking dark haired witch on his left, and a serious looking Theodore Nott on his right.

What the hell, Gavin?

"All right, settle down, settle down," The man in the top hat says and he raises his chubby hands as he walks towards the makeshift stage by the check out counter. The crowd dies down and some horrid looking man with a limp walks around the perimeter of the room, offering people drinks. I decline when he reaches me and try to focus on my brother. "The ministry is still pressuring our registered friends into signing the agreement. As of right now there is still wiggle room to post pone sighing before the Ministry acts on its decree."

"They brought in my sister last week for not signing," some exotic looking witch says from the front row. She's wearing a red velvet dress that reaches her feet and her hair is done up in a foolish looking curled style on top of her head. "She has served her time already. What right do they have to tell us what to think?"

"Do not feel pressured to sign," the round man says and I glance at my brother again as he talks to Nott in a hushed voice. What is he doing here? "If one of us does… then they have the power. Gavin," everyone looks to my brother. "Has your father signed?"

"No, not yet," Gavin says smoothly and I have no idea what they're talking about, so I cross my arms because I'm pretty sure this isn't a book club meeting. "But I think he will soon. My Mother wants him to."

"Of course she does," a tall blonde in the third row sneers and Gavin shoots her a look.

I find myself glaring as well and I glance back at Gavin to see his reaction. "What does that mean?" my brother says darkly and the woman raises an eyebrow with her legs crossed.

"Exactly what you think it does. You and your family can pretend that she's not a Weasley, but she is." She crosses her arms as well and tightens her jaw. "The Weasley's are blood traitors and they always will be."

See, this is one of the things that sucks about my parents. You can go one place and everyone will hate my Dad and say terrible things about him… and you can go somewhere else and every one will swear that my Mother was the worst thing to happen to the Malfoy name since Nigel Malfoy blew off his own foot with his wand. There is no easy in-between with them. It's like they come from too polar sides of the wizarding spectrum.

"Jade, be nice," a woman with short dark hair cuts in with an amused smile. She's the thin one sitting on Gavin's left who looks too old to look so plastic. "Ginny used to be one of our dearest friends."

Even I know that's a lie.

"Until she killed my husband," the Jade woman hisses and the woman in the white dress smiles.

"Allegedly."

"Anyways, the point is Malfoy hasn't signed yet and he is the most recognized marked pureblood among us." The pudgy top hat man tries to real the conversation back to the point.

"But he won't join the party," some gruff warlock chimes in, sipping on the blood red drink that the troll looking man was offering up."He has an image to uphold."

Some old witch in a ratty hat sighs out loud until people start looking at her. "This is exciting and all, but did anyone notice the halfbreeds marching down the street this morning? Honestly… equal pay for equal work? Those stupid creatures do nothing but feed off the government's money. It's not like anyone is going to pay a half giant to do anything other than yard work."

I curl my lip back in disgust at the comment and the agreement it receives from the people around them as I glare at Gavin. This is the kind of meeting that he had?

"I've honestly noticed that my spells aren't as strong as they use to be ever since they opened the muggle friendly motel off of Derby Street. I mean, if mudbloods want to integrate, that's fine, but we don't need their bloody families coming here and upsetting our magical balance." A girl with chestnut hair comments and I crane my neck to see her face because that voice sounds familiar to me.

"I agree…"

They start talking about muggle borns and their families for a little while as I stare at my little brother. How could he join a club like this? Granted, our last name is equated with pureblood and prejudice…but we've never had a thought left or right about blood purity. It wasn't shoved down our throats like it was my father's and our mother taught us to accept everyone. Character counts more than blood status, we were told. I'm surprised Gavin would get involved because he hates all political things and, even though he can be mean sometimes, he's never thought it was worth his time to hate someone so thoroughly for something they couldn't help. To Gavin, a pretty girl is pretty no matter what her status and that's the only thing that's ever been worth his time.

I'm about ready to pull him out of this freaking building and demand to know what he's doing associating with people like this, but I feel the distinct prickling on the back of my neck, signaling I'm being stared at and I turn to the woman with chestnut hair seated towards the front of the room. She's turned around with her arm along the back of the chair, staring right at me. I find myself looking back into a pair of olive green eyes that I haven't seen in years.

"Daniella?" I whisper in surprise. Admittedly she was a snob when we dated at Hogwarts in the beginning, but I never pegged her as a purist either. What is happening to the world?

She tilts her head to the side as she studies me, trying to decide if she knows me or not and I find myself being stupidly floored by seeing her again after so many years. She was always beautiful, but now she looked like a woman and I have to say I appreciate the new look… why is she here, though?

She finally looks away after a thick side burned bloke tugs her elbow to get her attention and my focus shifts from the back of her head to Gavin. I watch as he excuses himself and he disappears into a dark back hallway. I follow him, of course, seeing this as my chance to confront him and when he turns into a public bathroom, I slide in behind him and shut the door. At first he doesn't notice as he walks over to one of the urinals… but when I lock the door he glances over his shoulder.

"Wow," he says as he turns back and unzips his pants. "You totally followed me."

"Why are you here?" I ask bluntly. Gavin is a dick, but this is not his crowd. My brother seems to have fallen in with the wrong set of people…. Which is kind of funny if you think about it because it's usually Gavin who is the ring leader of the' wrong set.'

"To take a piss, obviously," he snaps like I was a retarded three year old. "Stop watching me. You know I'm shy."

"Gavin, this is a Death Eater meeting. What the hell are you doing at something like this?"

"It's not a Death Eater meeting," he says in annoyance. "Will you leave," he snaps and when I don't move he cusses and shifts his broad shoulders. Then I hear his pants zip back up. "Goddamnit, I can't do anything with you just standing there like a fucking creep."

"I'm leaving and you're coming with me."

"Who are you?" he asks as he walks over to the sink to wash his hands. It's good to know that he still holds cleanliness in high regard considering the company he's keeping. "Who the fuck are you, Cassius?" he asks as he glares at my reflection in the small hanging mirror. "Where have you been?" I stare at him as his dark eyes glare into my own. "You were gone and now I'm here, so leave me alone."

That didn't make any sense to me and I watch him as he dries off his hands on one of the paper towels.

"What happened to you?" I ask because he's totally different now.

"My brother died," is all he says before he pushes past me and unlocks the door. When he leaves I just stare at the wall for a while, trying to decide how to handle that encounter, because it was so far away from anything I expected.

What happened to everything?

I blame Paige.

I feel safer with this, though… It's not my own problem I have to fix… it's someone else's and I like that much better than focusing on myself. I can think of only one thing that will help my misguided little brother, because I obviously hold no more sway over him. I head back to the Manor with my dyed brown hair and winter cloak still on my shoulders even though it's the middle of summer. All the while working out what I want to say to the one person who Gavin will actually listen to because he seems to be in such a weird place right now.

I want to take focus off of my own weird placement as well, and helping Gavin will do just that.

I'm not ashamed to say I'm taking the high road in this situation…. and I'm totally going to rat him out to Dad.

I know Gavin will be thrilled.


	13. Chapter 13

**_Lavinia _**

"Will you pass the salt, please?" I ask as I look at my father at the head of the table. He doesn't move... he doesn't look at me so I cough to clear my throat and try again. Sometimes I talk too softly and people don't hear me. "Dad, will you please pass the salt?"

To be honest, I really don't need any salt, but I'm trying multiple strategies to get my father to acknowledge my existence again. Besides the random one word answer or small glance, he pretends like I'm not even in the room and it breaks my heart. I wasn't even sure why he was acting that way towards me so soon after I came home, until he finally snapped at me after a day of me pleading with him, telling me I needed to be responsible and I needed to be careful with my watch because he didn't appreciate hearing what I was doing with my 'boyfriend' while I was away from home. When it finally dawned on me that he had heard Byron and I having sex, I was so embarrassed that I didn't leave my room for two days. After writing to Byron about it, I decided that I didn't want my father to treat me this way. I'm a woman now, and I'm going to do woman things... he shouldn't ignore me for it. Even though I'm embarrassed beyond belief that he heard, I still want him to talk to me.

"Dad?"

Evelyn stops eating and glances at me and then to my father who continues to cut his steak like nothing was wrong. I feel painful tears stinging my eyes because it hurts to be treated this way from someone I love so much, so I look down at my plate and push food around, trying not to cry and make a scene.

"Oh, good lord," I hear my mother say as she scoots her chair back. She's been in charge of relaying messages back and forth between us, I'm not surprised that she's fed up with it. "I'm going upstairs. Come on, Evelyn."

"You aren't finished yet," Dad says flatly and Mom stands up and puts her napkin on the table.

"Now, Evelyn." Mom says, ignoring my father's comment.

My sister stills the fork half way to her mouth and she pouts at Mom. "But... I'm not done."

"I said come on," Mom snaps and Evie looks down at her half eaten plate of food longingly before standing up and leaving the room. Mom looks at Dad with annoyance and impatience written all over her face. "You are going to grow up and talk to your daughter and, for heavens sakes, pass her the damn salt."

She leaves with an irritated sigh and once the door to the large dining room closes, I glance nervously at Dad. He sits back on his chair and tiredly throws his napkin down his plate. I think he's going to leave with out speaking to me again, so I furrow my brows and take a deep breath.

"Daddy, please," I say softly when he scoots his chair back.

He finally looks at me, making eye contact, and when he notices that I'm starting to cry he sighs, turning away while rubbing his face. "Sit right here," he says, nodding to the chair to his right... Mom's chair.

I feel a nervous flutter in my stomach as I gingerly get up and slide into the seat by his side. I think this might be the official confrontation and I find myself feeling very uneasy by it because I don't want it to end badly. "I'm sorry, Daddy," I say because I figure I should say it. I don't want him to be mad at me anymore and I think calling him Daddy instead of Dad softens him more to my side. "I really... I didn't..." my voice cracks as he looks at me and I glance down at my fingers, not able to say anymore.

"This isn't easy for me," he says in his deep voice. "I don't want you to cry," he says, sounding warmer than he did before. "I know that you are an adult now, and you are going to do adult things... but I..." he stops himself and he pushes his plate back, letting his elbows rest on the top of the table so he can speak to me more frankly. "You left, Lavinia, right after we thought Cassius died, and your mother and I were so worried about you. Not only because we didn't know where you were most of the time... but because of who you were with."

I watch him as he speaks, not understanding. "It was just Byron," I say because he's known Byron since... well, since forever.

"That boy had a very terrible childhood, Lavinia," he says softly, like he was trying to get me to understand something unpleasant. "I'm in debt to him for what he did for your brother, but his father did things to him that no child should live with, and that stays with a person." I furrow my brows as he tells me this, wondering where this is going. "He has always had problems... he always will... and that's not safe. Sweetheart, you are too young to understand and you jumped head first into a relationship that has obviously been very serious," he says and my cheeks flush when I think about how truly serious we have been. In fact, it's been so serious I've had to spend my time home praying my period would come. "You need time to grow up a little bit and you need to see how dangerous that relationship can be if you let it get too involved."

"But, I love him," I say honestly, because I don't like the things that he's saying. I feel the need to defend Byron, to point out that Dad wasn't all that great when he was first married to Mom but they worked things out anyways. Byron is not nearly as bad as our father used to be. "I really do."

He nods his head. "I know you think that."

That's all he says and it spikes my temper, but I try to settle it down because I don't want to ruin this conversation he's finally having with me. "Why have you been ignoring me?" I ask, because it seems so ridiculous now and I want to get him off the topic of Byron.

He sighs again, a loud and long sigh. "Because I honestly didn't know what to say to you," he answers while looking away at the wall. "You have always been a little girl to me... and you're not that anymore. It's hard for me to accept. I'm sorry I made you feel bad and I'm sorry I made you cry." He looks at me again and there's a moment of silence as he studies my face. "Will you promise me something?"

I want to please him so I nod my head. "What is it?" I ask quietly.

"I want you to take a break from Byron," I start to protest but he puts up a hand so I'll stop. "I know everything feels intense right now, but you need to go to school. The deadline for most of the universities are starting to pass and you need to make a decision. I'm going to tell you the same thing I told your brothers. Either you go to school, or you get a job. If you don't, I'm going to put a lock on your trust fund until you do."

That sounded quite mean and cold to me. "Why?" I ask, because in all honesty I didn't think those rules applied to me.

"We're rich, Lavinia," he says seriously. "Our family has always been rich and it probably always will be, but you can't let that define who you are. It's hard to grow up when everything is handed to you and I don't want you to be one of those people. Your mother and I agreed a long time ago that this was what we were going to do because it will turn you into better, well rounded people."

"So, I could just go and work for you and that would be fine?" I ask, because that's a job that was readily 'handed' to Gavin.

"You wouldn't like it," he says seriously. "And you wouldn't be good at it. Cassius is the same way and it's not a bad thing, so stop looking at me like that," he adds, and I let my bitter frown disappear. "I want you to do something that you love and that you're good at. Gavin didn't start out on top of the company. Even though he's lazy, he did move his way up with out my influence because he's good at what he does."

I nod my head again because I can't think of anything else to say on the matter. "So, you're not mad at me anymore?" I ask hopefully, because that's really what I want to know.

"No, never mad," he says gently as he reaches out and touches my cheek with the back of his hand before pulling away. "Never mad, just upset."

"Will you let Byron come to the Manor sometime?" I ask, sitting up straight, hopeful. "We could have dinner together... he's so smart and he's actually very funny sometimes."

"No," he says seriously. "Not yet."

I guess he's still angry with Byron and I'm about ready to try to make him see reason, but the door opens and we both turn towards the new person in the room. Cassius looks strange with the new darker hair and I haven't gotten use to seeing him around like this. It's like seeing a ghost and my heart beat always speeds up when he's in the room because I thought I never would actually see him again.

"Dad, can I speak to you?" he says flatly and Dad nods his head.

"Go to my study, I'll be there in a few moments." My brother nods and turns to leave, but stops when Dad speaks again. "Oh, and Cass?"

"Yeah?" my brother says with his eyebrows raised. I just like looking at him... knowing he's real and solid and here.

"What the hell did you do to your hair?"

"Just got a trim," he says with a straight face and I smile. I had almost forgotten how much I liked him.

"A trim?"Dad repeats as he eyes my brother's new darker locks. "Well, I hate it."

Cass smirks and I laugh a little. "I'll be in your study," he says before waving himself off and leaving the room.

I did miss him... I'm so glad he's back. I don't really care to find out the mystery of how and why he was able to return to us, I'm just willing to accept it as it is.

Once he's gone, I look back to my father. He pushes his chair back and stands up, walking around to the chair I'm sitting in before leaving the room. "I'm glad you're home, darling," he says softly, kissing the top of my head as he walks past me.

I watch him leave before slumping in my chair. I am no longer his favorite child, that much is painfully obvious, but I guess I can't blame him. It's hard to beat coming back from the dead. I fiddle with the silverware for few minutes before deciding to head up to my room. This time away from Byron had really cleared my head and let me breathe. I realized how involved with him I was, and how all consuming being so close to him was to me that I forgot about other important things. I need to speak to Chloe, I've decided. I can't just leave our friendship off on that weird and sour note and I do miss her. I have so much I need to tell her!

I make my way up the stairs, trying to decide what to write in the letter I need to send and when I turn down one of the dark hallways I hear my Mother's voice.

"Where are you going?" I glance up and see her, with her back to me, talking to my little sister.

"Oh, nowhere," Evelyn replies as she plays with the ribbon on her yellow dress. "Just taking stroll, is all," she says and even I know she's up to something by the stupid wide look she has in her eyes.

"Hm," My mother says as she puts her hands on her hips. "One of the elves said they saw you trying to move the statue that's by the cellar door this morning."

"Did they?" She says curiously with her curls dangling down over her shoulder from the pony tail she put in her hair. "Why were you doing that?"

Evelyn's eyes shift and she notices me. She gives me a little smile and sly wave so Mom won't see.

"Evelyn," Mom snaps when she doesn't respond and my sister's eyes snap back to her. "Why were you trying to move the statue?"

"I thought that there was a door behind it," she answers bluntly. "Is there a door behind it?"

"No," Mom snaps quickly, almost too quickly to be believable and I raise my eyebrows as Evelyn frowns and looks down.

"Perhaps I'll ask Daddy," she says softly to herself, but both Mom and I catch it.

"Ask him what?"

"About the door, of course," she answers, looking up and smiling sweetly at Mom. "You probably can't see it because your magic isn't as strong as Dad's."

Mom lets out a disbelieving laugh and I furrow my brows. "Did your father tell you that?" She says, thinking my sister is joking but the earnest look in Evie's eyes tells me she's not. "I can assure you my magic is just as good as his."

Evelyn shakes her head. "No, you're not as strong because your parents were muggle lovers."

I nearly scoff at her words and Mom falls silent for a few moments before crossing her arms. "Muggle lovers?" she repeats angrily, but my sister misses her tone and continues talking like it wasn't a big deal.

"It's not your fault, of course," she says as she looks at mom like she was sympathizing with her. What is she doing? "You were just too poor when you were little to afford nice wizarding things so your parents let you play with muggle stuff... that's why your magic isn't good, because that messed it up and that's why Daddy is always in charge because his magic is more pure."

"Who told you these things?" My mom asks flatly, I can tell she's angry and so am I. Does Evelyn not realize how insulting and mean she is sounding right now?

"It's true, isn't it?" Evelyn looks at Mom's face and takes a step closer to her. "Oh, don't be upset Mom. Like I said, it's not your fault and I still love you. It's not like you have any dirty blood in you or anything."

"Evelyn!" I snap, unable to hold back anymore and Mom flicks a glance over her shoulder. "Stop saying things like that." She's old enough to know what a derogatory term 'dirty blood' is.

"What?" Evelyn says, sounding clueless and naive. "I said she's not a mudblood. That's a good thing."

"Go to your room, Evelyn Grace," My mother snaps, sounding dark and upset. "You are not allowed to say hurtful words like that while you're under this roof, and never speak to me that way again, do you understand?"

Evelyn opens her mouth in surprise, ready to protest, but the look Mom gave her must have put the fear of Mom's 'weak' magic in her because she huffs and starts stomping to her room.

"We're going to talk about this later," my mother calls after her and once we hear her door slam I walk towards Mom.

"What was that all about?"

"I have no idea," Mom answers, sounding concerned and worried. "Do you know if she's been talking to anyone who would tell you those things?"

I shrug. "I have no idea."

She furrows her brows and looks out the window as she rubs the back of her neck, probably thinking about that weird conversation she just had with my sister. "How did the talk with you father go?" she asks after a few moments of silence.

I look down. "He's talking to me again... so, I think that's a good thing."

Mom sighs. "You're going to have to be patient with him, Lavinia," she says softly. "It's hard for him to accept that you're growing up."

"I understand that."

"And please be more careful with that watch of yours. Your Dad nearly tore down the house after hearing it."

I blush again, thinking about what he actually did hear and I feel humiliated all over again. I hate that both of my parents now know I have sex with Byron. There is just something terrible and wrong with that.

"I'm sorry."

"I know."

"So, I think I'm going to write to Chloe," I tell her to change the subject. "Would it be okay if I met up with her somewhere?" I ask, hoping I'll be allowed to.

Mom looks at me and raises her brows. "Why are you even asking?" I'm confused and I chew on my lower lip as she looks into my eyes. "You were gone for months and didn't bother to ask... You are of age now."

"I know, but... it's just."

"Go, have fun with your friend," she says, cutting me off. "It has been a strange summer."

"I agree," I tell her as I study her face, the red of her hair shines in the light coming in through the window and I wonder if I will look as pretty as she does when I'm older.

"I need to go talk to your father," she says with a sigh. "Have a good time tonight, sweetheart."

"Thanks," I mutter as she walks off. This is strange... I guess when I came back I expected things to be as they were, but my parents treat me differently now. It's not bad, but just unexpected.

I pass by my sister's door on the way to my room and I debate whether I should go in there and scold her for the horrid things she said to our mother earlier, but I decide against it because I suspect that Mom had to go talk to Dad for that very same reason. She's going to get a good talking to later, if I'm right. So I walk past her room and head to mine to write a letter. I ask Chloe to meet me at the park near our house so we can talk and she answers an hour later, agreeing to see me. For some reason, I'm kind of nervous to see her because I'm not totally sure what happened between us during her birthday party. I remember something unpleasant, but I was too drunk to remember much else. What if I said something mean to her and didn't remember? That would make me feel terrible, so I slip into a pair of khaki shorts and a red tank top before heading down stairs. My slip on flats are by the door so I put them on before leaving the house. It's weird that I didn't tell anyone where I was going and no one seemed to care. I remember a time when I could just think of leaving the Manor and my Dad would be on my back, asking me a million questions about where I was going and who I would be with and what time I would be home. I guess I am officially an adult now.

The park isn't too far away so I decide to walk, knowing that Chloe will have to Apparate. I let my hair air dry today so instead of being straight, it's that weird wave that's neither straight nor curly, falling somewhere annoyingly in between. I push a few strands out of my eyes as I make my way towards the blue sign that's outside of that park and I take a seat on brown wooden bench to wait for her to arrive. God, it's unbelievably humid out today and I'm already starting to sweat from just sitting here. I fan myself with my hand and pull my thick hair on top of my head to cool off my neck. Meeting outside was a stupid idea on my part. I hate summer, I hope fall gets here soon.

I close my eyes against the sun and tilt my head back, trying to stay cool. Damn the heat and damn myself for not bringing my wand. When I hear a faint pop I crack my eyes open to see Chloe standing by the blue sign in brown knee length shorts and a white camisole.

"Chloe," I greet as I stand up and walk over to her. "Thanks for coming so quickly. I think I was starting to melt," I tell her as I wipe sweat off of my forehead.

She looks me over, focusing on the sweat on my chest. "You are a little damp," she says and I smile.

"Do you want to go for a walk?"

"Sure," she says uneasily. We go into the park, starting on the dirt trail that leads further into the forest where there's a bike trail and scenery benches. This is more of a nature reserve, but there is a decent sized playground off to the left and when we pass it I look towards the swings.

"Do you want to go there?" I ask, nodding towards the swing set.

"Okay," she mumbles and it's so un-like her to be so passively complacent. We walk towards the blue chain swings and I carefully take a seat, letting the rubber seat bow down with my body and I gently start pushing my feet against the ground so I can rock back and forth. Chloe copies me, and we sit in silence for a while before I finally gather up the courage to speak first.

"Thank you for meeting me, Chloe," I tell her honestly. "I've missed talking to you."

"Are you still with my brother?" she asks blandly and I glance at her from the corner of my eyes. Her hands are clutching the chains and her face is set as she looks ahead of her. Her short hair is stick straight and down, falling into her face with each movement of the swing.

"I think so..." I tell her. "I haven't seen him in a week. Things have been so crazy lately."

She flicks her aqua eyes to mine. "Because of Cassius?" I nod my head. "I'm glad he's back. That is very good news for your family."

I smile a little. "It is, and if it wasn't for Byron I don't know what would have happened to him."

We fall silent again and I'm about ready to apologize to her for getting drunk at her birthday and throwing up like a moron, but she beats me to it. "I'm sorry about making you feel bad, Lavinia," she says softly, so softly I barely heard her. "I know Byron thinks I did it on purpose, but I didn't and I'm not sorry for what I did that night."

I furrow my brows. "Wait, what are you talking about?" I ask and she looks at me with her eyes narrowed.

"Byron thinks I made you drink. He seems to think I got you drunk on purpose."

I snort. "That's silly," I say and I smile at her so she doesn't feel bad. "You weren't the one shoving all those bottles down my throat. I should be sorry for getting so wasted at your birthday party because that was horribly rude. I didn't do anything bad there, did I?"

She stops swinging. "You don't remember?"

I stop swinging as well, concerned over her snappish tone. "Did I say something bad?" I question, feeling my heart speed up. I really don't want her to be mad at me for something I can't recall doing.

"Are you joking?"

"No, Chloe what did I do?"

She stands up from the swing. "No, it's what I did," she snaps as she starts to walk away.

What is going on? I stand from the swing and start jogging after her, my stupid thick hair bouncing all over the place and getting in my eyes. I should have brought a freaking hair tie with me. "What happened?" I ask seriously when I catch up with her. She looks really upset and her fists are clenched at her sides, so I grab her arm and make her stop walking to face me. "Chloe, what happened? Byron didn't say and I just feel like I did something wrong."

"Noble Byron didn't tell you what happened even though he's been bitching at me for it ever since it happened?"

This is starting to worry me. "Just tell me. It can't be that bad."

"It didn't last long," she says bitterly. "You pushed me and started throwing up all over the place."

"I pushed you?" I say with my eyes widening. "Why did I push you?"

"Because," she says and then she looks at me, "Because..." her eyes flick down to my lips as I try to catch my breath from trying to keep up with her on this hot flipping day. "Because of this."

She grabs my arms and leans in. If possible, my eyes get even wider as she leans in and presses her lips against mine. What the hell!? I just stand there like an idiot, letting my best friend kiss me in the middle of a family play ground and my brain can't even formulate a reasonable action to take as she takes a step closer to my body. How horribly weird and awkward this is. She brings a hand up and tangles it in my hair and when she tries to deepen this strange kiss, I find my senses, and gently push her back. She's panting slightly and her eyes are glazed over as they stare into mine. She doesn't let her hands drop from my body, so I just stare right back at her, dumbfounded.

"What. The. Hell." I say as I disentangle myself from her arms quickly, finally letting my body react to the weird thing that's going on. I take a step back and cross my arms over my chest protectively. "Did that really just happen?" I ask as I look around the playground to make sure I'm not dreaming.

"I like girls," she says plainly, like it was an everyday thing to kiss your friend and then tell them you're gay.

"Yeah, well, why couldn't you just bloody tell me?" I snap as I resist the urge to wipe off my mouth. "That wasn't funny, Chloe," I add because I think she just did that to mess with me.

"It's not suppose to be," she says seriously and I search her face, trying to see what she's playing at. "I've always been attracted to girls," she admits softly.

I stare at her, trying to figure out why the hell she kissed me to get her point across and then it hits me. She can't.... "Oh, Chloe," I say when I realize why this happened. She didn't do it as a jerky way to tell me she was gay... she did it to tell me she liked me. "Oh, no, Chloe," I say as I let my arms drop. "I'm sorry."

She shakes her head and turns away from me as her cheeks redden in embarrassment.

"Chloe, I love Byron," I tell her honestly. "I love him, and you're my best friend. I like... I like boys." There wasn't a plainer way to say that, really. "You should have just told me."

She wipes her eyes and I suspect she might start crying. "I know, but I just thought that maybe if..." she trails off and I feel terrible because I can't be what she wants me to be. I really do love Chloe, but I could never love her that way.

"It's okay," I say, just to make her feel better even though I can't help but see her in a different way now... not a bad way, but a different way none the less.

She glares at me with watery eyes. "It is not okay, this is humiliating and you're probably never going to speak to me again after this."

"You're still my best friend," I tell her, taking a step closer and touching her shoulder. "I wish you would have told me a long time ago," I tell her because I feel kind of slighted that she didn't trust me enough. She doesn't say anything so I look away. "So, have you ever had a girlfriend before, then?" I ask, trying to sound casual about this new side of her that I didn't know about.

The more I think about it, the more it makes sense... she was never attracted to any boys at school and I guess she has dropped a few hints here and there over the years that I just ignored.

She shakes her head and puts her hands in her pockets. "No, no one even knows yet... but Byron and he figured it out by himself."

"Oh," I say softly, now Byron's words make sense to me. "You know, I think Kelly Newland is a lesbian," I say, trying to be pleasant because I don't know what else to say. I actually don't know if Kelly is gay or not, but she's very manly and she has a better moustache than anything my brother's could grow.

"I told you I like girls. Why would I want an ugly girl who looks like a mountain man?"

"Sorry," I say as I laugh a little at her words. She smiles at me. "So..."

"I hope we can still be friends," she says honestly, looking into my eyes. "I don't want things to be weird now because I'm an idiot. Let's just pretend this didn't happen."

"Of course we can still be friends," I tell her as we start walking back towards the dirt path. I smirk at her. "You're the only one I have, after all."

We walk for a while with out speaking to one another and I start kicking a pebble with my shoe, trying to accept this situation with out feeling weird about it. We carry on like that for a bit longer before Chloe breaks the silence. "I told Byron how I felt about you, you know, that's why I was so mad when you two showed up to my party. I told him that it would hurt too much to see you two together, but he ignored it. Was that selfish of me?"

"It makes sense," I answer gently. "I can understand why you were mad."

This is really weird, but I'm trying not to show it because I desperately want things to be normal with her. "Lavinia," the serious way she said my name makes me look at her to give her my full attention. "I know that you love him and he loves you," she says tightly and I nod my head. "And I'm not saying this to get you away from him or anything. I do want you both to be happy."

"Okay, where is this going?"

"Byron can be so sweet and loving... but he can also be very scary." I look away. I'm tired of hearing bad things about him today. "Especially when he's not on his medication. He gets very... emotional."

"What does that mean?" I ask tightly.

"He can go to a very dark place sometimes," she says. She looks at me earnestly as we walk through the trees and grass. "And he's always liked you... I mean.... I don't even think he's ever loved anything as much as he does you, not even our mother."

"Okay," I say slowly again, not understanding why this is being told to me.

"He's not bad, it's just... just be careful with him." I furrow my brows again. Why can't anyone else see how wonderful and normal he can be? "If he goes to that dark place again, he might bring you with him."

I send a troubled look to the ground, and try not to think about what that means.

**_Cassius_**

"Can you talk to him about it?" I ask, after telling my father everything I know about Gavin and his stupid little pureblood club.

"He probably wouldn't listen to me," Dad answers as he folds his arms over his chest. "He's foolishly stubborn."

I look down at my lap, this talk isn't turning out the way I had expected it to. "Why haven't you signed those papers they were talking about?" I ask as my eyes snap to his. "That oath thing? You haven't signed it yet, have you?"

"Not yet," he answers honestly and I give him a questioning look until he answers. "I'm trying to decide if I should or not, to be honest with you, Cassius."

"Why?" I snap, upset by his reaction to what I've told him. "Why wouldn't you sign it? Are you going to join up with them like Gavin?"

"No," he says softly, like snapping back at me would break me. Everyone is always so gentle with me now and I find it highly irritating. "When the Dark Lord was in power, no one had the choice to believe in anything else. You went along with it or you died," he says and I know what side he was on so he won't be getting any sympathy from me on that. It was more like go along with it or my father would kill you. "How is that oath any different from what the Dark Lord did?"

"Because it's a promise not to hang out with a lot of bigoted pretentious purist idiots who think in a totally twisted way."

He sits back and looks me over, I think he's going to finally be heated back with me, but no... instead he asks me the most annoying bloody question in the world. "How are you feeling today, Cass?"

"I'm fine," I say as I stand up, angry that no one is normal around me. "I'm fine. I'm fine. I'm fine. That should cover the next couple of days."

"Sit down."

I sneer. "No, I'm going to my room. If you want Gavin to be a death eater like you were, then fine. Good parenting on your part, Dad."

"Why would Gavin be a death eater?" I turn and see Mom standing in the doorway with her arms crossed. "What are you two talking about?" she asks as she looks in between my father and I.

"We're talking about how much I hate our son's new hair color," Dad lies as he crosses his legs and glances up at me. "I truly don't like it."

He probably doesn't like it because it isn't blond like his anymore. Parent's do see their kids as an extension of themselves and I did get my hair from my father's side. He probably takes it as a personal slight against his genes or something.

"I followed Gavin after we had dinner," I say. If Dad won't do anything, Mom most definitely will. "I found him at a pureblood only meeting. It was... They were talking about halfbloods and how muggles are messing up pureblood magic."

"Are you serious?" She says, walking further into the room. She looks at Dad. "What is going on with everyone?"

"Gin, it's probably nothing. You know Gavin is too lazy to care about anything." Dad replies and I shake my head.

"Dad, I think he's seriously involved. They asked him about you too, if you signed those papers yet because they're all rallying together to fight it. He smokes now too," I add, feeling like a child telling on him for that.

"You haven't signed them yet?" Mom asks and Dad sighs loudly. Mom narrows her eyes. "Draco, you said you would and _you_ don't even smoke!"

"I know."

"They sent them back because you 'forgot' to sign them. You haven't even bothered to do it at all, have you?"

"Ginny," he says, rubbing his eyes under his glasses and I figure I should leave soon because this is going to turn into an all out fight soon. "I honestly don't think it's a fair thing to make us do. Darren is trying hard to repeal it."

"You said last night that you would," she snaps and I start to edge out of the room. They fight all the time now.

"Gin..."

"Now our son goes to pureblood meetings and our youngest daughter just told me that I was weak because my parents were muggle lovers, but it was okay because she loved me anyways because at least I'm not a mudblood."

I raise my eyebrows, stopping halfway towards the door and watch as Mom sets her hands on her hips. "Evelyn said that to you?" Dad asks as he sits up straight.

"Yes, she did."

Dad looks past Mom, right at me. "I'm going..." I sigh because I know he wants me to leave so he can finish talking... fighting... with her. When I leave the room, I leave the door partly open and lean against the hallway wall as I hear Mom stomp around the room. Drawers creak and bang as she mutters angrily to herself.

"What are you doing?" I hear Dad ask and his footsteps join hers as I close my eyes and lean my head back against the wall.

"Looking for those papers because I'm going to watch while you sign them." Another loud bang makes me jump as she slams a drawer. "Where are they?"

"Ginny," Dad sounds tired and the banging and shuffling of papers stop. "I'm not sure if it's a good idea to." I hear her sharp intake of angry breath as Dad cuts her off. "What if I accidentally walk in on one of those meetings? Then I'm sent to Azkaban for life because I signed that foolish oath that has so many holes in it?"

"I doubt you'll accidentally walk into a pureblood meeting and not know it, Draco. Now where are the damn papers?" There's a long bout of silence and then I hear footsteps. "You hid them on your bookshelf?" I hear mom say in a disbelieving voice.

"I didn't hide them," Dad sounds irritated and I cross my arms as I stand out in the hallway and listen in on their conversation. I don't even feel bad about spying. "I just placed them over here."

"Here's a quill. Sign it." There's another long bout of nothingness and I look towards the door, trying to see what's happening through the little sliver that I allowed it to stay open. "Draco, if you don't, I will leave you."

I feel my heart plummet at those words. I actually didn't think they would ever be said so seriously before. "I will leave you, I swear it. I refuse to live life like that again. If you get involved with this new thing, no matter how minuscule your part, I will leave and never talk to you again."

"You are being dramatic," he says, even though his voice is tight and worried. "This isn't that big of a deal."

"It's a big deal to me."

I suppose he signed it because there's few moments of silence before I hear any voices. "Thank you," I hear Mom whisper, and I think she might leave the room soon so I stand up straight.

"I guess you won't be leaving me then," Dad states bitterly.

"I don't think you realize how cruel you used to be," Mom says softly and I look down at my shoes, knowing what she means. "You should talk to Gavin."

"He won't listen to me," Dad says gently. "He's too stubborn to do anything I say."

"No, he's not really," Mom says and their anger seems to have died down. "I think he's just a little lost right now. If what Cassius said is true, I think you're the one who needs to speak to him about it. He loves you and he'll listen to what you have to say on the matter. Maybe you can talk to him on Monday, after he comes in for work."

"I hate that everything is so up in the air when things should finally be grounded," Dad says quietly. "I talked to Lavinia and that was like pulling teeth and I still hate that bloody situation she's in. What the hell am I suppose to do with that?"

"There's nothing you really can do."

"You didn't hear the things he said, Ginny," I should probably leave now. They're so off topic of anything I want to listen to. "Earlier in the summer when I went to return his book, I had a talk with him about her. He was very upset about it... and the way he was acting kind of bothered me. He's not right."

"Just imagine how my Father felt."

I hear another loud sigh as I step away from the door. "Don't think I haven't noticed the similarities. The difference is I have the power to stop it."

"And Lavinia went with him willingly," Mom adds softly as I leave the hallway and walk towards the stairs.

Once in my room, I sit and stare out the window, refusing to go to sleep and refusing to do anything productive with my time. My thoughts travel back to the meeting that I followed Gavin to. I really can't see my brother really believing in any of that and I know that there is something really wrong with him. Some thing so much more than what he's letting on. I sigh as I let my head drop against the glass and I chew on my lip just so I have something to do. I can't believe Daniella was there... that just seems so strange to me. After we dated in Hogwarts, I never really spoke to her much, but I always wondered about her, it kind of sucks that I had to see her again at a freaking purebloodmeeting. It's almost disappointing.

"Cass?"

I look over my shoulder as Evelyn hovers in the doorway. She eyes me like I was a ghost and I sigh before facing the window again. "It wasn't wise to call Mom a mudblood," I tell her, remembering what Mom said in Dad's study.

"I didn't call her that," she says as she walks into the room and plops herself down on my bed like she owned it. "I didn't mean to say anything bad, but she got really mad at me."

I breath out heavily and glare at the trees outside.

"Do you have to go back to St. Mungo's tomorrow?" She asks curiously and I know she wants me to look at her, but I refuse.

"I always have to go there," I say, dreading the tests I'm going to be put through tomorrow. Cassius Malfoy- official lab rat- is my new title.

"I think this might make you feel better," she says and I finally turn around to face her. She's holding a small little clear ball in her hands and when I lift my eyebrows she smiles. "Technically it's Lavinia's, but I doubt she'll mind you having it."

"What is it?" I ask as she gets off the bed and starts walking towards me.

"It's a mood manipulator,"she explains as she takes out her wand and stands right in front of me. "It's a really niftily little thing."

She taps the ball a few times until it starts glowing a golden yellow. Suddenly a warm, calm feeling surrounds me and I smile at Evelyn. "Does it do other emotions?"

"Oh, a great deal of them," she says happily as she taps her wand against the smooth glass of the ball, making it glow in an array of different colors, whipping my emotions up into a whirl wind frenzy with each change. "I figure with all you've been through, you could use it better than the rest of us," she says as she taps it off and hands the glass to me. "The instructions come up when ever you hold it so you know what to do."

I throw the ball up and down in my hands and smile. "Thank you, Evelyn, but I bet Lavinia will want this back." I tell her, knowing she probably stole it from our other sister.

I go to hand it back to her, but she grabs my hand in both of hers and she closes my fingers around it. "You keep it for now." she says, staring into my eyes like she was trying to read what was there. "It is so terribly good to have you home," she says, jumping topics as she smiles and kisses my cheek, letting her arms wrap around me in a tight hug. The surprise of it sends me flying backwards and I fall off the chair, onto the cold wood floor with Evelyn's long lanky frame on top of my own. "I'm sorry!" she squeaks as she scrambles to get off of me.

My foot is stuck in the chair legs and one of her curls is stuck on one of the buttons of my shirt. I tug my foot, she tugs her head, and we both start laughing. "What a hot mess we are," I tell her as I gently unravel her curl from my shirt. She sighs because I'm sure it hurt and she stands up quickly with a red face and a pleased smile on her face as she clasps her hands together.

"Did I hurt you?" she asks, suddenly troubled.

Jesus, even my feather light sister thinks she can hurt me. That's kind of sad. "I'm ten times bigger than you," I tell her as I free my foot from the chair. "I think I will survive this."

"I really can't wait for your party next week. I believe it's going to be so grand. I have the perfect dress for it!"

I grunt in reply. I don't want any part in a welcome home party, but no one seems to care about what I want right now. "I'm sure it will be a blast," I mutter sarcastically, but Evie doesn't catch because she's too busy staring at me like I was a circus freak to pay attention.

"Well, I suppose I should get back to my room. I've been banished there by Mom and I suspect she'll be coming back to scold me some more soon."

I look at her as she twirls a strand of her hair around a slim finger. "Apologize to her, Evelyn," I tell her. I don't know the whole story, but from what I heard, Evelyn said something pretty insulting. "She does everything for us," I sigh and look out the window again. "And all we do is make her feel bad."

"I guess you're right," she says softly. "Well, goodbye then, Cassius."

"Bye," I say gently, watching her reflection in the glass as she leaves my room and closes my door.

I sit there for hours, doing nothing and seeing nothing until finally I go over to the shelf by the record player, running my fingers over the rows of records. I choose a late seventieth century composer to play to drown out the silence and I put the record on the player, gently placing the needle on the black top as it spins around. Violins and cellos, and violas and brass instruments start to stir and fill up my dull and quiet room with a gentle serenade as I fall down onto my bed and stare at the ceiling. I'm so tired, but there's too much on my mind to think about, and I refuse to go back to that island- even in my dreams. The music begins to get louder as the record plays on, but I'm barely listening to it. What is happening with Paige right now, I wonder. Is she still on that fucked up island where nothing changes? Wasn't it crumbling as I left, weren't things different? All those people were trapped there because of Gregorios' selfishness... but what happened to him... he jumped right along with me but he didn't have a body to go back to.

I feel that survivors guilt again and I glance over at the clock on the bedside table. Hours have passed, time seems to fly when you're doing absolutely nothing and I decide now I'm willing to put the pieces together and find out what happened to me, and what will happen to everyone else I left behind. It's two o'clock in the morning now and to my surprise my mother hasn't come in to touch my face and kiss me good night like she had been in the habit of doing since I came home. I wonder if her and Dad are still at it down stairs. With the way they've been snapping at each other, I wouldn't be surprised. There's only one person I know who would still be awake right now, and he's exactly the person I need to speak to.

I leave the Manor with out telling anyone and I head towards my old flat to see Byron. I know I was kind of jerky to him earlier, so hopefully he'll forgive me and try to understand why I get so irritated by things now. I unlock the door, and step into the flat quietly, flicking on the lights with my wand, to hell with what the healers say about saving up my magic. I try to be as quiet as possible just in case Byron happens to be asleep, but I know he's probably awake. He's always had trouble falling asleep and when he does finally manage it, it's hard for him to stay that way. He usually averages a couple hours a night, if he sleeps at all. The living room is a wreck, more so than it usually is, and I frown at the papers littering the floor and the couch that's overturned. My first thought is-oh my god, we've been robbed- but I don't even have anything here and Byron's stuff isn't cool enough to want to steal. I walk further into the flat with my wand gripped in my hand just in case I find someone had broken in. Every cabinet in the kitchen is open and every drawer is pulled out and emptied over the floor. I furrow my brows at the mess and walk towards the small hallway to check our bedrooms for Byron. My room is empty, of course, but Byron's room looks like it was the victim of a tornado. His bed is ripped apart and the mattress is turned over on the floor. All of his books have been thrown off the shelves and papers are everywhere along with his clothes and drawers from his dresser.

I hear a thump and I lift my wand as I turn around and look at the bathroom. The door is closed, but the light is on underneath the door, making the hallway glow.

"Byron?" I whisper as I step closer.

I hear someone sniff inside as I put my hand on the door knob and gently turn it. When the door pops open, I see Byron sitting on the floor with his back against the blue bathtub. He has his knees drawn up to his chest with his arms folded over his knees and his forehead is resting on top of his forearms. He's just wearing a pair of jeans, leaving his feet and chest bare and I notice a half empty bottle of tequila by his foot. I sigh. This is just great.

"Byron, are you alright?" I ask as I step into the bathroom and close the door behind me. "Why is the place such a mess?"

"I couldn't find it," he says with a voice thick with drink.

"You couldn't find what?" I ask gently as I kneel in front of him, waiting for him to look up so I can determine how drunk he actually is. Byron drinking is never a good sign. He usually only does it when he's upset and he turns into a real monster.

"Everyone hates me," he whispers and I sigh, scooting back against the bathtub beside him and sitting down with my legs spread out in front of me. It's sad that I'm the only stable person I know considering what I've been through.

"That's not true," I tell him as I look down at my hands. "I think my sister is quite fond of you."

"She hasn't talked to me in five days," he says and I close my eyes because I did not expect to come back to this. Goddamnit. "I don't blame her," he adds quietly.

I don't know what to say to him, because I wasn't prepared to school him through some drunk depression he's found himself in. I take the bottle of tequila and start reading the label as he breathes in heavily by my side.

"Do you think I'm crazy?"

I glance at him. That's a serious question coming from the half naked guy by my side, who tore apart a flat, and made camp on the floor of a dirty bathroom. "I think you saved my life," I tell him honestly.

He finally lifts his head from his arms and looks right at me. His eyes are glassy and bloodshot and his face is flushed. "You would have done the same for me."

"I'm sorry I was so short with you before," I tell him honestly.

He nods his head and looks away. "It's alright."

"Why have you been drinking?" I ask. He's not sneering or yelling, so I guess he's coming down from his buzz which is a good thing. "Why are you upset?"

"Sometimes I feel like I'm drowning," he whispers and I give him a troubled look from the corner of my eyes. He rubs his face and lets his legs drop flat on the floor, matching my stance. "I think I'm okay now."

We're silent for a long time until I decide to speak.

"After I passed out I woke up on a weird Island," I admit and he looks to me, studying my profile as I look at the door. "Paige was there too and everything was strange. It was like we were back in time, from Greece," I tell him honestly, remembering all that happened there. "There was a guy there who thought I was..." I stop myself, that part is ridiculous and I don't want to talk about it. "Anyways, they said they were stuck there and nothing ever changed because the guy that was in charge wanted to live forever and he did a spell that made them all trapped. Paige wasn't really Paige, either."

I cross my arms as I feel his eyes burn into my skin. That tequila isn't looking too bad right now.

"She was from the Island, I guess. The only way you can get off is if you kill yourself." He raises his eyebrows when I look at him. "Yeah, I know." I say in response to his look. I unscrew the lid of the tequila bottle and take a swig. I scrunch my face up as it burns my throat and makes my mouth water. "Anyways, I don't know how it works, but she came here after offing herself there and she stole some little girls body. It's all very confusing and it was all very fucked up and it was all Paige's fault. When someone new came in, things started to change and that's what she wanted."

"How did you get back?" he asks softly. I take another drink and then I look at him. "You were awake before we opened your coffin."

My coffin. How fucked up is that? "Well, the guy... their 'leader'," I use the term loosely. "was the reason why they were all there in the first place and he decided that he was going to steal my body because apparently Paige is a bitch to him too and your body only stays good for so long until you're stuck there forever."

"That's messed up," he says and I agree.

"Yeah, so anyways, long story short, I jumped off a cliff."

He rubs his face again and runs his hands through his hair. "Wow."

"Now, I think the question is, do you think _I'm_ crazy?"

"Do you think that was the Island that disappeared so long ago?" he asks softly and I shrug. It probably is.

"It would make sense, everything reminded me of ancient Greece. There were statues and urns that fit that time period. There were even some random Egyptian things there too. You probably would have loved it, actually." I put the lid back on the tequila. "Sometimes I think it was all a dream, but I don't know. There are a bunch of people there, so many, and they're just stuck in a weird limbo place forever. It's kind of sad."

"So, Paige was the one who put the curse on the pearl?" he asks, accepting what I say blindly and I love him for it.

"Yes."

"I think the earring was made into a primitive version of a Horcrux." I don't even know what that is so I don't say anything. "It's a spell that splits the soul, but apparently this version does it to anyone that's in the vicinity."

"So, what happens to everyone elses soul stuck in that place?" I ask, pretending that I understand what ever the hell he's talking about.

"Well, I guess they stay there, unless of course you destroy the Horcrux." He pauses and licks his lips. "That's what Harry did when he had to kill the dark lord."

"Where do you suppose a soul goes when it doesn't have a body to jump into?" I ask out loud as I think of Gregorios jumping off the cliff with me.

"I have no idea," he whispers quietly.

"Do you suppose if we destroyed the earring thing than all those people left there would be free?" I ask as I think of the small boy and teenage girl who helped me out.

"I don't think that was the original one," he says and then his eyes shoot to mine. "You said their leader was the one who did the original curse? The one that sent everyone there?"

"Yeah," I say as his eyes light up.

"I think I know what the original Horcrux is."

I let a slow smile come to my face as Byron lifts his eyebrows. "Would you know how to destroy it?"

"I know someone who could tell us," he says softly and I look away while thinking about it.

It would be nice to not feel so damn guilty all of the time.

"Oh, yeah, and my brother joined a Death Eater club."

"Well, that sucks," he replies and I smile.

I take the lid off of the tequila again and take a drink, then I hand the bottle to Byron who takes a swig as well. "It's good to be home," I say and then I shake my head at how weird this is all turning out.

"Where ever that may be," he mutters by my side and I wipe off the back of my mouth before standing up and offering my hand to my best friend.

"Come on then," I tell him seriously. "Let's go destroy some ancient irreplaceable artifact."

He snorts before letting me help him up and as we get ready to leave, I totally forget to ask him what he was looking for in the first place.

"Your hair looks stupid," he says as we walk down the hallway.

"Your face looks stupid," I joke and he snorts in laughter.

"I'm glad you're back," he says softly.

**_Gavin _**

"You have got to be fucking kidding me."

"Don't fret, Mr. Malfoy, just take this potion everyday for two weeks and everything will be cleared up and just like new in no time." The healer smiles at me so I scowl and stand up, taking the bottle he's offering with an angry snap of my wrist. "After a couple of days the burning should stop."

"Jesus fucking christ," I mutter as I leave the room with out even bothering with a thank you or good bye. This is bloody embarrassing and I think I might kill someone.

I pocket the potion bottle as I leave the doctors office and I Apparate directly to Pansy White's office building, glancing up at her floor with an angry scowl on my face as I think about how much I hate her. I stomp inside and pass by her assistant with out any care, ignoring her as she yells at me.

"Oh, sir, you must have an appointment!"

"Fuck off," I wave dismissively as I throw open the door to that old whore's office. Apparently fuck is the Gavin Malfoy word of the day today.

"Mr. Malfoy, what brings you here?" Pansy is sitting behind her stupid white desk with a feline smirk on her face as she takes me in.

I kick the door shut with my foot, right in her assistance's face, and I glare daggers at the old woman across from me, hoping it will kill her.

"You gave me the clap, you dirty skank."

She starts laughing and I grip my wand, tempted to curse that smile off her face. "How do you know it was me? Surely, I'm not the only woman you've been sleeping with."

I'm ashamed to say it happened more than once. She's good at manipulating people and me being drunk never helps. "I fucking hate you," I say, completely honest.

"Oh, come on now," she says as she crosses her legs. "Don't be hurtful."

"I want the papers to the daily prophet. Now." I want it and I want to be done with it.

"You're not in a very good mood right now," she says, amused by my anger.

"Now," I repeat sternly.

"Why would I give you the paper now?" she asks and my eyes flash.

"Because we had a deal."

"I didn't sign anything," she says haughtily. "Paper sales have been up with your brother returning. I'm making quite a prophet right now. It would be stupid to give that all up now for a lousy fuck or two."

Lousy. She's such a bloody liar. "I'm going to give you a few seconds to reconsider before I decide to make you regret it," I tell her coldly, letting my anger calm to an emotionless mask.

She looks me over. "You look so much like Draco sometimes. It's a shame you have your mother's muddy eyes."

"So be it," I tell her softly.

I leave her office then, determined to ruin her life.

When I get back to the Manor I decide to take advantage of the blood oath I forced upon Kelvin Marcello. Of course, he's a fucking retard and I had to spell out what I wanted him to do but he had no choice but to obey. I hate working with morons, but I'd rather him do all of my dirty work than have it traced back to me. Once I put my plan into motion, I spend the rest of my day looking into buying myself my own house. A flat seems silly now and I'm sure my parents feel like failures because all three of their adult children are currently living at home like losers. I go to sleep early and wake up in the morning, which I never do. I make sure to take my fucking std potion before I do anything else. God, I can't believe my own bloody life.

I need a new pair of dress shoes for work, so to take my mind off of how messed up everything is, I decide to go to Marks, an upscale full service shoe store that my father always goes to to get his shoes and wallets. I get greeted by a middle aged man as soon as I enter the store and I nod my head in greeting while walking over to the shoe displays on the wall.

"I need a really good black dress boot," I tell the man as he slithers up to me. I pick up one of the displays that has distressed black leather with a silver buckle on the side. "Smooth Dragon's skin, preferably."

"Alright, well, we've got a pretty good selection here," he says as he walks me through all the different shoes and their different uses.

I pick up three. "I would like to try these in a size 12," I say and he nods his head and disappears into a back room to get the shoes as I take a seat on one of the brown leather stools.

It smells like leather cedar in here and I look around at the wood paneled walls as more people walk in to check out the shoes. After about ten minutes I stand up and start pacing. I realize it's getting busy in here and, unlike the old man by my side who's huffing and complaining, I see no need to be rude to be who working in places like these. The old man huffs and snaps at another emploeewho's measuring an old woman's foot. One thing I've learned from being rich is that you should never be rude to the people who serve you because with out them, having money means nothing.

I go over to the sandals and start checking them out when I hear someone approach me from behind. "I've brought out your shoes, sir. Tyler got a little busy, so I'll be helping you now."

I know that voice.

I turn around and Addison drops the boxes of shoes she brought out. "What the hell are you doing?" I ask as I look her over. Her pregnant stomach is straining against the lavender blouse she's wearing and her eyes looks wide and frightened.

"He didn't tell me it was you," she says quietly as I lift an eyebrow. Why the hell is she working at a shoe store? To be honest, I haven't spoken to her at all since I found out about her cheating on me with Terrance. I didn't expect my heart to plummet like it is now. I just stare at her, trying to find something to say, but I just can't because seeing her threw me so off guard

"Excuse me, miss?" The rude man from before comes over to her as she shakes her head and gets herself together.

"Yes, how may I help you?" she asks as she smiles a fake and polite smile. It makes me scowl.

"I came here to return theses," the old man says as he holds up a Mark's bag. "And I've been waiting to be helped on for ten whole minutes and no ones comes out yet to greet me yet."

"Oh," she says as her cheeks flush red. She tries not to look at me as she plays the good sales associate. "Well, why are you returning them?" she asks, sounding weird and tight.

"Because these shoes are crap, that's why, and apparently the service is too!"

"Hey," I snap, upset by the way he's speaking to her. "Watch your mouth."

He sends me an irritated glare. "I want to return these, now," he says sending a pointed look to Addison.

I open my mouth to snap back again by Addison beats me to it. "Alright, sir, let me take that," she gently takes the bag. "You can try those shoes on if you want, Gavin," she says softly as she walks towards the crash register with the angry man following behind her.

I'm not in the mood for shoes anymore. I watch her as she pacifies the angry idiot who was so rude to her and when he's finally gone I make my way towards the check out counter, suddenly overwhelmingly angry with her. "Why the hell are you working here?" I ask as I lean across the table.

"Hospital bills are expensive, Gavin," she hisses back as she does things on the cash register that I can't see. She looks up to me when I don't say anything. "Please, just buy some shoes or leave."

"I'm the one paying for them," I say, ignoring what she said. "You don't have to work at a fucking shoe store of all places. "

"You don't even think the baby is yours anymore," she whispers fiercely with watery eyes and then she look around at all the other people in the store. "I can't do this now. I'm taking care of everything myself. You don't have to be involved anymore."

I don't know why I felt like I had just been smacked. A person comes up to ask her a question but I glare. "You're going to have to wait," I say and Addison opens her mouth in protest but I cut her off. "You know what I liked about you," I snap and she walks around the cash counter to grab me and pull me away from other customers. I must be making a scene. "Everyone always assumes that I'm bad, they just expect me to be a terrible person but you never thought that. At least, that's what I thought. Come to find out that you thought I was a bad person, you just didn't bloody care," I snap as I think of the 'you cheat on me all the time and I never said anything' excuse she used.

"Because I love you, Gavin," she says when we get outside, away from the prying eyes and ears inside. She sighs and puts her hands on her back, making me notice how large her stomach really has gotten. "but you've never given me a reason to trust you. Every week I had to read about your escapades and every week I had to see a picture of you with some other woman. It was weak of me not to leave you when I should have."

"I have never... never cheated on you," I say hatefully and she leans against the building with her hand on her stomach. On my daughter.... no... I don't know if it's mine.

"But I've never had you totally, did I?" She's starting to cry and I resist rolling my eyes. Woman and their bloody emotions do nothing but annoy me and make me feel bad. "I was never enough for you."

"That's not true."

"Yes, it is. Even if you never cheated, you were always gone and you never invited me to go with you. You just went and had fun with out caring about me."

"That's not true," I repeat again, looking over her face and her hair, not realizing how much I had missed seeing her everyday.

"I made a mistake and I'm sorry I hurt you, Gavin. I really am, and I know you're incapable of seeing my side of this story and that's too bad. I have to get back to work now before I get fired."

She leaves before I get a chance to respond. Then I just stand there like an idiot, out in the sun outside of a shoe store. My heart is hammering and just seeing her again really threw me for a loop. For a moment my body remembers how her silky golden hair felt against my fingers and how soft her skin is. Oh, god damnit. When I go home, I decide to make a floo call.

"Dr. Landwear's office, how may I help you?" the secratary asks as I put my head into the flames in the fire place in the parlor.

"I want all bills for Addison Prescot sent directly to me."

"Oh, are you her husband?" the woman asks with her head tilted to the side.

"I'm her fiancee and I'm supposed to be covering the charges."

"Hold on, let me get her file."

I impatiently wait as the woman scurries away to find the folder with Addison's information. "Well, it says here that a payment plan is already set up."

"Well, change it. I'll be paying it from now on."

"Sir, I'm sorry, but we can't just allow that. We have to make sure it's okay with the patient."

"How much does she owe right now?"

"I can't give out personal information like that, I'm sorry."

"Fine," I snap in irritation. "I'm going to just randomly give you a chunk of money each month and you can put it towards her account . How does that sound?"

"I don't--"

I pull myself out of the fire before she can retort and I fall down onto one of the couches throwing my hand over my eyes as I try to sort out what I'm bloody feeling right now.

"I need to speak with you," I hear my father say as he walks into the room.

I don't even bother looking., "Go ahead then," I say because I know nothing I say will stop him.

"Sit up and look at me," he says seriously and the command surprises me so I do what he says. "I'm going to tell you something and I want you to listen, do you understand?"

Is he mad at me? This is just great. What the hell did I do now? "When I was eight years old, my father hired a muggle born to give me Quidditch lessons. After a couple of months, he took me from my house and made me stay with him for a week, hoping to get a ransom from my parents for my safe return."

That catches my attention and I look him in the eyes.

"It was one of the most traumatizing experiences of my life. The man who took me, Henry, wasn't just a blackmailing kidnapper, but he was also a pedophile and the week I spent there felt like an eternity in hell. My father found me and killed the man right in front of my eyes. I decided then that I would always hate muggle borns, no matter how irrational it was."

I gulp, not knowing why he's decided to share these intimate details with me.

"When I was thirteen my father made me practice the crusiatus curse on our family dog. Every time I cried he berated me for being weak and he finally let me stop torturing the animal when I finally could do it with out showing any type of guilt or sadness. By that point I felt nothing when I did the curse and he saw that as an accomplishment. The point was to become detached from the other things pain and I guess he wanted to show me a way to hurt people before they could hurt me. I would use that lesson when I got older."

"Dad..."

"When I was sixteen I got the dark mark, having to do something horrible and unforgivable to get it. After that, every time I came home from Hogwarts or anytime there was a Hogsmeade weekend, I had to train with my Aunt. She taught me how to duel, she taught me how to kill with out mercy, and she taught how to become a monster with out remorse. I tortured a whole muggle family on my seventeenth birthday as a test from the Dark Lord and after that I was put on a team with other wizards around my age to do midnight raids. Our job was to hunt down blood traitors and opposition fighters and make an example out of them."

"Why are you telling me this?" I say as he looks steadily into my eyes with his hands folded together between his knees.

"I have done terrible things in the name of blood purity thinking it was justified," he tells me and I lift my brows. "But sitting back, and looking at my life now, I can tell you that hate never got me anywhere."

"Dad, I don't understand," I tell him, because I truly don't and it's confusing that this is so out of the blue.

"My father always thought he was doing what was right by me. He thought he was making me strong and powerful, but he really only ever made me weak." He pauses a few moments as he studies my face. "You can tell Theo that I signed the papers and that they all should too or they will go to jail," I open and close my mouth a few times. How did he know I was there... unless Cassius.... "You can tell them that the only thing that ruins our magic is us killing each other over something stupid and you can tell them that you don't need some stupid organization to make you feel good about yourself because you have a family that loves you."

I'm a little stunned, to be honest, and I just stare at him as he watches my face. "I'm sorry," I say. I have no idea why the hell I'm apologizing but it feels like the right thing to say.

"You're old enough to make your own decisions," he says narrowly. "I used to think I had could too, but in all honesty, I never truly had a choice. Remember, Gavin, they can't offer you anything you can't get on your own."

"Okay," I say softly. I guess I know where this is going now. "I get it."

"Do you?" he asks dryly.

I sigh loudly. "Yes, Dad."

"I was forced to grow up in a twisted world way sooner than I should have, Gavin. I have never wanted that for you."

"I understand."

"Good," he says as he stands up. "Are you ready for lunch?"

"I'm not very hungry," I mumble honestly. Too much has already happened to me today.

"You're always hungry," he says as he walks towards the doorway. "Come on, then."

Well, I guess I'm going to lunch. With another loud sigh I stand up and follow behind my father like a reluctant child. I think about everything that he said to me, all of the deep and painful things he divulged just a moment ago, and I find myself wanting to tell him everything.

"She cheated on me," I say what's on my head and my father stops walking. "She cheated on me and I'm not sure if the child is mine."

I feel his hand on my shoulder. "I'm sorry, Gavin." I sigh and nod my head, unwilling to look at him. "Let's go have lunch and figure some things out."

It sounds like a good idea, so I nod my head and follow him again.

**_Evelyn_**

"You messed up many times."

I turn around and glare at Xavier as I take off my ballet shoes. I gave him that desire I found in the back yard rock a week ago and nothing has happened. I was telling my Bella mirror friend about it and she told me about the spell that would activate the rune, so I thought I would give it to Xavi to make sure he liked me before I asked him out. But it back fired, and as soon as I slid it into his bag, he turned into this crazy single minded dancer, diving head first into the auditions without bothering to speak, or even look ,at anyone else. Especially me, which I find highly irritating. Gabe and I did well on our duet and we were able to move on to the next round. I just got finished doing my solo audition and I'm a sweating aching mess, but for some reason stupid old Xavier is deciding to make my stressful day little worse.

"That's lovely," I tell him as I throw my shoes in my bag and I stand up. I use to hate him with a passion and I'm starting to feel that again.

"You will not get dze part," he adds and I resist the urge to throw something at him.

"Why are you even here?" I snap , turning to face him with my hands on my hips. "Guys auditions were yesterday."

"I came to watch you," he says simply.

"Just so you could tell me how terrible I am?"

"You are not a terrible dancer," he says softly as he searches my face. I cross my arms and pop my hip, ready to give him a whole earful of it after he ignored me for a week. You can't just kiss a girl and act that way! "With time, you will be very great."

I don't even think that qualifies as a compliment.

I blow that aggravating curl that always pops out on my forehead out of my eyes and I sigh as I lift my bag and sling it over my shoulder. "I'm going home now and icing my feet. Thanks a bunch."

"I will get dze part," he says like I would care as I walk past him, out of the practice room where other ballerina's are warming up to take the stage to be judged for the part of Sleeping Beauty.... the part that I'm apparently not good enough to get according to the french idiot who's currently following me. "I will get dze part and be chosen for dze academy."

"Are you telling me all of this just to make me feel bad?"

"Non," he says as he catches up with me and his legs fall into stride beside my own. I told my mother to pick me up at three... and it's two thirty now, so I have half a hour before she comes. Madam won't let me use the floo because some eight year old ended up in Russia the last time she let one of the students use it. So now I just have to wait. When I get to the lobby of the building I sit down heavily on one of the blue waiting chairs, putting my bag on the seat next to mine as I slip off my flip flops so I can massage my sore feet. Xavier picks up my bag and puts it on the floor so he can occupy the seat like the annoying creature that he is. "I will not have to go back to Beauxbaton's again... I will be mostly in England with a tutor for my studies."

"That's swell," I tell him crossly as I turn my body away from him and pretend to find the mosaic on the wall fascinating.

"Evie..."

Evie instead of Eveleen... what is he thinking? "Why are you talking to me?" I ask bluntly, glancing towards him as his hazel eyes look at my lips. "You've been ignoring my existence the past week and now you won't leave me alone." Stupid rock and stupid Bella for suggesting it.

"Do you not see?"

"I see that you're sitting in my bag's spot," I snap haughtily.

"You are upset with me?"

Boys really are stupid, aren't they? "Of course not," I lie with my nose tilted up. I really don't know what I'm more angry about.... him not going right for me after I gave him that rock or him just feeling the need to tell me how bad I did during my hard audition.

"I wish to speak to you more," he says seriously. "I would like for you to come over to my home... in France. "

"I'm grounded," I tell him and it's the truth. Apparently what I said to Mom had hit a nerve and Daddy isn't letting me leave the house for anything pertaining to my social life... even though the only social life I have involves Jeremiah who never does anything fun anyways.

"Oh," I hear him whisper. He looks away and I start feeling guilty for being mean to him and then my eyes widen when I realize what he asked me.

Maybe he does like me after all! My heart starts beating and I smile at him, wanting nothing else in the world than to go to Xavier's home in France. I turn and face him, putting my hands on the arm rest between us, and looking happily into his eyes. He seems a little surprised by my sudden change in mood, but who cares. He just asked me over!

"Perhaps I've been punished enough," I say, resisting the urge to giggle like an idiot. "I might be able to convince my Mother to let me. "

"Why are you being punished?" he asks and I frown because I really don't know what to say.

"I said some stupid things," I mutter quietly. It's all Bella's fault. I just repeated what she had been telling me. I didn't think there was anything wrong with it and the part about the magic seemed to make sense to me... at the time... before I got grounded. "When did you want me to come over?" I ask excitedly.

"Tonight."

I take a deep breath and try to calm my fluttering heart. I want to go so badly now! How wonderful this is turning out to be!

The front door opens and we both look towards it as my Father walks in. What is he doing here? He looks around the lobby, and when he sees me sitting here, his eyes slide over to Xavier before settling on me.

"How did it go?" He asks as he walks over and picks up my bag that Xavier had placed on the floor.

"I don't know," I say with a shrug. According to Xavi it was terrible, but I won't tell him that.

"Mr. Malfoy," Xavier stands up and offers his hand for my father to shake, which I think is terribly strange so I give him a curious look as my father grabs his hand and raises an eyebrow while shaking it. "I was wondering if your daughter could 'ave dinner with me and my fadzer tonight," he says and my eyebrows shoot up in surprise. How very brave of Xavier... perhaps that rock isn't as stupid as I thought.

My Dad narrows his eyes and brings his hand back to place in his pocket. "Not today, Mr. LesFramboises," he says seriously. The way he said it... I know he means not today, not tomorrow, not ever. Jeez, Lavinia really ruined it for me, didn't she?

"Daddy," I say because I suddenly have this overwhelming need to go over to Xavier's. "Oh, please, just for a little while?"

"No," he snaps at me and I frown. "We're leaving now."

If Mom was here, I probably would have been able to convince her and I find myself being angry that she wasn't the one who picked me up. Even though Daddy has always been more lenient with me when it came to things that I wanted... .he will never be lenient when it involves someone of the other gender. So, I sigh loudly. I terribly hate not getting what I want.

"Goodbye, Xavier," I say before following my grumpy father outside. "Where's Mom today?" I ask and he glances down at me.

"She's busy."

When he Apparates us home, I find myself feeling very upset and I glare at him as he opens the door of the Manor and makes a motion for me to step inside. Xavier was finally opening up and showing some interest in me since I gave him that stupid rock and Dad ruined it like he ruins everything.

"Why couldn't I go!?" I yell and his eyebrows shoot up in surprise because my outburst surprised him.

"Because you're grounded."

"But I've already been grounded for a week!" I yell and it echo's off of the high ceiling and large walls of the spacious hallway.

"Stop yelling at me," he snaps coldly. "Acting like a child will get you nowhere."

I feel a fit coming on... I'm very good at throwing those. "You never let me do anything!"

"I'm not about to let you go over to some strange boy's house when I've never met his parents, Evelyn Grace. Now, stop speaking to me this way or you'll be grounded for another week."

I stomp my foot and stiffen my arms at my sides as I ball my hands up into fists. "You never ever let us do anything fun! That's why Lavinia left with Byron because you just keep us prisoner here all the time. As soon as I'm of age I'm leaving!" Well, that was probably a lie but a fit isn't a good fit unless you threaten to leave.

His eyes flash because I continue to yell at him and he places his hands on his hips. "Well, you've got some time until you're seventeen, until then go to your room." I stomp my foot and he glares. "I detest when you act like a spoiled brat," he says in a level voice. "Now go to your room."

"I hate you!" I scream in frustration as I begin stomping up the stairs. "I hate you. I hate you. I hate you. I hate you. I hate you." I snap with every stomp of my foot on each stair. "I hate you. I hate you. I hate you!"

When I get to the top of the stairs I put my hands on the banister and I lean over so I can yell at him some more. "I'm never ever talking to you again!" I yell and I hear him laugh below and it makes me want to throw something.

"We'll see how long that lasts," he calls up to me and I make a frustrated squeal noise before running to my room and slamming my door behind me.

My jaw is clenched shut as I breathe in and out heavily through my nose. He is terribly unfair! I stomp over to my closet and pull out the white lace dress that I had hidden in the back and I yank it off the hanger as I pull off my dancing leotard. I tug on the dress and then stomp over to the full length mirror by the bathroom door. Bella is there, staring at me with an eyebrow raised.

"You don't look well. Did the auditions go badly?"

"I hate my father!" I yell as I cross my arms. "He is so horribly mean and he never lets me do anything."

"Oh, what happened?" she asks, playing the part of the concerned friend. I knew having a built in friend was a good idea. Jeremiah always becomes so uncomfortable when I scream.

I start pacing back and forth as I recant my story, about how Xavier finally asked me to come over only to be shot down so rudely by my father because he's a tyrant who wants to ruin my life. "And he just thinks he's in charge of everything, but he isn't!" I finish with another angry stomp of my foot.

"Oh, that does sound terrible." Bella says as she sits down on the floor in the reflection. She clicks her tongue. "Father's can be terrible. Bellatrix always hated her father because he was just like yours. He never listened and he always tried to control her life."

"I can sympathize." I state bitterly.

"And you've been a good child... you hardly ever get in trouble and they still treat you like a baby."

"I know!" I agree with my hands on my hips as I stop pacing. "They don't think I can do anything on my own, and Mom's the same way too! She just thinks I'm such a baby, but I'm not!"

"No, you're not. " Bella looks sympathetic as she shakes her head. "It's not fair that you don't get what you want after you put up with the things they do. It isn't fair. Your father has never been the noble man he pretends to be. If you only knew the things he was doing when he was your age," she shakes her head and leans back. "He has no right to be so strict."

"I know!" I agree again. " And I don't even ask for much. I just want to leave the Manor every now and then to do something fun."

"You know, that spell book I told you was in the dungeons has lots of different spells in it that make people do what you want them to."

That statement comes to me through my anger and I stop myself from agreeing with her because I was on a roll. "Wait, what?"

"Bellatrix's spell book, remember?" she says as she looks into my eyes as she stands, stepping closer to the looking glass. "When Bella was wrongfully accused and sent to Azkaban, she hid things around Malfoy Manor because she knew her house would cleared out and handed over to the state," she says as her eyes flash. "She gave me to Narcissa, and your grandma accepted me, not knowing what I was." she says, nodding down to the dress I'm wearing as I play with the lace sleeves. "And other things she buried in the dungeons for safe keeping."

"But, I can't move that statue where you said it was... and Mom said there wasn't a door behind there."

"That's because your mother is stupid," she says and I narrow my eyes. "Well, that's not what I meant to say.... she's a weasley, Evie, her magic isn't very strong, and I know you've gotten in trouble for saying that, but it's the truth."

"Well, it just doesn't make sense that there would be dungeons in the Manor," I say plainly. "It was built a long time ago.. but it isn't a castle or anything."

"Oh, Evelyn," Bella says with a wicked smile. "The dungeons are a relatively new addition to this house. Your great grandfather was one of the most loyal first followers of our lord and the Manor served as the first central base of operations."

"But why did they need dungeons?" I ask curiously.

She smiles again. "Maybe dungeons is a bad word for it...but that's not the point. Evie, the black book buried in cell three has amazing spells that Bellatrix mastered and a few she even made up on her own. I swear you will never have to listen to your tyrant parents again if you learn those spells."

"I can't move the statue," I whine as I think about the stupid statue of a lion that blocks the door. "I think it has a spell on it."

"Use your brain!" she huffs and when I scowl she tones it down and sighs loudly. "Get one of the house-elves to move it."

"But, they always tell on me to my parents."

"Not if you forbid them to," she snaps and I didn't know it worked that way. "The only person they don't have to obey is your mother because she doesn't have Malfoy blood in her... but you do. So they have to do whatever you say."

"Oh," I say as I think of the possibilities. "Oh, well that is interesting."

"Well, what are you waiting for then?"

"I should wait until everyone's asleep," I say and then my heart leaps when someone knocks on the door.

"Evelyn, I'm coming in." It's my Mom and my eyes widen as I glance back at the mirror.

"The bathroom," Bella whispers and I nod my head before running into the bathroom and closing the door as I yank off the dress. "Evie?" Mom says as she opens the door.

"In the bathroom!" I call breathlessly as I take off the dress and stuff it under the sink. If Mom saw me with Belltarix Black's dress she wouldn't be too happy.

"Oh, how did the auditions go?"

"They went fine!" I call as I walk over to the shower. "I'm getting ready to take a shower." I'm in here, might as well get clean and avoid talking to her at the same time.

"Oh, well, okay then. I'll see you at dinner."

"Toodles!" I call as I step into the scolding hot water to wash my body of the sweat from today's dancing.

It would be nice to get everything that I want. It would be nice if my parents weren't so strict. I think of all the wonderfully fun things I could do with that spell book as I wash my body and hair. When I get out I dress in my pajama's, which consists of a t-shirt and pink shorts that Dad says I'm not allowed to wear in public because they qualify as underwear. Stupid Dad. I don't go down to dinner, claiming I'm too tired from the days auditions to do anything. I pretend to sleep until I'm sure the rest of the house is tucked in for the night before sneaking out of my room and going downstairs to call for a house-elf. I favor the girl one named Binkie, so I call for her first. A few moments later she pops in front of me, wringing her bony fingers and looking around nervously with large, luminous eyes.

"The miss Evie called Binkie, Miss!" it squeaks and I bend down and shush her so she knows not to talk so loud.

"How are you doing tonight, Binkie?" I ask as I look at the old baby doll dress she's wearing. I wonder where house elves get their clothes if we can't get them any.

"Binkie is working hard, Miss!" she says and I smile.

"Of course, Binkie, you are a good worker," I tell her and she beams at me, the best a wrinkled old house-elf can. I wonder how old she is too. ... she must be over one hundred. "I was wondering if you could help me with something," I tell her gently. "I need you to move that statue of the lion for me. The one by the cellar door."

"Oh, no, no , no, miss," she says backing away and shaking her head, making her large ears flop. I frown. "The Master has said to never ever ever move that statue, Miss!"

I try to smile sweetly again.

"Of course he did, Binki, but I'm telling you to move it now... and I'm just as much of a Malfoy as he is." She looks dreadfully uncomfortable and I don't blame the poor dear. My Father can be frightening when he's cross. "And you must not tell him about this. Just think, Binki, he can't get angry over something he doesn't know about."

She looks nervous and undecided, so I take her hand and start walking with her down the hall. "Come on, Binki. We can do this together."

I smile at her and she looks away. I've never actually put too much thought into the house elves that worked around our house. Of course, Mother always taught us to be respectful to them, but they were just such funny little anti social creatures that I never even thought about it. I wonder what house elves think about during the day...

When we get to the statue of the lion I look down at the little elf expectantly. "Binkie is not sure if this is a good idea, Miss!" she says nervously. "The Master was very sure that he did never want anyone to find this!"

"What Master doesn't know, won't hurt him," I say with a smirk and then I watch with a smile as Binki snaps her fingers and the large concrete lion begins to move.

It slides to the left revealing an old and rusted door. "Thank you," I tell her with a whisper and I feel my insides doing flip flips as I take out my wand. A little underage magic never hurt anyone. I unlock the door with a simple spell and the door creaks open, revealing a dark narrow stairway that smells musty and damp. "Well, come on then, Binki," I say, taking the elf's hand again to mask my nervousness of the dark down below.

I light my wand in a lumos and drag the poor elf along with me as I make my way down the stairs. Bella lied to me when she said that dungeon wasn't the right word for it, because a dungeon is precisely what this is and a chill goes down my spine when I think about what might have gone down here. The hallways are long and narrow, with dirt floors and stone walls that are wet and chilly. Small cells with irons bars line the walls and I glance at them worriedly as we pass by the unlit torches lining the hall. "Alright, Binki," I say, braver than I feel. "We're looking for cell number three," I tell her as I look at the brass numbers tacked above the cell doors.

Number three was easy to find and I go into the musty little cell that has dirty blankets and dusty trays of old rotten food. Oh disgusting. It smells bad in here too so I quickly go over to the wall that Bella had described and I point to my wand at the ground and start digging, using a simple spell with my wand to remove the dirt as Binki mutters frightfully to herself behind me. My stomach jumps when I take out the small red box and I smile at it before dusting it off with my shirt and gently opening it's lid. Inside is a little black book, a black stone necklace with a silver chain, and three small vials of some blood red potion that I can't identify.

"Oh, no, no , no," Binki repeats behind me and I roll my eyes as she tugs on her ears. "The master is going be so mad!"

"Oh, shush, will you," I tell her as I snap the box shut and I stand up. "Do you remember my father's Aunt Bellatrix at all, Binki?" I ask as I tuck the box under my arm and I lift my lumos spelled wand. "Were you around when she was?"

"Oh, yes I was, miss!" she replies as she wrings her bony fingers. "And she was always very mean to the master, making him do bad things and hurts people!" I frown at that, she must be mistaken.

"Well, thank you for the help," I tell her curtly., "And remember, you can't tell anyone about this."

She reluctantly nods her head, hating the idea of not being able to tattle on me to my Father. When we leave, she moves the statue back into place and I say farewell to her as I skip up stairs. When I get to my room I lock myself in the bathroom and I gently open up the box once more, taking out the little black spell book and carefully skipping through it. Some of the handwritten spells are obviously unforgivables and that makes me feels weird, but there are a few others that look pretty cool. That Bella was a smart witch on top of everything else. I retrieve the dress from under the sink and pull it on over my night clothes, watching with a smirk as Bella appears in the mirror.

"Look what I've got," I say as I wave the books and the smile on the reflections face looks devilish. "And what are these for?" I ask as I hold up the three red filled vials."

"We'll get to that later. Do you want to get what you want, Evelyn?" she says but she doesn't wait for an answers. "Turn to page 72 and start reading."

I look down at the book and crack it open again.... turning to page 72 where there's a diagram and barley ineligible writing skittered across the page.

"This is going to be fun," I look up as Bella says that and let an excited smile come to my face. I terribly love exciting things.

"What does this spell do?" I ask as I look at the circle diagram that has all kinds of numbers and lines running through it. "It looks complicated."

"It is," she says and when I flick a glance up to her I notice that she's watching me very closely. "Bella was a very powerful witch."

"What does this spell do again?" I repeat because she didn't answer.

"This is a Bellatrix original," she says with a smile. "She called it the doppelganger spell."

"Yeah?" and...

"Well, with this spell you'll be able to make a perfect replica of yourself, meaning you'll be two places at once." I look at her and raise my eyebrows. "So when you want to hang out with that french boy... you can go... while your doppelganger stays here and reads a book."

"Isn't that kind of like a polyjuice potion?"

"Oh, no no," she says like I was stupid and slow at catching on. "It's more transfiguration than anything else. You have to use something alive with out a brain so you can fill it with things that make you... you.""

"What's alive with out a brain?" I ask, getting more confused by the second.

"Well, a plant, of course." A plant. That just sounds stupid. "It allowed Bella to get away with so many things, but it's terribly hard magic,""she says watching me closely again. "But, of course, you can handle it because you're not a baby."

"Yeah," I agree. "I'm not a baby at all."

"Do you want me to help you master it?"

"I smile, thinking this is dreadfully fun. "Of course!"

This is bound to be interesting, I think to myself as I take out my wand to practice. I do terribly love interesting things.....


	14. Chapter 14

_**Lavinia **_

I've never actually been out on a date with Byron before, so I'm pretty nervous by the whole idea. I take my wand and curl a strand of hair around it, hoping that it will curl my hair in the way that I want it to so I don't look like a stupid poodle when I'm finished. I want to look nice, and I want to look pretty. The weeks I spent with him traveling around weren't really my greatest moments looks wise.... I never even wore makeup around him then for goodness sakes. I was surprised to get a letter from Byron yesterday, asking me out on this casual date, but I'll admit that I smiled like a fool and maybe even danced a little after reading it.

"Oh, damn," I snap as I burn my ear with the heating charm I put on my wand. I unravel my hair and let the curl I just created bounce down as I inspect the damage done to my skin. "Nothing can ever just go right," I mumble to myself as I place my wand on the vanity table and I take a clip from my jewelry box to put back some of my hair.

"Are you excited for tonight?"

I look in the mirror and see Mom leaning in my doorway with her arms crossed. "I'm kind of nervous, actually," I admit and I know it seems silly because I was with Byron for a while... just him and me... but this is our real first date. "Does my hair look stupid?" I ask self consciously as I put the clip in my hair, pulling most of it away from my face.

Mom walks towards me and places a small wooden box on the table beside me. "No," she says as she places my hair over my shoulders so it runs down my back. "This is just a little crooked," she says as she takes the clip out. I watch her reflection in the mirror as she takes pieces of hair from the front, on both sides of my head, and she twists them, connecting them with the clip at the back. "Now it looks perfect," she says as she bends down and frees the long bangs that I always have framing my face. "You have such lovely hair."

"Thank you," I say with a smile as she stands back up and sighs as she watches me put on my make up, sending a little look to the mysterious box she brought in.

"Where is he taking you tonight?"

"Oh, he didn't say," I tell her as I reapply some eyeliner for a touch up. I can't stress enough how good I want to look tonight. "He said it was casual, though," I tell her as I put the lid back on the makeup and I sit back. "Do you think this is too dressed up?" I ask as I look down at the indigo colored dress that I'm wearing. I didn't feel like going too casual, and this is a just a cotton sundress... it even has a few buttons down the front that makes it less formal.

"No, I think that looks nice."

I really don't know how I'm going to act on this weird date we're going on and I'm running through practice situations and conversations in my head so I'll be prepared. Before, when we were together, we were always doing something. Getting my brother back was our main objective and our relationship was a side note... this is going to be a whole day dedicated to us and I'm not sure if I'm comfortable with that.

"What shoes are you going to wear?" she asks as she leans against my wardrobe.

"I think my silver sandals," I say as I stand up and go over to shoes I had left out by the bathroom door. "I like the wedge heal on these."

I slip them on my feet and look at my Mom with my eyebrows raised. "What do you think?" I ask as I hold my hands out.

She looks me over and she nods her head with a smile. "You look beautiful."

"Thanks, Mom," I mutter as I play with my hair. I've been on dates before, but I really don't think those count and I almost ask my mother about her dating experience, but I stop myself. Her and my father never dated... they just... were. "What's in the box?" I ask as I nod towards the vanity.

Mom eyes me for a few seconds, in a wistful kind of way. "You know, when I was your age I was already pregnant with your brother," I raise my eyebrows to that because it's kind of out of nowhere. "Now is the time you should be having fun and enjoying life."

"Mom, are you alright?" I ask because she's looking at me in such a strange way.

She shakes her head and walks over to the box. "I'm fine," she says softly as she picks it up and pops open the lid. "Your father would kill me if he knew I was doing this," she mutters to herself before walking over to me. I look inside the box at the twelve vials of golden yellow liquid. "You take this potion once a month. I would prefer you wait, but that's never practical, so I want you to be safe. You don't want to have a baby now... your father and I were too young when we started our family. We were children ourselves, you know."

I stare at her for a few moments before accepting the box she's handing me. I feel so awkward because I want to tell her that I won't need it, that I'll wait… but I think we'll both know that's a lie. We're silent for a while until I find my voice again. "Did Dad take down the wards so Byron can get in?" I ask because Dad had put up the wards to block everybody that wasn't family, Byron especially included.

"Oh, er," she looks unsure and I let my hands drop. "Let me go double check."

When she leaves the room I look back at the mirror and sigh at my attempts at looking pretty. It's hopeless... I'll never look perfect. I hesitate a moment as I stare at the golden vials of birth control potion, deciding it would be a good idea to start today. Does that make me a whore? I shake off that thought as I take a vial and down it's contents, trying not to gag because of how overpoweringly fruity it tastes. I snap the lid of the box shut and I hide it under my bed before I grab a cardigan. I tie it around my shoulders before heading down stairs, stuffing my wand and some money in a small clutch as I go. The whole way I try to calm my beating heart so I can play it cool when he gets here. I don't want to look like a fool. When I get down to the main hallway, Dad is at the door with his wand out, taking the wards down from the gate.

"I'm putting them up again after you leave," he says, not even turning around to see me on the stairs. "So he'll have to drop you off at the gate. There are too many reporters slithering around to leave the wards down for longer than a few minutes."

"Okay," I say softly as I fiddle with my clutch purse, trying to stop my stomach from doing flip flops. "Thank you for doing this."

He tightly nods his head and pockets his wand, finally glancing at me on the stairs. "You look nice," he says and I smile a little. That was a pleasant thing to say.

"Mom!" My neck snaps to the top of the stairs where I see my little sister stomping around. "Mom! Where is my blue sweat shirt?!"

"Hey," my Dad scolds and my sister stops walking and glances down at him. "Stop yelling. If you want to ask your Mom a question then find her and ask politely."

"Do you know where my blue sweatshirt is?" she asks, totally ignoring what he told her. "The one with the white flowers on it?"

"No, believe it or not, I don't keep track of your clothes."

She frowns at him before stomping off again and I look back at my Dad and shake my head. Evelyn, for as bubbly and sweet as she is, she sure can be rude. My heart jumps when someone knocks on the door and I do a quick check of my hair to make sure it's in place. I pat down my dress to make sure it's straight as Dad opens the door. Oh, wait, it's probably not good that it's Dad who's going to be the first person to greet him. It's too late to stop that now, though.

"Mr. Malfoy," I hear Byron's deep voice. I step down onto the marble floor and carefully walk over to the door as my Dad stares at the boy on the other side of the threshold.

"I know you think you're entitled, Mr. Flint." Oh, Jesus Christ, Dad. " But I want her back by ten."

"Of course, sir," I hear Byron say in his smooth voice and I pick up my pace to reach them before Dad says another embarrassing thing.

"And tuck in your shirt."

"Dad," I say softly when I'm close enough and I touch his arm so he'll step away from the door. "Thank you, I'll be home later."

He nods his head again before stepping back, actually allowing me to see Byron, and I almost sigh out loud again. I haven't seen him in two weeks and I had almost forgotten how good looking he was. It literally makes me weak seeing him sometimes because he's so handsome. I look him over with out even thinking about how rude that is... He's wearing a dark pair of jeans and a green button down shirt that covers his scars. He looks so good in green... I resist the urge to sigh again.

"Have a good time," I hear my Dad say tightly in the back ground. He doesn't mean it, but he's trying to be civil about the whole thing. Bless him.

Byron says good bye to my father and I follow him outside, shutting the door behind me so we can walk to the Apparation point. "So, where are we going?" I ask as we walk down the concrete steps. It's still pretty early, and the sun is still shining, so Byron takes out a pair of sunglasses from his shirt pocket and places them on his face. "Byron?"

"Well, it's kind of a surprise," he mutters softly and then he glances at me... or I think he does. I can't see his eyes behind the dark lenses. "I hope you don't hate it."

I smile at little and slide my hand into his as we walk the long road back to the gates that's lined with tall, thick trees. "I doubt I will hate it." The truth is, he could probably take me anywhere and I could love it because I was with him.

I need to stop looking him, because it's starting to border on creepy. So I turn away and chew on my lip as I think of something to say. "So, what have you been up to?"

"Not much."

"Oh."

"What about you?"

"Not much," I repeat.

"Oh," he replies and we stay silent until we reach the gates.

"Really, though," he says seriously while putting his arm around my waist. "If you think it's lame, tell me and we'll leave."

I tilt my head and study his face as he pops us away and when we land in a garage full of cars my eyebrows shoot up surprise. Is this the date? Just looking at cars?

"Okay," he says as he digs in his pockets and takes out a ring of keys, pressing a button on a black pad. One of the cars beeps and he looks at me. "That's the one we're taking," he says as he takes my hand and starts walking me over to the fire red sleek looking car parked along one of the stone walls.

"Where are we going?" I repeat. I hate riding in cars, they just don't seem safe to me.

"It's muggle," he explains as he opens the passenger side door for me and helps me into my seat. "I figured since your brother's back, people would be all over you if we went some where magical."

"That was thoughtful," I say softly as he buckles my seat belt for me. As he's leaning over my torso to snap it into place, I take the opportunity to kiss his cheek. He pauses and glances at me as his sunglasses slide down his nose so I can see those amazing eyes of his. "I've missed you."

A barely there smile tilts his lips and he places a gentle kiss on my mouth before securing my belt into place and stepping back so he can close my door. I wait patiently as he climbs into his side of the car and places the key into the... key thing.

"Is this your car?" I ask curiously as I play with the knobs on the dash board.

"No, Harry is letting me borrow it for tonight," he says as he moves the stick thing. The car starts moving backwards and he turns the wheel until we're facing the opening of the garage. "I'm going to warn you now," he says as he puts the car into D and starts speeding us forward. "I'm not very good at driving."

I give him a worried look as I clutch at the arm rest. Both of my parents were terrible at driving, and they actually thought they were good. I can't imagine how bad you have to be at it to actually admit that you're bad. So I sit back and prepare for the worst as we take off into traffic. He actually isn't as terrible as I expected and after a few minutes of him weaving in and out of car lanes, I allow myself to relax and I loosen my grip on the arm rest. I take my eyes off the road in front of us and I look at his profile, taking in every tilt and plane of his face.

"You shaved," I say, just having noticed that the stubble that he usually has on his face is gone. He brings his hand up and rubs his cheek.

"Yeah, do you not like that?" he asks, placing his hand back on the steering wheel.

"I think you look very handsome," I say honestly and I smile when he turns his head towards mine. I wish he would take those sunglasses off.

He takes my hand and brings it up to his lips, kissing my knuckles. "You look very lovely tonight," he says as he lets his hand rest on the area between our seats, still holding onto mine.

My heart flutters and I can't help but smile at him. "Quite the beautiful pair we make, then," I joke and he smiles as he stares out at the cars in front of him.

"Quite."

The rest of the ride we spend in relative silence with Byron's hand tenderly squeezing mine every once and a while. I want to know everything about what he's been doing these past couple of weeks that we've been apart, but I try to hold my questions back because I don't want to seem too desperate for him. I don't want to be _that_ girl, so I let the silence carry on until he pulls into a half empty parking lot in front of a small purple building.

"What is this place?" I ask as he turns off the car and unlocks the doors.

"Are you familiar with golf?" he asks as he opens his door.

"No," I state as I try to remember if I know that word.

"So, you wouldn't know what miniature golf is?"

"Er, no... Is it for little people?"

He laughs... I have no idea why. "No, it's for people of all sizes."

When I step out of the car, he meets me on my side and closes the door for me. "Let me repeat, if you totally hate this, then we'll leave."

"Okay," I say with tilted eyebrows as we start walking towards the small building.

Inside are buckets full of colorful little snitch sized ball with little pock marks on them like they once had terrible acne. Metal club looking things with colorful leather handles and hammer looking heads are hanging from a wall behind the service desk. I look around at everything in the room with my eyebrows raised because I don't recognize anything.

"What can I do for you two today, eh?" the old man behind the counter smiles at me as Byron puts his glasses on top of his head, moving most of his hair with it.

"We'd both like to play," Byron says as he reaches into his pocket to take out his wallet.

"Alrighty." The old man tells Byron the price and I watch as they exchange muggle money. "What color will you two be wantin'?" he asks and Byron turns to me.

"Oh," I say when he raises his eyebrows and nods towards the buckets of colorful balls. "Oh, I guess I'll take purple, then." If I must choose....

"I'll take red," Byron adds as the man grabs the colored clubs and hands them to us, handing me a purple ball and Byron a red one.

"Have fun!"

I follow, smiling tightly at the man as I follow Byron through the back doors that leads out to concrete walk ways and strange green enclosed things where people are hitting the balls with their clubs around weird objects and water falls.

"What is this?" I ask because I've never seen anything like it before.

"We start with number one," Byron says as he walks us towards the red flag that has a number one on it. Well, that makes sense. The green patch is enclosed with wooden boards and there's a small hole at the end of the grass like patch. "The whole purpose of the game is to get it into the hole," he says as he places his ball down at the end of the green thing. "You hit your golf ball," he says nodding down to his red crater filled ball. "With the golf club," he holds up his silver stick and then he lines up his shot.

"How did you hear about this?" I ask as he taps the ball with his club. I watch it roll on the green stuff all the way down before sinking into the hole.

"Well, I've played it before when I was younger and my sister suggested it," he says as he walks down and picks up his ball out of the hole.

"Chloe?" I ask.

"No," he shakes his head. "Samantha. Now it's your turn," he tells me and I try to copy him by putting my ball down on the edge of the green and I line up my shot, gripping the leather with my hands and focusing on the hole. This looks a little boring, to be honest, but it seems easy so I tap the ball. It moves two inches before rolling right back to where it started. "You have to hit it a little harder," Byron says as he leans against his golf club.

"Oh," I whisper and I swing my arms back and hit the ball with all my might. It goes soaring off of the green and into a near by tree.

I hear Byron snort as I frown. "Now, that was too hard," he says, trying not to laugh as I furrow my brows.

I've never been good at sports. I was always terrible at Quidditchandwhen they required gym class my sixth year at Hogwarts I nearly dropped out just to avoid doing it. So to say I was bad at this new game I was trying to learn was an understatement. Either I hit it too soft, or too hard, but I never got it any where near the hole where it was suppose to go and by the fourth hole Byron started to cheat for me. He would tap my ball in the right direction when he thought I wasn't looking and he would purposely miss his shots to make me feel better. By the sixth hole, I was gathering quite a line behind me and a fat family of five sighed and tapped their feet as I spent fifteen minutes by the hole, tapping my ball back and forth, missing the hole by a hair each time until I finally snapped and grabbed the ball, throwing it in the hole myself and stomping to the next set up.

Byron, of course, thought this whole thing was highly amusing.

By the eighth hole I was so stressed out, I was a nervous wreck each time it was my turn. "You are making this much more stressful than you need to," he says as I take a deep breath and line up to take my turn.

"I'm just not very good at this," I mutter as I grip the leather handle with my sweaty hands. I stall time by wiping off my palms on my dress before looking at the hole. There has to be some mathematical way to figure this out. Measure the angles and divide by the distance... all that stuff.

"We don't have to keep playing if you don't want to," he says as I look down at the green path. It's all crooked and there's a windmill too. Oh, good lord.

"No, I just have to get the hang of it," I say, falsely pleasant. Byron did pay for this and I know he doesn't actually have much money to spend, so I think I can grin and bare this until the end. "I do think you're cheating though," I say, to stall time again before I embarrass myself some more in front of him and the fat muggle family that have already started to crowd around me, waiting for their turn. "You must be using magic," I say, totally forgetting the muggles with the stupid straw hats that are mumbling bad things about me to each other under their breath.

"Do you think actually holding it that way helps?" Byron asks and I look down at my club. I have it clutched between my two hands, intertwining my fingers around it in a death grip.

"Am I doing it wrong?" I ask as I look around at the other players to judge how I'm supposed to do it.

The fat family sighs loudly and the Mom goes off to get some lemonade while they wait. I think they're giving up on me moving faster.

"Let me show you," he says as he sets his club down. He walks over to me and I hand him my club, but instead of giving me a demonstration, he stands behind me and places his hands on my own. "I think people are starting to feel bad for you," he says against my ear. I free a hand so I can put my hair over my shoulder so I can hear him better. "Your right hand goes here." He takes my hand and places it in the correct spot. "And your left goes here."

His breath tickles my ear and I smile as he presses his chest more into my back. "Why didn't you tell me I was doing it wrong eight holes ago?"

He kisses my neck and my body starts tingling. "I thought you would catch on by now.... and it was funny."

"Oh, I see how it is," I mutter and he laughs against my skin.

"Alright, now, we gently hit it and angle our club with our right hand." he whispers against my ear. "Don't just snap your wrists. You have to use your shoulders too."

He makes our hands move back and he brings the club down to hit the ball. I watch the purple ball go, hitting the side of the wooden bumper and bouncing off the other side, going towards the windmill. Byron doesn't move, he stays behind me and he pulls me tighter against him with his hand on my hip.

"Do you want to know what I miss," he says and it makes my spine tingle. "I miss waking up beside you every day."

He adds another kiss to my neck and a bite to my ear lobe. My cheeks flush pink. Suddenly this warm day just got a whole lot hotter.

"I miss that too," I reply honestly.

When the fat husband behind us coughs loudly, I snap out of it and realize we're in a public place so I step away from him and turn around. "It's your turn, I think," I say as I look away and try to find out where my ball went because I stopped watching it as soon as he started kissing me.

"We were done playing anyways," he says as he takes my club and puts it on the ground. "Let's go."

I'm all for that, if it's his idea, and I nod my head, following him out of the place. The man at the counter asks where our clubs are and Byron points out back before dragging me out of the building in an impatient kind of way. When we reach the fire red car, he pins me against the door and starts going to town on my mouth. I almost forgot how amazing his kisses were and I practically melt into him as he pushes his body into mine. When we receive a few cat calls from some teenagers in a truck, we both pull back. Of course, I'm completely breathless and I take deeps breaths to calm my heart beat as Byron looks down at me and studies my face, completely cool and collected like snogging like that was just a walk in the park for him.

"Do you want to go eat?" he asks and I nearly laugh. Eating is the last thing on my mind at the moment.

"I'm not very hungry," I tell him as I look at his lips. Jesus, he's good kisser. I look down at my watch as he takes a step back to give me some room. "We've got a few hours until ten, though," I say with a sigh.

"Hm," he says as his hand comes up to mess with one of my curls that I made with my wand. "Unfortunately the things I'm thinking about doing to you right now need a full weekend dedicated to it."

My cheeks heat up again as I try to imagine what that might be, but I try to keep my dirty thoughts secret as I turn my head away. "Maybe we should go eat," I tell him. Things with my father are still on thin ice. I'm sure coming back from my first date with Byron looking thoroughly shagged isn't going to help matters.

"Okay, then," he says as he walks around to my side of the car and opens the door for me. What a gentlemen he is. "Do you want some place muggle or magical?" He asks as I slide into my seat.

"Muggle, I think," I tell him as he closes the door and goes to his side. Sliding into his seat and buckling his seat belt quickly. "I kind of like going places where no one knows who I am."

We can barely leave the Manor in the wizarding world with out people jumping down our throats about Cassius. It was kind of nice not to have that here. He starts the car and we take off with a loud skid of the tires. I stare outside at the trees and buildings that we zoom past as Byron places his hand on my thigh, running his thumb over my knee gently.

"So, tell me what you've been doing since you've home," he says as he stares at the road before him.

"Well, nothing, really," I tell him honestly. I don't know what to do with my hands so I just place them by my sides like an idiot. "I worked things out with my Dad. So, that's a good thing."

"Yes," he says and he glances at me as we stop at a red light. "I'm sorry about that."

I shake my head. "It wasn't your fault. Anyways, so I've talked to him and I also figured things out with Chloe."

"Did you?" he asks and his voice sounds bland and flat.

"Yeah, we met up a few days ago."

"Yeah?" he doesn't sound like he cares too much.

"Yeah, she told me, you know," I take a breath. "She told me that she liked girls."

"Yeah?" he says again and I look at the side of his face. Why is he being so withdrawn right now?

"I feel bad," I tell him honestly. "That I never knew... and that I can't...." I trail off and shrug as I look out the window. "I told her how I felt about you and she seemed fine with it when we parted."

"How do you feel about me exactly?" he asks.

He should know. I take the hand that he has on my thigh and I hold it between my own. "I think you're decent company," I tell him and that slight smile appears on his face.

"Just decent?" he asks.

My eyes drop down to his lips as he licks them. "More than decent," I say softly.

He stops at another red light and I look around to make sure there are no other cars on the road before I unbuckle my seat belt and lean over to his side so I can kiss his neck.

"Perfectly decent," I whisper against his skin.

"I'm driving," he says as I start sucking on his neck, determined to make a mark just for the hell of it. The light turns green as I work my way up to his jaw. "You're going to make us wreck," he warns and I smirk before bringing my hand down to the front of his pants. "Oh, okay," he says as his breath hitches and his hips lift off the seat.

He violently turns the wheel and starts speeding down the first road that we get to. It surprises me, so I pull back from him and look forward. "Where are we going?" I ask as we zoom past small houses and tall trees.

"I'm not very hungry either," he says quietly and he turns down a one way dirt street that leads into a forest reserve.

"Um, Byron, what are we doing?" I ask because it's officially dark outside and going into a creepy woods at night in muggle territory doesn't sound like a good idea to me.

He doesn't even look at me as he turns on the radio and I bite my lip worriedly as I re-buckle my seat belt. Is he mad at me? Suddenly everything my father and Chloe said flows back to me as I watch Byron's steady face.

"I was just playing," I tell him softly. "I won't do it while you're driving again," I say as I we go over a large bump in the dirt road. My heart beat speeds up, but not for a good reason, and I look at the door handle, wondering if I could get out and Apparate with out hurting myself.

The car stops at the edge of some cliff and I close my eyes when he clicks off the head lights. "Don't be scared, you silly girl," he says gently. I open my eyes and turn to him, he's looking at me closely with his head tilted to the side. "I'm not mad at you."

"Why are we out here?" I ask as I look around at the trees that surround us and the city sky line and stars that are a head of us. This makes me nervous and I didn't realize how dark it had gotten until now.

"I used to live in that neighborhood back there," he says as he turns down the radio so the music is a dull whisper in the background. "After my father went missing we stayed at your house for a while, did you know that?"

I shake my head and turn my body towards his, feeling a little safer once more. Stupid me, for thinking bad things about him. "You were just a baby then," he mutters as he looks out of the windshield. "After we left there, my Mom was able to afford a little house in that muggle neighborhood before the Weasley's helped us get that house we had when I was in Hogwarts. Do you remember that?"

I nod my head, remembering the small two story house he used to live in. "I remember," I whisper as he looks over my face.

"I didn't have any friends," he says seriously. "They made me stop hanging out with your brother and none of the muggle boys in the neighborhood liked me because they thought I was weird."

I try to imagine Byron as a boy and it just makes me sad, so I overcome my worry and slide closer to him so I can touch his hand. I had a lonely childhood too because my parents needed to keep us so sheltered and the fact that I was so painfully shy didn't help matters.

"I used to come out here all the time before we moved. I used to love this place," he says as he stares out at the stars again.

"It is pretty out here," I admit because I don't have anything else to say.

"I liked that there were no man made noises out here. Living in that little house, I could always hear cars and televisions and telephones... I hated all those muggle noises and out here everything was so basic." He shakes his head and his hand tightens around the steering wheel. "God, I hated living in that house. I had to share a room with Samantha, we barely got along, and Chloe was so little. She used to sleep in my Mom's room and she would cry all the time. My Mom was dating this jerk at the time.... The walls were so thin that I could hear everything and I just hated it so much."

"That does sound horrible," I tell him honestly. I have no idea what else to say so I bring a hand up and brush my knuckles against his cheek as he leans his head back against the head rest.

"I used to pretend I was an Auror," he says and I try to figure out where this is going, but I'm happy that he's sharing things with me. "Killing bad wizards and sending curses to dementors." His head tilts to mine and his face glows green from the clock on the dash board. "Were you ever able to do a protronus?"

I nod my head. "We learned how to do it my seventh year."

"What is yours?"

I sigh and look away. "It's actually kind of embarrassing," I tell him as I look out ahead of me. "Everyone else got these really cool animals, Serena's was a fox, Fiona got a horse... even Twyla Thimble got a freaking lion."

"And you?" he asks and I can feel his eyes boring into the side of my face.

"It's a sheep," I say remembering how disappointing it was to see that pop out of my wand. "Not even a full grown sheep, but a lamb." I glance at him. "That's not very cool, is it? It' just a baby." He smiles. "What about you? What's yours?"

He laughs a little and when I raise an eyebrow he answers. "A wolf, actually."

"How not fitting," I say as he leans in closer to me.

"Maybe it is," he says softly as he presses his lips against mine.

I smile as he tilts his head and his hand comes up to my face as he runs his thumb along my jaw. The arm rest gets in my way as I try to lean against him when he deepens the kiss and I pout at it when I pull back, trying to find a good angle to kiss him.

"Back seat," he whispers and I furrow my brows.

"What?"

"Let's get in the back seat."

"Oh." It sounds like a good idea.

We climb into the back, which was a challenge all in itself, and when we reach the leather seating, Byron pulls me down on his lap so I'm straddling his waist. I missed how nice he smells and how good he tastes, I even missed the texture of his hair as I run my fingers through it, so I was basically in heaven as I snogged the bloody day lights out of him in the stupid metal muggle death trap that we were in. I could feel his hands fumbling around the back of my dress, trying to find a zipper to take it off as I threw his sunglasses in the front seat. I smiled against his lips when I remembered there was no zipper back there to unzip.

"I can't get this..." Byron whispers as he puts his mouth against my shoulder so he can peak over to see what he's doing. "How the hell..."

"Here," I say gently as I push his hands back and I tug the dress over my head to reveal my bra and knickers to him. A matching red satin set... good thinking on my part. "You made that more complicated than you had to," I tell him with a smile as I dip down to kiss his handsome face. He smiles then, and lowers the straps of my bra so he can tug the fabric down.

"I missed these too," he says and I laugh as he goes down to have his way with my body. Boys... honestly...

A crunch outside makes me jump and I pull back from him, crossing my arms over my chest. "What is it?" he asks with hooded eyes as he looks over my troubled face. I put the straps of my bra back up and Byron frowns. "What are you doing?"

I look out the window to see if I can see anything and I grab my dress. "What if someone can see us?" I say nervously, finally coming to my senses as I go to put my dress back on.

Byron stops me.

"No one's going to come out here," he says seriously.

"How are you sure of that?" I ask, now totally paranoid. I slide off of his lap and I sit beside him with my dress clutched to my body.

He sighs and lets his head fall to the back of the seat. "I could put a concealment charm on the car," he offers as he glances at me and I shake my head because even that wouldn't make me feel comfortable. I have this new fear of a muggle coming up and knocking on the window while we're shagging.

"Are you mad?" I ask as I watch his face.

"No," he says gently as he turns towards me and finally looks me in the eyes. "I just haven't seen you in a while. I had almost forgotten how beautiful you were."

I snort and turn my head away, to look at the creepy trees that are outside of the car window.

"You have no idea that you are," he says, saying that so matter of fact. I glance at him as he shakes his head and brings a hand up to play with the headrest in front of him. "I always thought you were trying to be modest... but you have no idea."

"Thank you," I say quickly so he'll stop talking about it. Compliments make me uncomfortable. I know I'm not the best looking girl... I'm not skinny... I'm not tan... ugh... I hate thinking about. I tug the dress over my head and shimmy it back on while still sitting. Just in case someone is outside and peaking in, I don't want them seeing anything.

"Do you think that people have only liked you because your family was rich?" he asks and my head snaps to his. He's not looking at me. He's still playing with the head rest, outlining the stitching with his fingers and grabbing the metal bars that connect it to the seat.

"Sometimes I think that," I say honestly because I won't lie to him. "I mean, a lot of people just want to be by us because we have money."

He nods his head. "Yeah, I can understand that."

We sit in silence for a long time. Neither of us speaks and it becomes way too awkward for me to stand so I shift my body and cough to fill the silence.

"I've applied for a job at the Magical Museum in London," he says softly, breaking the silence.

"Really?" I say in surprise. I can't see him with a real job, to be honest. "Do you think you'll get it?"

He nods his head. "I go in for my final interview tomorrow morning. They have an opening in their ancient artifact department."

"That would be perfect for you," I say as I turn towards him because we're finally talking about something normal people talk about. "I thought you might start up traveling around again because of Cassius..." I trail off. I kind of hate thinking about it. I hate thinking that now my brother is back, Byron would have no need for me.

"I thought it was about time I settled down and actually got a steady job," I find myself smiling. "I mean, my bank account is in the negatives now, really."

"I can give you money if you need it," I offer with out thinking and he narrows his eyes. I forgot people don't like that.

"I appreciate the offer, but I really don't want to take your families money," he says shortly because I must have hurt his pride. I nod my head and turn away again, taking in the lights the outline the horizon in front of us.

"I've decided to go to Antioch University," I say because we seem to be sharing things with each other. "I've finally made a decision... my Mom's pretty happy with me."

"What do you think you'll go into?"

I shrug. "I don't know... I'm good at healing charms."

"Will you live in the dorms, then?"

"Yeah," I say, even though I'm not thrilled with the idea because of the terrible experience I had with my dorm mates at Hogwarts.

"I think you'll like it," he says softly.

I watch his profile in the green light of the dash board as he licks his lips and drums his fingers against his knees. I love him so much. "Do you want me to take you home?" he asks after a few moments of silence. I glance down at my own watch. It's only nine.

"No, not yet," I say as I slide over to his side and I gently kiss his cheek. "Are you sure that concealment charm would block out the whole car?" I ask because I suddenly want him all over again. Just looking at him does that.

A small smile tilts his lips and he leans closer to me, pressing his lips against mine. "I am very good at concealment charms," he says warmly as he lifts his wand and mutters a few spells that I've never heard of before. "There. Now we're set," he turns back to me and I take his face in my hands and kiss him deeply.

My dress comes back off, his pants get pulled down, and my knickers get thrown towards the front seat. I end up in an awkward angle, with one leg on top of Byron's shoulder and the other resting on the seat in front of us as he drills into me like we've never had sex before. He was going as hard and as fast as he could and my body kept on humming with each stroke in the most electrifying way. My head keeps on hitting the arm rest of the door, so I bring my hands up to block the blows from giving me a concussion. That doesn't really help because now my head just keeps on hitting my hands that are hitting the door.

"You're perfect," he says as he works on top of me. I look up at him, taking in his sweat drenched hair....my hair, that I so meticulously curled, is now plastered to my face in neck in a wet heap because it's getting so hot in this freaking car. "You are so perfect."

He's wearing a necklace, and it's hitting me in the face with each of his thrusts so I grab it and pull him down so he's lying totally on top of me. He falls down and wraps his arms around my back to pull my chest closer to his and that just makes things worse. The new angle keeps the stupid necklace from getting in my face, but my leg is now up by my ear and after a hard thrust of his hips my head bangs into the handle once more, making my knuckles crack against the hard plastic.

"Byron, this is hurting," I whisper into his ear and I add a kiss to his cheek. I wonder if many muggles have sex in the back seats of their cars, because it is uncomfortable. "Byron... Byron this is hurting me." I might pull a muscle in my leg if he doesn't move.

He pulls back and he slips out of me as he breathes heavily and hovers above me with his eyes glazed and hooded. I let my legs relax on either side of his body and I sigh as I scoot down so I can let my hands free. "Turn over," he says in a husky voice and I'm too busy pushing sweaty hair out of my eyes to actually do what he says. "I said turn around," he says as he grabs my waist and flips me around himself.

I gasp at the movement as I land on my knees. "Put your hands on the door," he says and a jolt goes through my body because I've never been in this position before, but I do what he says. I was expecting him to just carry on what we were doing before, but he doesn't. Nothing is happening, so I glance over my shoulder at him.

He smirks when he sees me and he runs his fingers up my spine until it reaches my hair. He doesn't say anything so I face forward again and close my eyes when he kisses my shoulder blade, letting himself slide inside of me again. It's weird not seeing him when we do this... I'm so use to him being on top so this new position seems so weird to me. After a few more thrusts it stops being weird and starts being my new favorite thing. I wanted to see him, though, and I wanted to kiss him, so I moved my body and I turned around, pushing him back so I could straddle his lap again. I must have been going too slow for him, because he gripped my hips and slammed my body down on his.

"You know," he says between deep breathes as I move on top of his body. I kiss him before he continues and he smirks at me. "You can scream all you want. No one is out here."

I glance out the window… it's all fogged up and I can't see a thing. "I'm not going to scream," I tell him as my body starts to tingle. I try to be as quiet as I can during sex because I don't want to embarrass myself... so I will not be screaming.

"Is that a challenge?" He asks as he slams my hips down again and I drop my head to his shoulder because that wild build up is starting to happen. "That sounds like a challenge to me, love," he says and I slap my hand against the window as he slams me down again and grinds my hips against his.

"That's a fact," I whisper against his ear as I take my hand from the door. It's wet with condensation from the glass and I run it through Byron's hair so it sticks up every which way. "No challenge."

He took me up on that bet.

I lost.

Byron won.

I'm pretty sure I scared some wood dwelling creatures before we were finished.

We were a sweaty, heavily breathing, mess by the time I slid off of him, and most of my body was stuck to the black leather seats. It made me feel good when I remembered that this was Harry Potter's car. I hope it smells like sex when he gets it back.

"What are you smiling about?" Byron asks as he buckles his pants. I smile to myself as I hook my bra back up and feel around for my knickers in the front seat so I can slide them back into place.

"Nothing," I say softly. "My Mom gave me a years worth of birth control potion," I tell him as I tug on my dress.

"That was thoughtful of her," he jokes and I smirk at him. He studies my face and he sighs before kissing me again. "You always look so good after we've fucked."

My eyebrows shoot up in surprise at his wording and I start laughing as he buttons up his shirt. "You do too," I say honestly as I run my fingers through his damp hair. It sticks up from the sweat and I think it looks so good like that. "My father might break a blood vessel, though," I say as I worry my lip between my teeth and I pull my hair back, putting it all up in the clip because I'm sure it's going to get frizzy when it dries considering how humid it is in this car right now.

"You could always stay with me," he offers, but I think he's joking so I don't say anything.

"Byron, who is Eva?" I ask as I slip on my shoes. The worst thing after having hot sweaty sex is having to put all your clothes back on.

"Who?" He's messing with his socks as he questions me and I give him a look. "Who are you talking about?"

"Eva," I repeat. "There was a letter from her at your place...."

He pauses a second and studies my face. "She's an old friend from school," he says as he faces forward and he slips on his shoes.

"And you have sex with her?" I reply, remembering the letter and trying to be casual about it even though I want to go into crazy girl mode. With all my lust and love... it makes me want to vomit.

"No."

"But the letter said...." I trail off and start playing with my watch. "It was recent," I finish lamely.

"She was an art history major." he says softly. "I thought she might have an idea about that statue. Something I hadn't thought about yet."

"But she obviously thought you two were going to hook up."

"I haven't seen her in months," he says, sounding way more defensive the longer we talk about it. "You don't need to worry about anything."

"Is she pretty?" I ask bitterly and he snaps me a glare.

"Why are you talking to me like that?" he asks as he tilts his head. "I told you I haven't seen her in months."

I can't help it... I'm way too curious now and even a little bit jealous. I'm still a Malfoy, after all. "Did you use to sleep with her often?" To be honest, I'm a little annoyed that he didn't tell me she was ugly.

"Did you sleep with Darron often?" he asks shortly.

"You're the only person I've ever been with," I counter angrily because he's sounding so snippy with me. "And his name's Darius."

That correction seemed to have annoyed him. "Why are you acting all suspicious of me? I wasn't the one that fucked another guy while I was in a relationship."

Now, that made me mad. "Yeah, you were the one I did that with. It's not like I'm getting naughty letters from Darius now because I cut things off with him."

"You didn't need to go through my things," he snaps and I glare. Why are we fighting right now? After we just did what we did. "I already explained to you what was happening with her. I might have been the only bloke you ever slept with, but you're the only girl I ever dated... ever..." he repeats like it would make an impact. Sex and dating are too totally different things, I know that. "And how many boys have you gone out with?" he asks, like turning this around on me would make things better.

"That doesn't matter."

"Doesn't it?" he says and my eyes narrow even more "You're the one that's untrustworthy. You're the one that would be more likely to fuck someone else considering your history."

"You're the only guy I've ever felt anything for," I tell him honestly, even though his words are cruel.

"So you say." I reach in the front seat and I grab my cardigan and clutch. "What are you doing?"

"I'm going home," I snap as I open the door and slam it shut.

"Hey, come back to the car."

He gets out as well as I start storming down the stupid dirt road. I don't even care that it's in a big dark scary woods in the middle of a muggle town. How can he be so mean to me after we had sex? I feel angry tears in my eyes and that makes me even angrier because crying makes me look weak and it's a weakness I've always hated in myself.

"Lavinia, get back in the car."

"Leave me alone!" I yell as I rummage through my clutch to get my wand.

His legs are longer than mine and he catches up to me way more sooner than I think is fair. "Just stop walking, will you," he snaps, still sounding unbelievably mad and the words my father and Chloe said start seeding their way into my brain again. So much so, that when he grabs my arm to get me to stop walking, I pull away from him violently and when he brings his hand up, I flinch. "Did you..." he furrows his brows and takes a few steps back, letting the offending hand drop. "Why did you just flinch?"

I just look at him and say nothing at he runs his hand over his face.

"Did you think I was going to hit you?" he asks and I can't really say. I don't know why I flinched. "I wasn't going to hit you. I would never... never hit you," he says and I remember a time when he actually did hit me…. Of course, it was an accident, but still. Never say never. "Jesus, I can't believe I just made you flinch. I'm sorry, okay? I can just say stupid things sometimes. I'm sorry."

I guess the fight was part my fault too, and I do feel bad that he looks so torn up right now. Why did I flinch? "I'm sorry I went through your things," I say quietly as I cross my arms over my chest. "I wasn't sneaking around or anything... it was just there and I read it."

"It's okay. I didn't have anything to hide from you. She doesn't mean anything... nothing has ever really meant anything to me." He takes a step closer to me and brings a hand up to touch my arm. Stepping close enough that I have to tilt my head up to see his face properly. "I hate that I made you flinch," he says softly. "Please don't look at me like that."

I want to apologize for flinching, but that didn't make any sense so I nod my head. "It's okay... maybe you should take my home now," I say softly. "It's almost ten."

"Fine," he says and he follows me with his hands in his pockets as I start walking back towards the car.

I start feeling guilty and bad as he looks down at the ground so I put my arm through his and I let my fingers slide down until I pull his hand out of his pocket. I hold it in my own and intertwine our fingers.

"You aren't going to think less of me because I put out on the first date, are you?" I joke in an attempt to lighten the mood.

He laughs and squeezes my hand. "I've lost all respect for you," he says and I nudge him.

"I'm sorry I started a fight."

"I'm sorry too," he mutters softly. I like it much better when we're being nice to each other.

When we get back to the car, he opens my door for me again and I slide in. The rest of the drive, neither of us talk. Byron just watches the road and I just watch him. When we make it back to the parking garage, I step out quickly and wait for Byron, thinking he wants to do that whole guy thing when Apparating. For some reason men think woman are bad at it even though men have a higher splinching rate than us ladies. I guess it is the gentlemanly thing to do, so I allow him to wrap his arms around my waist to get us home. We land with a thump outside of the Manor gates and when I go to pull back from him, his arms tighten around my body.

"When I said you weren't trustworthy... I didn't mean that," he says and I nod my head. Things said in anger are easier to forgive, I think. "I mean, it's hard for me to understand why you want me when you have so many other options."

"You're just lucky, I suppose," I joke again, but he doesn't seem to get it because his face still looks set and serious. I reach up and kiss him gently to try to get my point across because I can't rightly tell him all the reasons why I love him because that would just embarrass me.

When I pull back, he studies my face and sighs. "Your father is going to kill me," he says as he brings his hands up to my face and when he runs his thumbs over my cheeks I realize he's fixing my makeup. It must have smeared. So much for looking perfect. "If he asks, tell him it started raining."

I laugh and take his hand so I can kiss his palm. "Next time I want to take you out," I tell him as I let his hand drop. "Ladies choice."

"I guess this date was pretty lame," he says and I shake my head.

"No, it wasn't."

He smiles a little and leans down, leaving a gentle kiss on my lips. "Goodnight, my darling."

Darling. Sigh.

"Goodnight, By--"

"Lavinia!" Someone cuts me off and shoves a camera in my face, blinding me with the flash as they take a picture. "Can you tell us the real story? Was what happened with your brother a publicity stunt?"

I give Byron a panicked look before turning towards the gate and placing my hand on it. Hello, Malfoy wards. As I step through the gate that will block everyone else out, I vaguely hear that reporter getting blasted with a curse as the night time sky lights up with a blue light from my boyfriend's wand...

Yay Byron.

_**Cassius **_

"Nope."

"Mr. Malfoy, it would be beneficial..."

"Nope," I repeat again as I sit on the uncomfortable plastic sheeted bed. "You won't tell me what's in it, so I won't drink it."

"We need to make sure you won't have a bad reaction," the intern says as he holds the bottle of snot looking liquid in front of me.

"You want to make sure I don't have a bad reaction by giving me the potion I might have a bad reaction to?" Somehow that doesn't make sense to me.

He sighs loudly and I cross my arms. I hate coming to St. Mungo's. No one knows what the hell to do with me, but they refuse to let me off the hook. "We need to make sure there were no internal changes in your body. Please, take this."

Gah, they won't leave me alone until I do. I grab the snot looking thing from him and hold my nose as I pour it down my throat. When I recognize the taste, I glare at the intern. "Vertiserum?" I snap angrily. Their attempts at covering it up with the snot stuff would not go unnoticed by me.

"Has Vertiserum always worked on you?" he asks as he takes out a clip board to monitor me as I angrily shake my head. I can't believe these stupid healers.

"Yes," I say, but I'm not feeling that overwhelming need to say anything like I usually would with the potion. Must not work as well as I thought. He makes a hmm sound and writes something down with a silver tipped quill. "How do you know I'm not lying?" I ask as his quill scratches against the paper.

"Are you?" he asks as he glances up at me.

I smile. "No," I state and he nods his head again. "How do you know that wasn't a lie?"

Now he's getting frustrated because his brow creases and his mouth turns down in a frown. "Are you?"

I shrug and he glares.

"If I ask you something embarrassing... If you tell me... I'll know."

There's an obvious flaw in that logic.

"How do you know what I say isn't a lie?"

"What's your middle name?"

"Draconis... but why would I lie about that?" he makes a frustrated noise and I laugh.

"Tell me a lie."

"Why?"

"If you can lie, tell me a lie."

"Fine, I hate your hair," he glares but then he smirks.

"See, so the potion doesn't work on you."

"You think I like your hair?" I ask and he might hex me soon.

"Okay, we're done here." I smile as he puts the clip board down. "I'm going to go get Conrad so he can check out your body in the exercise room."

A few moments later, a blond bloke in green scrubs comes in and I follow him out of the room. The hallways are bright and as I walk them I can feel the Vertiserum actually starting to work within my body. Whatever they tried to mask it with must have delayed it's productivity. Now I can only hope I don't say anything too stupid. I hate St. Mungo's.

"So, how's your sister doing?" The blond healer asks as we walk by paintings of past staffers who worked at the hospital.

"Which one?" I ask as I keep my eyes trained on the ground so I don't spill any embarrassing secrets.

"Lavinia, she was here a while ago with a broken back."

"Lavinia broke her back?" I ask when we get into the sweat smelling room with all the exercise equipment. No one told me that detail.

"Yeah, she was riding a horse and fell off." I frown. "Is she still seeing that one guy?" he asks carefully, looking away from me as I raise my eyebrows. "That bloke with the weird eyes?"

Weird eyes... he must be talking about Byron. His eyes are such a bright and light blue that they freak some people out. "I think so," I answer honestly and I stop myself from saying more about what I know about their relationship. I hate vertiserum.

"She's very pretty, your sister."

I glare at him. Honestly, I could care less if he thought she was pretty. Why would he feel the need to tell her older brother that?

"So, how are you doing?" he asks, taking out a clip board. "Any problems or concerns?"

"I haven't been laid in a while," I state because the vertiserum doesn't let me have a filter with the things I'm thinking. "In fact, it's been an embarrassingly long time since I slept with a girl. I masturbate way more often than a good looking rich boy should," I state and I laugh because I can't believe I said it out loud.

"Okay, then, I meant any concerns concerning your health." Conrad the healer says uncomfortably and I shake my head. "Good. Do you want to hop on the tread mill for me, please? We're going to monitor your heart rate."

"Let's," I say happily as I jump on said tread mill and I start jogging when he presses the button. He points his wand at my chest so he can count the thumps of my heart, or whatever the hell he's doing, as I try to keep the word vomit at bay so it doesn't spill out of my mouth. I have this overwhelming need to tell him about the dandruff I see on his shoulder. "Do you like this job?" I ask as I run, trying to distract myself from everything I want to say.

"Yeah, I love it," Conrad says as he keeps his eyes trained on his wand like it was telling him something important.

"You like my sister?" I ask and when he doesn't say anything I shake my head. "Everyone likes my sister. I don't understand it. She's so bloody awkward around people..."

"She's really pretty," Conrad says as he glares at his wand.

"Yeah, well, so is a flower, but I don't see any guy asking a daisy out on a date. Oh well," I say with a sigh as I run because I know I'm getting too far off topic. "I'm pretty sure she's been shagging my best mate on a regular basis... that's messed up right?" I ask I look into his eyes. "There are rules, and one of the rules is that your best mate is not allowed to shag your sister."

"Yeah, that's awkward," Conrad says, I can tell he doesn't care to talk about this, but oh well. They shouldn't have given me that potion.

"There's a code," I tell him. "A friend and family code and they both broke it."

"Okay, I'm going to speed you up a little bit," he says as he presses the button on the main board so that the belt under my feet moves faster. My cheeks heat up as I start sprinting, but I still feel like talking.

"I wasn't really dead either," I tell him and he sighs loudly, probably getting annoyed with me. "I was on this strange Island. It was fucked up."

"Yeah?" He could care less.

"It was a horcrux. Have you ever heard of one of those?" He shakes his head. "Well, my friend Byron and I are going to get a hold of both of them so we can destroy them. The necklace is at the museum in London and they wouldn't let us in, so Byron is getting a job there in their ancient artifact department. I bet they're going to be pissed about it."

"Was it a Horcrux that got you into this mess?" he asks softly as my breath becomes short and I start sweating.

"Yeah," I say in between breaths. It's hard to run while talking. "Yeah, it can mess up anyone close to it when it's activated. It can practically take out a whole country if it's played right. Luckily, I was underwater when it happened....." I trail off and shake my head. "I wonder if there are any fish in purgatory now."

"Really?" he says, sounding a bit more interested. I explain to him what happened to the Island and he looks thoughtful as the machine turns off and I catch my breath. "It can take out a whole lot of people at one time?"

"I'm guessing it caused quite a stir in the ancient world," I say honestly because I have no choice but to be fucking honest. "A small Island full of people just up and vanishes."

"That is interesting," he says softly as I step off the machine and I put my hands on my knees. "Well, your heart seems to be right on, Mr. Malfoy."

"Can I go home now?"

"Er, not yet," he says and I groan. "We just have a few more tests to run before you're set."

"Oh, fuck me..." I mutter before following him to another stupid machine to do another stupid test.

By the end of my little check out at St. Mungo's, poor Conrad the healer learned my whole life story and my feelings on all flavor jelly beans. Why is there a vomit one in the first place? That is all I want to know.

I go back to Byron's flat... I can't rightly call it mine anymore because I haven't been there in a while, but I prefer it over the Manor because Byron doesn't rush to my side as soon as I come home, demanding to know how I'm feeling and what my day was like. It's nice not be coddled. I throw off my shirt when I walk into the living room and I go into the kitchen to make myself some food. In our fridge is an empty jar of mayonnaise, some plate of indistinguishable mush covered in mold, and some baking soda. Well, damn. I rummage through the cabinets and find an unopened can of pineapple slices, so I open that and take a fork to eat right out of the can. I guess there is something to be said about the Manor. House-elves really do make excellent food.

I sit down in the living room and the chair nearly buckles under me... perhaps it will be time to dip into my trust fund. Some new furniture doesn't seem like such a bad idea. As I eat my pineapples and read an old copy of a Quidditch Sport magazine, the door opens and I glance up as Byron walks into the room. He's wearing a navy blazer and khaki slacks and he has a brief case in one hand, while loosening the tie around his neck with the other. I've never seen him look so professional before and I smirk when he sees me.

"How did the interview go?" I ask as I set the magazine and can of pineapples on the table in front of me.

"I got the job," he says, but he doesn't sound too pleased about it. "I'll probably never get a job in my field again after we destroy that necklace. It's the main center piece of their new exhibit for the fall."

"That's only if they find out it was you who took it," I say encouragingly as he sits down and throws his brief case on the floor. "St. Mungo'ssucked as always. I'm going to warn you, they gave me vertiserum. So if I seem brutally honest the next couple of days, you know why."

"Dually noted," he says tiredly as he closes his eyes and lets his head rest against the back of the chair.

"So....how was your date with my baby sister?" I ask curiously. I know they went out last night because he asked me if it was okay. Even though their relationship annoys the magic out of me, I still thought that was kind of an upstanding thing to do.

He surprises me by sighing loudly and shaking his head. "I think she had a terrible time, to be honest."

"Why do you think that? Is it because you're so bloody quiet that you give off the illusion that you have no personality?" When he flicks an irritated glance at me, I apologize and remind him about the Vertiserum. "Anyways, go on," I encourage him to continue even though it's probably not the best idea considering I have no filter.

God, I'm just like Gavin now.

He shrugs and messes with his hair before taking off his jacket. "I don't know." Again he sighs and I tilt my head to the side to study his reaction. "Even though I apparently have no personality..." I apologize for the jab again so he'll move on. "I don't know. I love being with her... I love being around her and she makes me want things I've never wanted before."

"Don't make this bloody complicated," I say as he rubs his eyes with the heel of his palms. I'm not going to give him relationship advice when it involves my sister. In fact, now that I think about it... I've never had to give him relationship advice because he's never actually been in a relationship before. Oh, how weird.

"It's just that we're going to be going into two different places now," he says and when he looks at me, his face looks troubled and his brows are furrowed. "She's going to go to college and have fun… I'm not fun and I always say the wrong thing."

"You know, it's my brotherly obligation to tell you that if you make her cry, I'm going to have to kill you."

"I've already made her cry," he says quietly. "I'm not good at this and she's young. She's too young."

"Oh, Jesus," I say with an eye roll. "You both like each other, stop making it difficult."

Byron stands up and walks into the kitchen, I follow and watch him as he fills up a glass with water from the sink. "She's afraid of me, Cassius." he says gently and I have to strain my ears to hear it. "We got in a fight last night and she was walking away from me. I tried to get her to stop and I brought a hand up to touch her face because I was going to apologize... she flinched." He looks at me. "She thought I was going to hit her."

"She probably didn't think that," I say seriously. "It was just a reaction to your hand coming up like that. You used to flinch all the time when someone got near your face."

"That's because I used to get hit all the time," he snaps back and he turns away from me. "Besides, that wasn't the only time she acted like that. I wanted to show her something, so I started driving in a different direction and there were a few moments there was she was legitimately afraid of me. I could tell by the way she was talking and the way she was looking at me. I would never hurt her... I don't understand why she doesn't trust me," he whispers that last part to himself like I wasn't meant to hear it... but I did.

"Byron," I say to get his attention so he'll look at me. When he finally turns my way I look him square in the eyes. "After her graduation party you got ridiculously drunk, slammed your fist into her face, and then called her a slut."

"That was an accident," he sounds worried now. "I was drunk, I didn't mean it..."

"I love you, man, but you're not very predictable and you're hard to figure out. If she was honestly afraid of you, she wouldn't speak to you," I tell him honestly, because it's not like I can lie. "It would hurt her more if you just stopped talking to her. I know my sister, Byron, and what she did… leaving to be with you when you two were trying to help me, that was a big step for her. You can't just run away like you always do. Not with her."

"I know," he says softly as he looks down at the water in his glass. "She's scares me too, you know."

"How so?" I ask as I lean against the counter ledge.

"I find myself wanting so much from her... all the time..." he trails off and exhales slowly." It doesn't matter." His eyes flick to mine. "What's on the agenda for today?"

"Well, I get to go talk to those douche bags in Spain." They want to know all about my experience before they unveil that statue head to the public. I'm sure they aren't going to appreciate the fact that I'm going to destroy it before they can. "Have you spoken to Potter yet?"

He nods. "He's very curious to know why I'm suddenly so interested in Horcruxs and how to destroy them. He already thinks I'm a freak, now I think he's started to suspect I want to be the next Dark Lord. He's asking me about my views on blood status and my thoughts on muggle magical segregation. Dating your sister doesn't help… he's sure that all of you Malfoy's are purist bigots." He raises an eyebrow. "Speaking of bigots, how's your brother doing?"

I shrug. "Same. He hates me. How's your sister?"

"Which one?"

"Sam?"

"She hates me."

"Chloe?"

"Pretty sure she hates me too."

"Hm, well, when did we become so unpopular?" he smirks and I smile. "Oh, wait, fuck," I say when I realize something.

"What?" Byron asks as he watches my face.

"I can't meet those guys from Spain today... I'm on Vertiserum. God damn those healers."

"Oh, yeah, that's not good." He finishes his glass of water and places on the table. "What do you want to do today, then?"

I pout as I think about it. "Maybe we can go out tonight. I haven't actually done anything fun since I've been back and I'm starting to feel like a loser. You can be the D.A." D.A.—Designated Apparater... there's no way in hell I'm letting Byron drink tonight.

"Where do you want to go?" My anti-social friend sounds weary and I don't blame him.

I shrug. "Anywhere. Do you think being totally truthful will help me get shagged?"

His eyebrows shoot up at my blunt words and he laughs a little. "Shagged or slapped... it depends on who you're talking to and how honest you are."

"I think we should do that," I say with a decisive nod of my head. "And no more talking about my sister."

"I don't know, Cass," he says. "I don't feel up to it."

"It doesn't matter what you want. You aren't the only one that's fucked up now, so get ready."

I don't wait for an answer as I grab my wand and I head out to the Apparation point still shirtless and chocked full of truth serum. A woman in high waist jeans walks by me as I walk down the stairs. She looks ridiculous. Her hair is dyed platinum blonde, but she obviously got a little lazy on the upkeep because the roots are and inch or so of solid black and she's wearing a skin tight snake print tank top that shows off every bump and fold on her body. I don't know her name, but if I had to give her one it would probably be Bertha, or something like that… and those jeans…. I try not to say anything… I really do, but I can't stop myself.

"Those pants are a bad idea," I say out loud as she passes and she turns around. I stop what I was going to say about the rest of her outfit and I think that's an accomplishment.

"Excuse me?" She asks snappishly. I can already tell she's one of those scrappy women with major attitudes who probably hits.

Probably should have kept my mouth shut. "Your jeans are making your body look like a bowling pin," I tell her and her eyes flare. I'm really doing her a favor, actually. Had it been any other day I wouldn't have said anything and she would have gone on wearing those jeans like they fit right. "Your pants should never go up that high and acid wash is never the answer."

"You're not even wearing a shirt, you bloody tosser!"

She might start hitting me soon, but I can't shut up. "But, see, this is what you need to learn." Her face is turning red and I have to pinch myself so I don't point that out. "I have the body to go shirtless." Hiking, climbing, and not eating will do that to you. "You, on the other hand…"

SMACK

I reel my head back and stare with wide eyes as the woman brings her hand down. Bertha just smacked me.

"I deserved that," I tell her truthfully and she sniffs before turning around and strutting off in her terrible acid wash high waist jeans. Did I do the world any favors today—no… but do I feel like I accomplished something? Absolutely.

"If she comes back with her roommate, you're done for." I look up and see Byron leaning over the railing at the top of the stairs by our flat. "I think you're the size of the other ones leg."

"Oh, well, I was just trying to help," I say. I catch the t-shirt that he throws down at me and I tug it on.

"Story of your life," he comments softly.

"I'm going back to the Manor to shower and change, but when I come back you better bloody be ready. I'm going to be dragging you out regardless, so you might as well be dressed."

He just stares at me before walking inside and I lift my wand to Apparate home. Just my luck, as soon as I pop outside of the gates my wonderful little brother does as well. We stare at each other before he sighs and touches the gate so the wards will let us through.

"Where have you been, Gavin?" I ask to start up a conversation, but he ignores me. "What are you doing tonight?"

"Why do you want to know?" he asks as we walk up the long drive.

"Because I wanted to get laid tonight and I figured you would know the best places for that."

He snorts and sends me a disbelieving little look. I guess people aren't used to hearing me talk like that. "Really?" he says sarcastically with his hands in his pockets. "You're the oldest Malfoy heir who just came back from the dead and you want to where the best places are to get shagged by a girl? Try the sidewalk," he finishes and I smile at his sense of humor. At least he's talking to me now.

"I think you should come with me, I could use a good wingman," he doesn't say anything as we reach the steps of the house. "I can promise Addison to keep you out of trouble."

His face changes… it contorts into something bitter and dark and I raise my eyebrows at it as he opens the door and stomps inside. He totally ignores me now and I glare at his back as he heads towards the steps.

"I don't understand why people like you," I tell him and he looks over his shoulder, with his hand on the stair railing and his foot on the second step. "You are not a pleasant person at all."

"Thank you," he sneers sarcastically.

"I don't get how I'm the single one," I state, thinking out loud. "You're a bloody prick to everyone you meet, especially girls, and Lavinia is so unbelievably awkward and quiet… How the hell am I the single one?"

"You aren't the only single one," he mutters tiredly.

I sigh. "Evelyn doesn't count."

"Why don't I count?" I look to my left at my annoying little sister as she crosses her arms.

"Where did you just come from, you're so annoying." Truth serum and family… not a good idea.

"I was just walking out of the room. I live here too, you know."

"You were probably spying. You always spy," I snap as Gavin starts walking up stairs again, but I'm not finished with him yet. "You're coming with me tonight, Gavin. So get ready."

"Fuck off."

"Hey, no cussing." Mom enters the hallway, looking at all three of us. "Why is everyone just standing out here?"

"Cassius called me annoying," Evelyn says with a pout. She's fourteen, that shouldn't work for her anymore.

"You are annoying," Gavin chimes in and I smirk at him. It doesn't get returned, of course.

"How were the healers?" Mom asks me and I don't want to answer that question, so I look away.

"It was bloody terrible like it always is. I don't want to go back there anymore. They have no idea what they're doing."

"Cass, they just want to know what happened."

Word vomit. It's going to come. I'm trying to stop it and I'm saved from saying everything I know by my father's voice.

"Evelyn!"

We all look at my little sister. Dad rarely ever yells like that. I mean, he yells a lot… but never in that tone. Not to any of us, and especially not to the baby of the family.

"What did you do?" Mom asks softly as she looks at Evie who shrugs her shoulder although she has a terribly guilty look on her face.

"Evelyn Grace, come here right now!"

"Coming Daddy," she calls softly as we all watch her make her way towards Dad's study.

"Oh, you are in trouble," I say, sounding so much like a little kid that I'm almost irritated with myself.

When she's gone I look back at Mom and Gavin starts walking back up the stairs. "So, do you want to talk about it?" she asks softly and I know she eagerly wants me to tell her everything I went through so she can try to make it better, but I'm not in the mood.

"No," I say honestly. "I'm going to take a shower because they made me run and I'm going to get dressed and then Gavin and I are going to go out."

That actually makes my Mom smile and she glances up to Gavin who's stopped walking again to glare a hole in the side of my head. "You two are actually going to be hanging out together? What a good idea. Where will you be going?"

"Somewhere to get Cassius shagged," Gavin says to embarrass me, but instead he gets a stern look from Mom.

"Not funny," she says as she walks over to me and hugs me. I get random hugs all the time now and I do enjoy them sometimes so I hug her back as Gavin mumbles nasty things under his breath. "You boys have fun, then. Be careful where you take him, Gavin," Mom gives him a pointed look like I was the baby brother getting dragged out by the irresponsible older sibling.

"I'm not—"

"Go get dressed," I smile at his scowl. "We're leaving in an hour."

I didn't really expect it, but somehow Gavin found it in him to actually come with me. He wasn't too pleased, of course, but I know my brother, and I know that he doesn't do anything he doesn't want to do. So, even though he looked terribly pissed off and bitter, the fact that he was coming with me showed me that he actually did want to be around me. When we went back to my flat, and Gavin realized I intended Byron to come as well, he nearly went home again. I thought it wise to leave out that little detail until the end.

"Byron, hurry up," I say in annoyance as I pound on his bed room door. "It should not take one bloke this long to get ready."

I can hear Gavin being all pissing in the living room so I knock on the door again.

"Open or I'm coming in," I warn him and two seconds later Byron opens up his door and glares at me. "Good, you're ready."

"Where are we going?" he asks in irritation as he buckles up his pants and pulls on a shirt. He must have been taking a nap.

"I don't know yet. I brought Gavin, he might have a good idea."

Byron cranes his neck into the hallway and sees Gavin in the living room, glaring at everything with Malfoy distaste and snobbery clearly written on his features.

"Your brother hates me," he whispers as he bends down to put on some socks. "Why do you want me to go?"

"Did you take a shower?" I ask, just now realizing that his hair is soaking wet.

"Did you take a shower?" he counters back and I raise an eyebrow. I go to look into his room but he blocks me.

"What's your problem?" I ask because he's obviously hiding something. I try to look into his room again only to have him push me back. "Hey," I snap with my face hardening. "Why the hell did you just push me?"

"Because he's a lunatic," I hear Gavin add in from the living room.

"Shut up, Gavin," I say harshly before turning back to Byron. "What is your deal?"

He looks behind him and then back at me. "I didn't think we'd be going out until later," he says softly. "Who goes out at five?"

"We do, who the fuck is in your room?" I ask suspiciously. Why is he hiding things from me?

"No one, it's nothing..."

I try to look again, only to have him close his door with his back against the wood. "You are being terribly irritating," I tell him and I'm actually starting to get angry with him.

"I don't mean to be, let's just—"

"Oh, bloody hell, there is no way I'm going to survive this night if this is how you two bitches are going to act," Gavin pushes my shoulder and slams Byron aside so he can open the door. "Clean your bloody room," he snaps as he walks in and Byron and I just stare at him as he walks over to the closet and opens it up. "Ah, and I found what your psychotic friend has been doing. Right, now I'm going home. Ta Ta." He takes a step back from the closet, but then he stops himself and turns around, facing the thing he found there. "And I am disgusted with you."

He walks past Byron and then stops, retracting a few steps and punching my friend in the stomach with an upper cut of his fist.

"Gavin!" Lavinia comes running out of the bedroom as Byron doubles over and I raise my eyebrows. Poor Byron, always getting punched by Lavinia's brothers. "Oh, are you alright?"

Gavin leaves with out a word as Lavinia puts her hand on Byron's shoulder. He nods his head and takes in a deep breath as he tries to stand up straight, wincing the whole time.

"Didn't you just see her last night?" Lavinia is blushing an alarming shade of red and I feel my temper boiling because she's just wearing a shirt that's not even hers. "I was gone for like two hours. How did you sneak out?"

"There was no sneaking," she whispers as she looks at Byron apologetically like this was all her fault. "I'm sorry." She apologizes to him with a serious tilt of her lips and I raise a brow.

"To be honest, I don't even feel bad he punched you," I say and he nods his head, not quite looking me in the eye as my little sister coddles him. "How did this come about, because just this morning you were convinced that this relationship wasn't a good idea?"

Both eyes snap to mine and I realize that the Vertiserum made me say something stupid.

"You said that?" Lavinia asks gently as she looks back at Byron.

"You both were going different places, remember? And she's too young?"

That must have been a sore spot, because my sister looks hurt and she takes a step back. "I'm getting dressed," she says, walking into Byron's room again and closing the door.

When the door clicks shut, Byron glares at me. "Why did you say that?"

"Vertiserum," I say plainly and he shakes his head.

"You hurt her feelings, Cassius." He snaps like I was a terrible person.

"Correction, you hurt her feelings because those were your words."

"I also said a million other things, but you just chose to repeat the bad stuff," he says sternly.

"Stop shagging my sister."

"No."

That answer surprises me. We stare at each other for a few moments until his bed room door clicks open, revealing my fully dressed little sister.

"I'm going home," she says, not looking at anyone as she passes in between us and heads towards the front door.

"That's a good idea," I say, only to receive a dirty look from Byron before he chases after her.

Well, hell.

They both leave and I'm stuck just staring into Byron's messy room with a frown on my face. I want to go out and I almost died, why am I the one standing her all by my lonesome? That somehow doesn't make sense to me. Hmf. I stand at the flat for a few moments, almost waiting for someone to come back for me, but when no one does, I sneer and grab a hunter green cloak lying on Byron's floor. Who needs a wingman anyways?

I clasp the cloak around my neck and throw up the hood before I leave the flat. It's turned into a gross rainy day somewhere along the line, and I keep my head down, obscuring my face from the public as I weave my way through the busy streets. Headed towards a popular pub and when I get to the door, I go inside and shrug off my cloak, letting the water droplets land on the rug. I glance around the room once to see if any one notices me. They don't. A live band is playing on a small set up stage, drowning out all other noises and the smoke clinging to the air from people's pipes and cigarettes make vision hazy. I hang my borrowed cloak and walk over to the bar, sitting down on one of the stools and waiting until the bartender is free to order a drink.

It's pretty crowded in here. I guess I'm not the only one that thinks going out early is a good idea.

"What can I get for ya, kid?" The bartender finally makes his way over to me and I glance at him.

"I'll have a brandy," I say, ordering something my father always drinks. "With ice."

"On the rocks it is."

He disappears down the bar and I tap my fingers against the aged wood top as the ancient wizard by my side buries his head into his large pint of beer. When the bartender hands me my drink, I gulp it down and take another as I scan the bar for potential female conquests. Perhaps I'll find the woman I'm going to marry tonight, I've always wanted to have kids in my mid twenties. I see a girl trip over her heels and land in a puddle of beer…. Maybe marriage shouldn't be on the menu tonight. A gust of cold air hits me as the pub door opens, but I ignore it as I take my second glass of brandy and drink it down quickly like the one before it.

"Only alcoholics go to pubs alone," the voice besides me says and I turn to them as they lower their hood. "One firewhisky," he says to the bartender who nods his head and starts filling a glass.

"How did you know where I was?"

Gavin smirks. "Dad isn't the only one who knows how to use a location sphere." He takes a sip from his drink as it's handed to him. He's getting speedier service than me… it must be because people don't recognize me with my dark hair. I'm reminded it was a good idea again.

"Where's the lunatic?"

"Stop calling him names like that," I say with a sigh. "He's off chasing our sister."

Gavin shakes his head and takes another sip. "Ew," is all he says and then he makes a face.

"Why are you here?" I can't resist asking. "I was under the impression that you hated me and didn't want to be around me."

"I don't hate you," he says quietly and then he spins his body around on his stool so he can see the other people in the room. "In my experience, the ones with dyed blonde hair are the easiest," he says and when I realize what he's talking about, I laugh.

"That's hair profiling," I tell him as I turn around as well.

"Eh," he says with a shrug. "It's the truth."

The truth. I feel like there's going to be a lot of that tonight.

_**Evelyn **_

"But, Daddy—"

"The whole thing, Evelyn. If you keep on complaining I'll make you do it with a tooth brush."

I look around the large ball room with wide eyes as he hands me the mop and bucket full of soapy water.

"But… but this is house-elf work," I say, trying desperately to get out of this as puts a cleaning rag over my shoulder.

"It is not house-elf work," he snaps. "Normal kids help to clean their homes everyday. Only spoiled children see it as a punishment."

"But this is a punishment," I sneer back. He's the reason why I'm spoiled, I don't understand why he's getting all high and mighty now.

"Until you explain to me why you were digging in the dungeons, you'll be doing a room a day. You will tell me where that box is now and how you knew where to find it, or you'll be moping the Manor for the rest of your life. "

"That's not fair! I specifically told that stupid elf not to tell you about it! Shouldn't it get clothes for not obeying?"

"I am the master of this house," he says sternly, keeping his temper in check from yelling at me like he wants to. "And until you're in charge, no one has to listen to you."

"But I have Malfoy blood." I'm trying to spin the conversation away from my punishment in hopes that he just lets it go.

"You can't abuse the House-elves oath," he says. "It had to iron it's fingers before it told me about what you were doing. That's cruel to do to them."

"You're cruel," I mutter under my breath, but he heard it.

"Get cleaning, I want this place spotless in two hours," he says before he walks out of the room and locks it so I can't leave or get my wand to finish this stupid job.

I throw the mop down and slam the bucket on the ground, making the water splash over the sides as I stomp towards the center of the room and I cross my arms in a huff. This isn't fair! That stupid old elf shouldn't have told on me and now Dad thinks I'm hidden something terrible from him because_ "nothing good can come from things in the dungeons." _Now he's ubber suspicious of me, like how I knew it would be there and how I knew there was a dungeon hidden behind that statue in the first place. I bet he's searching my room right now, that old blood traitor.

I sit down in on the marble floor and glare at the wall. I refuse to accept this and cleaning would admit defeat. My parents don't need to know everything about my life. It's not fair that we're not allowed to have secrets or things that are personal to only us. It's not like Mom and Daddy don't have a million secrets of their own. Bella was telling me about how my father almost killed Albus Dumbledorewhen he was only seventeen! That's attempted murder, and now that attempted murderer is making me clean a stupid room just because I won't tell him everything about my life. And Mom! Oh, I bet this was her idea… she always had to clean things because she used to live in a barn with the rest of those gross Weasleys. I think she enjoys cleaning, to be honest. _She would,_ I think with a sneer as I glare.

I should actually pay attention and learn that spell Bella is always talking about. That way, my spell twin would be in here cleaning while I was out having fun. I dreadfully love having fun, but I've been too lazy to learn it properly. It's very hard and it hurts my brain, so I've basically given up on mastering that spell. I start school again soon and the ballet performance is coming up as well. Old Xavier was right, I didn't get the part, but I was made the understudy for sleeping beauty, which is irritating because I have to practice and rehearse and learn all of the dance moves with out actually getting to show case it when it matters. It just seems kind of pointless to me.

After minutes of just sitting and staring, I flick a glance to the mop and bucket. Will they keep me locked in here all night until I finish? Probably. Dad enjoys locking people in. He's such a controlling tyrant. Why does Mom even like him?

I scream in frustration as I stand up and it echo's off the large walls and ceilings. I stomp over to the mop and bucket and dip the stupid thing in the water with out much care, making more spills over the sides. The water gets on my shoes and I scowl, resisting the urge to kick the bucket. I start mopping the stupid floor as I think about how much I can't stand my parents. I make frustrated squealing noises sporadically as I clean the whole freaking ball room and I keep on staring at the clock as the minute hand slowly ticks by. Daddy probably made it go slower so I would go mad in here. Stupid jerk.

Finally, after years of me wasting away, cleaning the stupid ball room, the door opens to reveal my still very agitated looking father. He steps into the room and looks around to make sure I did what I was supposed to as I grip the mop and try not to throw it at him.

"Go to your room now," he says and I blink a few times before answering.

"It's only seven."

"I don't care what time it is. Go to your room."

"I haven't had dinner yet," I say with a stomp of my foot.

"I take this very seriously, Evelyn. I won't let this slide. Unless you tell me what I want to know, you can go to your room."

"You're mean!" I yell as I throw the mop on the ground, feeling better as it clanks and sputters on the floor. "How can I be in trouble when you used to be a Death Eater!?"

"That has nothing to do with this."

"It does too! You hurt people and you hurt Mom's friends! You can't tell me what to do when you used to kill people for a living."

"Do you think saying things that like will help your situation?" Dad asks coldly and I stare at him with angry eyes.

"I don't care," I snap and he narrows his eyes.

"Room. Now."

"Room. Now." I mock in a stupid deep voice and even I know that was a bad move.

"I've had enough of your attitude. Go to your room."

"Did you find anything while you were in there?" I snap as I start to walk past him so I can leave the room.

"Wouldn't you like to know," he says and when I reach the hallway I send a suspicious look over my shoulder before sprinting towards my room.

I immediately look for things out of place and I dive under my bed to find the box with the spell book and potions. As I'm digging under my bed, removing all of the clothes that I stuffed under there to keep the house-elves away from cleaning it, I hear my door click closed.

"Are you looking for this?"

My feet are the only things sticking out from under my bed and I freeze from my place under the bed.

"What?" I ask innocently to my mother's voice.

"Come out from under there."

I cuss under my breath and close my eyes before sliding out from under the mattress and I carefully stand up, taking my time until I plop down on my bed and face her. My eyes grow wide when I notice that not only does she have my private hidden box, but she's also holding Bellatrix Black's dress.

"Yes?" I ask, trying to mask my worry because she's holding two things that have become very dear to me.

She comes in a sits beside me with my things on her lap. I want to yell at her and tell her to leave me and my things alone, but I know that I'll probably have to clean every toilet in England if I do.

"Do you want to tell me what you've been doing with these things?" She asks carefully and I shrug my shoulders. "Evelyn, you've been acting differently and I can't help but think these things are the reason."

"They're just things I found around the house," I lie easily with another shoulder shrug. I want her to give them back and I want her to leave my room.

She opens the box and takes out the black spell book/journal that I've been reading religiously for the past few days.

"You shouldn't go through people's things," I say because I used to get in trouble for it all the time when I was small.

"These aren't your things. Why have you been collecting Bellatrix LeStrange's things and why have you been hiding them?"

I guess if they were in plain sight they wouldn't have been so suspicious. "I just found them," I say softly. "I didn't want you to be mad because I know you hate pureblood things."

"What are you talking about?" she asks. "Why do you keep on saying things like that?"

"Like what?"

"All this pureblood half blood nonsense. Where is this coming from? From this book?" She holds it up and raises a questioning eyebrow. "Is that were all these terrible ideas are coming from?"

Technically, I was saying the blood status things_ before_ I found that book because of Bella and the dress… but I'm not going to point that out now.

"I don't know," I say instead of answering truthfully.

"Why do you have this dress?" she asks, nodding towards the white dress on her lap.

"I thought it was pretty."

"So, that's it? You have no emotional attachment to these things?"

"Nope," I say, trying to sound casual so she'll give them back.

"Good, then come with me," she says and I furrow my brows as I follow her out of the room.

"What are we doing?" I ask as I trail behind her. When we enter the master bedroom, the large room she shares with my father, my eyebrows go up in confusion as she walks over to the fireplace and turns the knob so it'll blaze to life.

"Come here, Evelyn," she says as she looks at the flames as they lick and hiss at each other.

They light her in a warm glow of oranges and yellows and I watch the fire reflected in her eyes as I carefully walk over to her. She hands me the book.

"What now?" I ask as I fiddle with the leather cover.

She nods at the fire. "Throw it in."

My heart drops. "What? No!"

"If they don't mean anything, you can throw them in. You have no reason to hold onto your murdering psychotic Aunt's past possessions. She was a wicked person, Evie, and it's rubbing off on you, now throw them away."

I clutch the book to my body and shake my head while stepping back. "There's no reason to."

"Throw them in, Evelyn. No object should matter that much to you."

"Then throw in those earrings you're wearing," I say, knowing she won't and knowing her point has been lost. Daddy got those diamonds for her last Christmas.

She stares at me and I think I won, so I start to smirk, but when she begins to remove the diamonds, I let my mouth drop. "Mom—" She looks at me as she throws them into the fire. "Daddy got those for you," I say softly as I watch them disappear into the flames.

"It doesn't matter," she holds up the dress and my heart plummets when I realize it isn't safe in her hands. "Material things shouldn't matter that much. Even though your father got those for me, they're just things. I still have your father and he's a real tangible person.... I learned my lesson the hard way. You should never trust something that was once owned by a lunatic."

What does that even mean? "I just," I look down at the book and then at the dress she's holding. I really wish I was holding the dress. "I just don't want to right now."

She sighs. "Then I will."

"MOM!" I screech like a crazy person as she goes to throw the dress in the fire. "No!" I grab it before it can land in the flames and I throw the book across the room as I drag it out with panic shaking my body. The train of the dress is on fire, so I slam it down on the ground and I start stomping on it with my foot. I can feel Mom staring at me as I begin to cry and stomp on the dress, but I don't care. I sorely hope it isn't ruined now. I wonder if Bella is hurt. Oh, how terrible that would be!

"Evelyn," I vaguely hear her say, but I don't pay attention as I get down onto my knees and hold the dress to my body as I sob.

"Evelyn."

"I'm sorry," I mutter into the fabric. I realize I've become quite dependent on my new friend and if she was ruined I would never forgive myself.

"Evelyn!"

The dress gets tugged out of my arms and I look up at my mother with wide eyes. "Give her back."

Mom raises her brows and she's looking at me like she just realized I was a crazy person and she didn't know if she wanted to cry or yell at me for it. After a long pause she inhales deeply and looks down at the dress. "What spell is on this dress?"

I shrug with watery eyes. "Nothing's on it, just give it back!"

"Stop yelling at me," she snaps back. "This isn't you. Is this what's been making you like this?"

She steps back and takes out her wand as she lays the dress on my bed. I panic again as my brain itches in irritation. I don't want her to ruin that dress.

"Stop it!" I scream as she does a few spells I don't know, making the dress glow and hiss. I'm determined to make her stop, so I run to the bed and grab the dress again, but Mom grabs it as well and it turns into a weird, emotional tug-of-war. "Let go!"

"You let go, Evelyn!" she shouts sternly as I try to get it back, but she's stronger than me so I end up landing on my knees after she jerks her arms back hard.

When she yanks it out of my hands and balls it up, I know I'velost. "Giveit back," I say from my spot on the floor as she heads towards the door. "Give it back, you stupid mudblood lover."

She stops in the doorway and looks at me with a shocked face over her shoulder. I don't even feel bad, even though I know I should. I'm way too angry to care about her feelings. I just want to hurt her now.

"What did you just say?"

I narrow my eyes and clench my jaw, not saying a word.

She looks me over again and shakes her head before leaving and slamming the door. I sneer before standing up and going over to their book shelf, I run my hand along the wood, sending all of the things that were on it crashing to the ground. I pick up the expensive Tiffany's lamp by my parent's bed and I hurl it at my mother's vanity, breaking the lamp and shattering the mirror. I spend the better part of an hour destroying every nice thing in their room, just because it belongs to them. I finally fall onto the large bed after throwing every shoe out of the closet.

I'm not much a crier, I never have been. Unlike my sister, who cries every other second of the day, I rarely ever allow myself to get that sad, but here I was sobbing. My body was starting to hurt from it and my eyes burned as I buried my face into my pillow. I actually can't even pinpoint why I'm so upset. I just like Bella a lot and she's been giving me such good advice, I didn't want my Mom to just throw her in the fire like she was trash. I turn my glassy eyes to said fire and glare.

Something shiny catches my eyes, and glance at it, noticing Bella's wooden box reflecting the orange of the fire. Mom didn't take that or the book with her. I sit up straight and stare at it as relief washes over me, the smallest bit of relief, but relief none the less. I carefully walk around the destruction of the room and when I get to the box I lift it in my hands and open the lid. Inside are the vials of red potion and I eye them for a while, wondering what they do.

Bella never told me their purpose. I wonder if they make you strong, and smart, and powerful. If I was all those things, I could go downstairs and get the dress back from my parents. I decide to take my chances with it and I take one of the small potion filled vials out and I uncork the lid. I bring it to my nose and sniff, it smells like peppermints and cinnamon and I hesitate for one moment before bringing it to my lips and tilting my head back. It tastes just as wonderful as it smells, and after I consume the whole thing, I just stand there, waiting for something to happen. When nothing does, I sigh in disappointment and walk back to my parents bed where I curl into a ball and cry until I fall asleep.

I have wild dreams of terrible winged creatures and a cackling laughter that chills my bones and I don't stir until I feel a hand on my shoulder.

"Sweet heart, wake up," I hear someone say, but I turn the opposite way and shrug the hand off. "Evie, wake up. I want to talk to you."

"Leave me alone," I mutter groggily because I want nothing more than to go back to sleep.

"No, get up, or I'll pour water on you."

She's not lying. With an irritated sigh I crack my eyes open and glare at my mother as she sits on the edge of the bed. I figure she's going to yell at me for messing up her room, but she doesn't. Instead she asks me to sit up and once I'm a sitting against the headboard she looks right at me.

"What did you do with my dress?" I ask with a yawn as I stretch my arms above my head.

"I want to tell you about a boy named Tom Riddle, and a journal I used to own," she says gently and I raise an eyebrow as my stomach turns. I must be really hungry.

"Was he your boyfriend?"

She shakes her head, looking serious and weary as she looks me over. "You look pale," she says, and then her brow furrows as she scoots closer to me and she brings her hand up to my forehead.

"I'm always pale," I say as she touches my head. "We're all pale."

"You're burning up," she says worriedly as she takes her hand back. "Are you sick?"

"No," I say, but as soon as I said it I knew it was a lie because the next second I felt my mouth water and my stomach contract.

"Maybe we should get a healer, you're not looking good." She says and I must look like heck if she's mentioning it.

"No, really, I'm fine—"

I didn't get to finish my sentence because at that moment I started to throw up all over my mother's lap.

It was red and it smelled like peppermint and cinnamon.

Drinking that strange potion probably wasn't the best idea.

_**Gavin **_

I start laughing as the girl scoffs and walks away. Cassius turns to me with his eyebrows raised with his cheeks flushed from all the drinks he's had.

"What did I do that time?"

I snort and take a drink from the firewhisky I've been milking most of the night. "You told her she had horse teeth."

"I said they were straight," he says as he takes the seat by me once again because that is yet another girl to walk away from him in disgust because of the retarded things that he's saying to them.

"Yeah, surprisingly straight horse teeth."

He shrugs and picks up his beer, having downgraded after his first few brandy's because he didn't want to black out halfway through the night. "You know what I wish?" he says drunkenly and I glance at him. "I wish I could find a girl who looked like Samantha Flint but didn't have the personality of a box of rocks."

"Good luck with that," I say and I clank my glass against his bottle.

"Say, where is Addison?" He asks as he looks over my face. "Isn't she about ready to pop?"

I immediately look away. "We broke up."

"What?" he says in surprise. "You broke up with your heavily pregnant girlfriend? Geez, I didn't think even you had that in you."

That flairs my temper, but I don't respond hatefully like I wanted to. "It's complicated," I mutter softly. After the talk with my father, my anger at the situation had gone down considerably. Now I'm just kind of stuck in a weird in-between.

"What did you do?"

I scoff at him. "Why does everyone assume I did something wrong?" I snap angrily, but my drunk older brother doesn't seem to care.

"Because that's the case most of the time."

Hmf. I glare, but I soften when I remember my father's words. I've built a reputation for myself and I can't fault others for viewing me a certain way... or that's what he says. If I don't want those assumptions than I need to change peoples opinions of me. "I didn't do anything wrong," I say softly.

"Answer me this," he says as he tilts back his bottle one more time. "Why the hell are you living at home?"

I glance at him, taking in the face I'd never though I'd see again and I quickly look away because it's still way too weird for me. "My flat burned down." I tell him as I remember that stupid emo kid and his friends... and it all started because of those things written on the wall. It all started because of Cass.

"Your flat burned down," he states flatly and I nod my head. "Jesus." He turns away and rubs his face. "Your flat burns down, Lavinia breaks her back... what else happened while I was gone?"

"You missed a lot," I mutter into my drink. To be honest, I'm still pretty bitter towards him.

"I'm sorry, Gavin," he says and for some reason I do believe that he's being honest. "I'm sorry and I wish none of this happened."

"Me too," I say and a silence falls over us until I decide I'm going to tell him everything that's been bothering me, everything that's been going wrong in my life, but before I even get the first word out, a group of giggling drunk girls stumble over to us.

"You are a Malfoy," The honey blonde one with a nose ring says with a laugh as she slithers up beside me. I never thought this would happen, but I'm totally not into a getting a girl tonight. Her eyes slide to Cassius and she eyes his dark hair before her eyes light up in recognition. "And you're Cassius Malfoy!"

She goes over to him next and pets his shoulder.

Cassius getting laid— check.

The group starts to circle my older brother, asking him a million of questions and touching him with drunk hands. I don't feel like hanging around for that, so I stand up and walk over to the dart board. I look back once to see Cassius telling them a stupid story with wide hand gestures. First things first. I walk back over to my brother and push through the group of girls. A girl tries to latch herself on to me, but I shrug her off with a glare. "Give me your wand and wallet." I tell my brother and he looks at me with glazed eyes.

"What?" he says with a smirk.

"Your wand and wallet," I repeat as I glance at the vulture girls around him. I wouldn't pass it by any of these ladies to steal.

"Ah, good idea. They might steal it," he says bluntly and I snort at the glares as he removes his wallet and wand from his pockets. He is being awfully tactless tonight. He hands his things to me and I smirk at him before walking back to the dart board. I begin playing the game by myself, scaring away any potential hook up as they try to hit me.

My thoughts turn to Addison. Soon she'll have the baby and I have no idea what I'm supposed to do or how I factor into it. Dad said that it was all up to me, that if I still loved her, it was okay to forgive, but I don't do that... and neither does he, so that advice fell on deaf ears. I've been paying people to go in and buy shoes from her because I know that she works on commission, and I'm not sure what that means to me... the fact that I feel the need to do that means something, right?. It hurts my brain. I hate that I have emotions some times. I throw one dart particularly hard and it hits the center of the board. It doesn't please me. It's weird that nothing pleases me anymore.

After another solo game and another firewhiskey, I look around once to check up on my brother. The crowd around him has grown larger and he's standing on top of the bar, telling some stupid story about an Island and a boy with leprosy. What the fuck? I roll my eyes and turn away. I wonder how Pansy White is doing tonight after I had Kelvin Marcello use his vandalism skills to deface every bit of public property that she owns. Now, I know that it's not a whole lot in the form of payback, but it is a step in the right direction. She is a business woman, after all, and no one will want to do business with her after I'm finished with her. I hear a few loud noises coming from the bar so I turn around again to see Cassius get a face full of martini from some nasty looking girl in a mini skirt.

Time for me to step in. I walk back over to him and grip his arm to pull him away from the crowd as he wipes the alcohol out of his eyes. "What the hell did you say to her?" I ask as I grab my cloak and he fumbles around for the green one he brought. I'm done with this pub.

"I think I told her she looked like her vagina would smell bad."

I blink at him a few times and then I bust out laughing as I pull him out of the pub. "What is up with you tonight? Even drinking shouldn't make you that much of a dumbass."

"The healers gave me Vertiserum," he says as we walk out into the humid night air. I glance at him with a furrowed brow as he runs his hands through his damp hair. "It takes a couple of days to wear off."

"Why didn't you tell me that, stupid?" I say with a shake of my head as I start towards the dark apothecary where the new purist meetings are held. They carry an antidote for truth serum.

We don't talk as we walk down the street and it's started to rain again, so I throw up my hood as the street lamps light our way.

"Oh, look, it's Daniella."

I follow his gaze and watch she walks into our usual meeting place. I haven't been to the last two, so I had forgotten when they were held. Tonight must be a meeting.

"I think I need to tell her that she's beautiful."

He follows her in before I can stop him and I sneer before following him inside. The usual people who are at the meetings have gathered around, but a few key heads seems to be missing. Pansy, Theo, the bald man who owns the shop, and Jade Zabini are common staples at these meetings, but they seem to be missing now. I sigh as I step in and I try to find the bald man who owns the shop to get my foolish brother a truth potion. I'm well aware of the secret little back room that sells the dangerous potions and black market drugs, so I'm pretty sure that's where they will be.

I glance at my brother to see what he's up to and I roll my eyes as he approaches our ex-girlfriend. When he taps her shoulder, I look away and start heading towards the back, with the dark wood creaking under my feet as I dodge other purist members who are trying to find out why I've stopped going to the meetings. Annoying things, they are.

"She'll love it." I recognize the bald mans raspy voice immediately, so I slither up to the closed door where the light is spilling out from the crack beneath the door. "It's a perfect idea."

"Do you think that's a wise decision?" Theo.

"Why not?" Ugh… Pansy…"We'd have to do it one by one the other way. This takes care of all of that with a big bang. How do we get a hold of these things?"

"Is it safe?" Another voice asks and I just stand there on the other side of the door like an idiot while they talk. "Conrad?"

"I don't know," I younger voice says. "He just said it takes out everyone within a certain distance and after so long they're gone for good."

"It would be a good statement." Another, deeper, voice adds.

"I think she would love it."

I'm bored already, so I open the door and they all stare at me. "Who's she?" I ask casually as lean against the door frame with my arms crossed. The group eyes me up and down and Theo nods his head in my direction.

"No one you need to be concerned about, little boy," Pansy says with a deceptive smirk on her serpentine lips. God, I hate her.

"Speaking of little boys," I add, pushing off the wall and looking at the young guy with blonde hair in the center of the group. "Who's he? One of your new conquests?" I add to Pansy and she sneers.

"He's older than you are," she says like it matters and I shrug.

"This is Conrad…. he's a healer—"

"I don't care," I cut Theo off and he frowns. "I need the antidote to Vertiserum."

"Where have you been, boy?" The bald man asks as he lifts his glasses to get a better look at me.

"I've been busy. Can you help me out or not?"

The bald man goes over to the shelf behind them and he starts sorting through brown colored bottles. "Did someone give you the potion?" Theo asks curiously as the others eye me up and down. I don't become unnerved by it. I can hold my own with this set of snakes.

"No," I state plainly and the young blond guy tilts his head as he studies my face.

I glare at him and he turns his eyes away. I don't like it when blokes look at me that closely.

"It doesn't taste good," The bald man says when he finally finds the fucking bottle and he hands it to me. "You should try to convince your father to join us," he says as he places the vial in my hand, bringing up a topic that they all seem very into. "Or, at least, your brother. It would be good to have more than one Malfoy in our ranks."

"Especially your brother," Theo adds as he glances at the young blond healer.

"Hm, I bet," I say dismissively. They'll probably want my sisters next so they can collect the whole set. "Good bye now."

I ignore the others as they try to talk to me and I walk out of the room, closing the door behind me because I'm done with this stupid little club. When I get to the main room, a jet of red light shoots past me and my head snaps towards the counter where a large man with side burns is glaring daggers at my brother who has a bloodied lip.

Fuck me.

"Would you care to say that again?" The large man says and I retrieve my wand as Cassius opens his mouth to answer him… which he will because of the stupid potion he took.

"I said—"

"That hardly seems fair," I cut in as I walk over to them and point my wand at the large man's chest. Everyone in the room goes silent to listen. "My brother doesn't have his wand. It's not very proper to point a wand at an unarmed man."

"True that," Cassius chimes in and I sigh while staring at the large man and the dark haired girl behind him. Of course, she probably had something to do with this. "Put your wand down."

"Put your down," he grunts and his eyes snap down as I fish into my pocket with my free hand.

"I asked you first," I say casually as I hand my brother his wand.

"This bloke here shouldn't have been saying those things to my girl."

I look at Daniella over the idiot's shoulder and raise my eyebrows as she rolls her eyes. Looks like we're on the same page. "Just leave it alone, Chance," she says as she places a hand on his arm. "He was just trying to compliment me."

"He should keep his compliments to himself," the big guy scowls and I shoot a look to my brother so he'll stop himself from responding.

It was pointless, he starts speaking anyway, so I hand him the vial and flick my wand so _Chance_ gets scooted out of the way.

"Take that and let's go home," I tell him as Chance hits the wall and slides down. Daniella opens and closes her mouth a few times and I give her a blank stare. "Lovely seeing you again." I tell her before grabbing Cass' arm and dragging him out while he tells her how much he likes her skin.

"Stop being a creeper," I tell him when we reach the sidewalk. It's raining hard now, and I throw my hood up as we scoot against the wall of the building to get out of the down pour.

"I'm just being honest," he says as he uncorks the vial and takes a large gulp. He grimaces as it goes down and then he looks at me while I take out a cigarette. "Stop doing that. It will give you lung cancer."

I light it with my wand as we stand under the canopy of the shop. "You should stop touching your hair like that," I say and the hand he had running through his hair stills. He does it more often now that his hair is darker. "You look stupid."

"You have ugly teeth," he says and I snort.

"Now I know the antidote is working because we both know I have beautiful teeth," I state honestly. Straight and white, what more could you ask for? "You're the one with the fucked up nose."

"I have a good nose," he says with a smirk. "It's very noble."

"Yeah," I say with a nod of my head as I flick my ashes on the ground. "It's very Roman." He looks at me and I let a smile tug on the corner of my lips. "It roams all over your face."

He hits my arm and I laugh…… I laugh right before I get blasted against the fucking alley. I think quickly enough to put my arms up to block the impact against the brick wall, but I hear a finger crack as I make impact and I fall to the ground with a groan. I detest it when people curse me behind my back. When I get my head on straight, I turn my head to see the Chance guy with a few of his friends coming out of the shop with their wands out, ready to duel.

I would sigh loudly if I wasn't in so much pain.

"Get your wand out, Gavin," Cassius says as he grabs my arm and helps me up. My wand… Damn. I look around for it, but between the rain and the darkness of the night, I can't find it.

"Accio it for me," I say as I bend down and try to see where it rolled to as the men on the other side of the alley start bad mouthing us into a fight.

"Just because they're rich they think they can do whatever they want…" I hear the group mutter and I look at them as Cassius tries to get my wand for me. He's taking his bloody time with it, I might add.

"If you're coming out to curse us because of what he said to your girlfriend, then I think you live a very boring life," I say and Cass sends me a scathing look, like I was saying too much. Considering the doosies he was coming out with tonight, I don't think I deserve that look from him. "By the way," I add with a smirk through the rain. "We've both been there and done that."

"Oh, fuck, Gavin," I hear Cassius whisper as the night lights up with colors from the guys wands as they try to curse us. "Not fair," Cass calls as he puts up a shield charm to protect us. Good for him, I think to myself, as I casually lean against the wall while the spells ricochet off the shield. "He doesn't have his wand."

"We don't need magic," One of the tag-a-longs to Daniella's new beefy boyfriend says. "We could put you in place with out our wands."

To make their point they each pocket their wands and I give Cassius a look. "How very muggle for a group of purist," I say and he nods his head in agreement before setting his own wand aside and rolling up his sleeves.

_"Three against one doesn't seem fair,"_ Cassius says to me in Italian.

_"I agree,"_ I answer in French and I switch it over to German just to see the men across from us look more confused. _"You get to take the big one because this is all your fault."_

My brother scoffs.

"Eh, stop speaking jibberish," The tall one on the right says and Cassius and I both turn to him. Stupid people. "I never liked the Malfoy's much anywyas... a bunch of pretentious pillocks, you are."

I take off my cloak.

"_We could always leave,"_ Cassius offers in French and I look at him.

"We could," I answer in English before we both charge forward to attack.

I'm pretty decent at fighting like a muggle, for some reason I find myself in many fights like this and as my fist collides with some dudes jaw, I'm reminded why I haven't actually done it in a while as my already broken finger stings in pain. It hurts. Cassius works beside me. Unfortunately, he had angered the biggest of the bunch and he's having quite a difficult time getting his punches to hit target. Oh, well, each man for himself. I'm not a gentleman fighter, either, and the man I'm fighting soon learns that as I bring my leg up and kick him in the crotch.

As hard as I can.

I even cringe when he reels away from me and slumps over.

Then I get sucker punched by the ginger haired mate from the back who was just standing on the sidelines, waiting for his turn.

"Bad idea," I say as I wipe my mouth off on my sleeve and tackle him, making us splash into a puddle as the rain pounds on us.

He twists my arm and I slump to the side as I try to wiggle my way out of his grasp, only to see Cassius try to drop kick the Chance guy. He trips, though, and just kind of lands on the large bloke's chest at an awkward angle with a silly frown on his face. I snort despite the pain in my arm and Cassius glances at me. "It seemed cooler in my head," he calls over to me and I laugh before getting punched again, so my attention gets reeled back to the ginger trying to pull my arm out of socket.

Fights are never as cool as they are in plays and muggle movies. There's no awesome back ground music, or well timed punches… it's just a lot of body jerking, ugly sounds, and lucky shots…. And I've always been lucky. So when I end up rolling towards the brick wall where Cass laid his wand, I get away from the ginger haired guy long enough to grab his wand and freeze him with a spell. I'm tired of fighting like a muggle… we are wizards after all.

The oaf named Chance is too busy punching my brother in the ribs to notice I've cheated. That won't do. I lift Cassius's wand at the guys back and mutter a spell. A jet of blue light leaves my wand and hits him square in the back. He makes a loud noise and slumps forward, stiff as a board. I go over to him and kick him to the side so he'll get off of my brother who's looking a little worse for the wear.

"Does it count if you freeze everyone with your wand?" he asks breathlessly and I hold out my hand to help him.

"Yes," I say as I pull him to his feet. "We totally won that."

He smiles at me.

I smirk.

"So, what did you say to her?" I ask as I accio my wand and hand Cass his back once mine is safely in my pocket.

"Who?" He asks as we start walking away and I step on the ginger haired bloke's back as we leave. He grunts and I ignore it.

"You know who, you pounce."

"Oh," he says quietly. "It was nothing."

I look at him from the corner of my eyes and when his face turns to mine, I look away.

"Let's go home," he says as he cracks his neck. He's limping so I grab his arm and put it around my shoulder so I can help him walk.

"Let's," I say softly as I wipe off the rain and blood on my already soaking shirt.

The Apparation point seems to be miles away as we stumble down the dark alley ways of knockturn alley. We walk in silence and when we reach the blue sign declaring a safe App zone, I can feel Cass staring at me so I glance up at him as I fish through my pockets for my wand.

"Gavin," he says seriously as he looks over my face. He has a few fresh cuts on his face and the rain is making his skin slick and wet. His hair almost looks black from the water and he looks so different from the brother that I knew.

"What?" I say as I swipe wet hair out of my eyes. I can feel my right eye smarting and pulsing, telling me it will probably be black tomorrow morning. Splendid.

He licks his lips and looks away before facing me again. Looking me square in the eyes. "Thank you."

I stare back for a few moments before giving him a lopsided smile. "You're welcome."

He nods his head before we pop away to go home.

Home. What a wonderful place.


	15. Chapter 15

_**Gavin **_

"Why is he so drowsy?" Lavinia asks as she heals the scratches on Cass' face.

When I don't answer, she turns to me and raises an eyebrow. "I don't know," I lie as our brother's eyes droop shut in his exhaustion.

"I need to know why, Gavin, or I won't be able to heal him properly."

I suspect that's a lie, but I won't argue with her. She's the only one who can heal us at this time without my parents finding out about the fight we got into. I'm sure Mom and Dad would throw a fit if they knew Cass came home all bloodied up.

"He took the antidote to Vertiserum."

"Yeah," Cassius says tiredly. "It tasted terrible too."

"Put your leg on the table and let me have a look," she says as she helps him lift his leg on the kitchen counter. "Do you think you just twisted your ankle?" She asks as she rolls up his pant leg to get a better look and she sighs loudly after he shrugs. "No help at all," she mutters to herself and then she glances at me. "Keep that ice on your eye," she snaps angrily. "I want the swelling to go down before I fix it."

"You don't have to act like such a bitch," I say and her glare becomes icy.

"Find someone else to help you, then," she snaps as she throws down her wand and starts to stomp out of the room in a dramatic way only females can master.

"Gavin," Cassius comes to enough to scold me and I sigh.

"Lavinia, come back. I'm sorry I called you a bitch. I'm just tired and my body hurts." She stops and glares at me some more. "Please?"

She studies my face and then she comes back into the room after giving her another pitiful pleading look. When her back is to me, I smirk and settle more into the chair I'm sitting in.

"Who did you get in a fight with tonight?" she asks Cassius as she heals his ankle.

"Just some blokes at a pub," he lies. I guess the truth serum is totally out of his system now. "They were big too."

"Yeah," I say with a smile. "And there were twelve of them."

"And we still won," Cassius adds and I laugh as Lavinia shakes her head. "In fact, I think I put one of them in a coma."

"Okay," she says as she stands up straight and brings her hands up to our brother's face so she can look him over to make sure she didn't miss any nicks or cuts. "I think I'm done with you, Cass. You'll still be sore tomorrow, but it will fade soon."

"Thank you, Lavinia," he says seriously and she nods her head as he hops off the table. I watch him leave the room and once the kitchen door closes, she turns to me.

"I don't even know why I should help you after you treated Byron so terribly," she says as she walks over to me and removes the ice I had held against my swollen eye.

"He deserved it," I tell her as she touches the sensitive skin above my cheek. I wince and she pulls back, not seeming to care about the pain she caused me.

"No, he didn't," she says softly before bringing her wand up to heal me.

I study her as she closes up the wounds and cuts on my body, wearing her pj's that consists of a blue short and t-shirt set. She looks more like Mom now than I have ever noticed before… with her long red hair braided over one shoulder and her sharp features clear and focused having shed the softness of baby fat that had always made her look so young. She's a woman now. She bites her lower lip as she carefully runs her wand over my broken finger and I look away when I start to feel guilty. I've never been close to Lavinia, really. I loved her, of course, but I always thought of her as kind of boring and quiet. I suppose that's because I never took the time to truly get to know her.

"Why do you like him?" I ask as she puts hair behind her ear.

"I don't like him," she says shortly. "I love him." Her voice is snappish and I know it's because she's still upset that I punched him in the gut earlier today. I can't blame her for being angry with me, but the fact that she's healing me right now really shows the kind of person that she is.

"Why do you love him?" I counter back and she glances at me before looking down.

"Why do you love Addison?"

Why indeed? I frown and look away as my thoughts are pulled to my former pregnant fiancée. Do I still love her? There's a long pause as I think about it and I'm still deep in thought when she tells me to remove my shirt so she can check my ribs.

"I love him because he makes my heart beat faster," she says softly and I look down at her as she runs her fingers across the bruises forming on my rib cage. "And a million other reasons and I don't appreciate the way you treat him after all he's done for our family."

"I've never liked him. He gives me the creeps. Ow!" I say as she pokes a tender spot with her wand.

"I think he's wonderful. So what if he's a little weird? Who isn't?"

I guess she's right, but I won't apologize, so I look away as she heals my ribs. After she's finished healing me up I watch her as she washes her hands and takes in a deep breath. "What would you do if he ever cheated on you?" I ask out loud as I think of Addison.

"He wouldn't cheat on me," she says solidly, but there's something weird in her voice… something unsure.

"Would you ever cheat on him?" She's a girl; maybe her perspective could help me.

"No, because I love him and you don't do that to people you love," she says and it stings me deeper than it should have. Then she looks at me with her head cocked to the side. "Why are you asking that?"

"Would you forgive him if he did?"

She's quiet for a while before her eyes flick to mine. "Where is this coming from?"

"Just curious," I say as I try to shrug it off so she doesn't become suspicious. "It was nothing."

"Did Addison cheat on you?" she asks and when I look at her in surprise her eyes hold mine.

"Why would you ask that?" To be honest, I'm actually pleased that she didn't automatically assume I was the one who did the cheating.

"Gavin, is that why you've been living at home?" She was the only one who caught on to that, she's more perceptive than I give her credit for.

"My flat burned down."

"You could've have bought a house if you wanted one," she says honestly and I look away. "You could have bought a whole damn island if you felt like it."

"It's none of your business," I snap as I hop off of the chair and throw on my shirt. She scoffs and starts walking again. "Dad cheated on Mom."

She stops dead and turns around fully. "What?"

"Dad… he's cheated on Mom before, but not because he didn't love her," I say. He told me that in confidence during our little talk, but I can't help but say it out loud now. "He did it because he didn't think she loved him and he just wanted to feel wanted by someone else. Does that make sense?" I ask because I have to make it make sense to me. "He didn't want to let her go, but he wanted to feel a connection with someone else. Do girls think that way?"

"I don't know," she mutters softly.

I feel awkward now, and I don't like the way she's looking at me so I turn around and pretend to fiddle with something on the table. "Thanks for healing us, Lavinia," I say so she'll leave, but she doesn't. I can still feel her staring at me.

"Gav," she says gently and when I turn around, she's right in front of me. She looks over my face before wrapping her arms around me and leaning up on her tip toes to kiss my cheek. "It will be okay," she whispers before pulling back and nodding her head.

"I know it will be," I lie just so she'll stop looking at me like that.

She smiles in a weird sad kind of way before leaving me alone in the kitchen. I try not to think about that pity hug as I go upstairs to my room. My father had always loved my mother, always, even before she knew him and he cheated one her once… To be honest, I'm just finding a way to find peace with the whole Addison thing… and I want to find a way to forgive her and still save my pride.

I toss and turn during the night, only falling into a fitful sleep after hours of bland and painful darkness. I wake early in the morning so I can get ready for work and to give myself enough time to eat breakfast. I loathe waking up early and I glare out the window as I roll out of bed and begin getting ready for the day. I go through the motions of showering, shaving, and brushing my teeth as my body slightly aches from the fight the night before. I'm thankful Lavinia healed us as I slink into my pants and shirt, picking out a black tie from the wardrobe as I yawn into my hand. I hate the morning with an unrivaled passion.

I notice the camera that Mom had given me that strange day at the beach sitting on my book shelf and I pause a moment before picking it up and winding up the film. There are two pictures on this camera right now, and thinking about them makes me feel sad. For whatever reason, I put the camera strap around my neck and I head down to grab a quick breakfast. Dad is already gone, of course. He always gets up so early and he's usually the first person in the office like the crazy person that he is, so I'm left eating with my Mother who 's looking way more worried than anyone should at eight thirty in the morning.

"Are you alright?" I ask as she glares down at her toast.

She looks up and shakes her head like she was coming out of a daze. "Oh, I'm fine. Just tired," she gives me an exhausted smile and then her eyes flick down to my neck, where the camera is dangling off of its strap. "Are you going to use that today?"

"I was thinking about it," I say with a shrug as I take a drink of orange juice. I don't know what I'd take pictures of, honestly."

"Anything that catches your eye," she says and I nod my head.

"Does this have magical or muggle film in it?" I ask as I fiddle with my fork.

"Muggle," she says softly, like the answer might upset me. "I prefer stationary art to magical movements."

"Oh."

I kiss my mother on the cheek before I leave for work, and once I get to my office I throw off my cloak and suit jacket and lay down on the black leather coach as I mess with the buttons and dials on the camera.

"Sir?" My assistant/secretary/ person who answers my owls, knocks on my door and peeks his head in. He's had an extra bounce in his step ever since he heard that my brother came back because he has been not so secretly obsessed with Cassius since Hogwarts. "I have your coffee ready and Jason Weasley is here to see you."

I raise an eyebrow at the last part as he comes in and hands me the mug. I blow on the steam as I sit up. "What's he doing here?"

"This meeting has been set up for months," he says and I glare at him. That makes him uncomfortable and he diverts his eyes to the ground and clears his throat uncomfortably. "Sir," he adds in hopes of appeasing me.

I rub my eyes. "I must have forgotten," I say as I stand up and walk over to my desk. "Do I have his file ready?"

"No, but I do," he says as he hands me a manila folder that I didn't even notice that he was holding. "You told me to pull it last week."

"I've been feeling off recently," I tell him as I sit down and scoot up to my desk as I open the folder to review his case. "Wait twenty minutes and then send him in."

"Yes, Mr. Malfoy," he says and he leaves with a click of the door as I pour over the stat sheets and comparative reports on Weasley's company. He purchased an old run down broom factory and started it up again. I came in and allowed him to have the funds to turn it into a bigger mass produced business. He has to answer to me when his numbers are down because we receive thirty percent of all their revenue and we can pull out and make him pay back the loan in full if it doesn't work out. In other words, I own him.

As I'm leaning over my desk, I realize I still have the camera around my neck, so I quickly take it off and set it by my quill holder. I'm finishing up the last productivity percentage stats when the door opens and Jason Weasley enters with an older looking gentleman by his side. I know a lawyer when I see one and I tightly shake both of their hands and invite them to sit down on the chairs across from me.

"Gavin, I'd say congratulations is in order. Not many people can claim to have family members return from the dead," he says and I smile unpleasantly.

"Indeed, we are very blessed," I say, putting on my best fake polite business voice. "You, on the other hand, are not."

I pull out a piece of paper from the folder. "You didn't hit any of your goals for May, June, or July."

"Those goals weren't possible," The lawyer tilts his head up as he addresses me like he was trying to make me feel small, but he's on the wrong side of the desk. "You purposely made them unreachable so the Bilius Broom Company would fail."

"No," I say with a shake of my head. "When we financially back a company, we expect it to turn a profit."

"Given your history with the Weasley family, I can expect foul play and shady business in this deal," the lawyer says as Weasley's sits back in his seat and pushes up his glasses. "We want out of this contract and we refuse to pay back the loan due to the amount that Mr. Weasley has already paid has caused him to file for bankruptcy. If you don't let the company out, then we will sue Malfoy Enterprises for damages to name and character of the Bilius Broom Company."

I look at my older cousin until he becomes uncomfortable and has to meet my gaze. "You came to us and you agreed to everything in the contract," I tell him solidly so he understands. "You came to Cassius' funeral," I tell him and he looks surprised that I brought it up. "I saw you there. You felt bad, didn't you? You can't cop out and wait for someone to die to stop being a douche bag to them. The living have to forgive you so you can get into heaven," I tell him with a straight face and narrowed eyes. "Go ahead and sue," I tell them dismissively. "And I'll have my way more expensive and better dressed lawyers counter sue you for breach of contract."

"We'll see you in court, Mr. Malfoy," The lawyer stands and buttons his suit jacket as Weasley stares at me.

"I would be worried if I were you," I say directly to my cousin. The lawyers Malfoy Enterprises uses have never lost a case. "Have a pleasant day, gentlemen."

When they leave, I narrow my eyes at the doorway. So much for doing a family member a favor. I have no worries with that, though. It's a minor snag in the carpet and I shake it off as I pick up the camera and go towards one of my windows that looks out on the busy streets below. There's a small cloak dying factory two buildings down from us, and the roof is clearly visible from my elevated position. I notice a flash of white on the roof, so I open the window and bring the camera up to my face to see it magnified through the lens. It's a woman, an old woman with a white kerchief on her head and she's sneaking up there for a smoke break. Her hands are died blue with ink up to her elbows and she's wearing a dirty apron around her shabby flower patterned dress thing she's wearing.

She looks interesting enough, so I snap a picture as she lights up the cigarette and then I snap a picture of the old iron sign of the factory. Realizing someone might see me and think I'm a peeping tom pervert; I close the window and lay the camera back down so I can go about my regular work schedule. My father checks in on me and takes me out to lunch, Mom floo's twice to make sure I'm okay and to ask what I want for supper, and my assistant keeps trying to get me to mention Cassius. It's enough to make a man go mad and it makes me realize I need to move out of my parents fucking house.

Lavinia was right, I could buy a house any time I wanted.

"Rodger," I call and a second later he's at the door. "Get me Donna Redgrove."

"The realtor?"

"No, the Prime Minister," I say dead pan and he looks confused until he realizes that I'm messing with him. "Tell her I'd like to meet her today."

"For what?"

"I'm going to buy a house," I tell him as I sit back in my chair and fold my arms over my chest.

The end of the day can't come soon enough and with a meeting with the realtor at six, I waist time by walking around the shops off of Diagon Alley and peering into the windows to see if there's anything I'd like to put into the new house I plan on purchasing soon. By chance, or by my own direction, I end up in front of Mark's, and I glance inside at all the shoe displayed on the wooden tables and shelves. I could just leave, I could just walk away and be done, but temptation is too great and I go inside anyways, letting the cold air of the cooling charm hit me in the face with a vengeance before settling down and becoming normal again.

An older man is at the cash register and when he asks me if he can help me with anything, I lean my arms against the counter.

"Is Addison working today?" I ask and he eyes me before looking down and shaking his head.

"She left at two today."

I nod my head and almost leave again, but I stop myself. "I have a question… how much of a percentage do you make off of the things that you sell?" I ask and he looks uneasy again, like this was all set up and he was put on the spot to test his reactions.

"Um, we make ten percent off of the sale."

"That's not too bad," I say as I look around the store and he smiles.

"Not bad at all."

"Alright," I say as I take out my Gringotts access key code number. "I'll buy every man's shoe you have in a size twelve, and I want it to go on Addison's name."

His jaw drops and he stares at me. "Every…"

"Every shoe," I tell him as I sort through my wallet. "And I'll take water ever else you lot try to sell people as long as it goes on her name."

"Um, well, it might take a while to get that and ring all of that up…"

I check my watch. "I've got an hour. Do you think you can do it within that time span?"

As they're running around, trying to get everything checked out within the hour, I take a piece of paper and borrow a quill to start scribbling down a note. When I'm finished I take out my wand and charm the paper with a simple spell I learned my first year in school. When I'm all done, and I've purchased way more shoes than I'll ever need, I pay for them and have them shipped to the manor. I hand my folded paper to the sales associate and he raises his eyebrows.

"Make sure she gets that," I say and we both know who I'm talking about.

"But it doesn't say anything," he says as he looks it over.

I lift my wand. "Wizard." Obviously. Idiot.

"I'll make sure she gets it," he says as he nods his head and stuffs it into his pocket. I'm not totally sure if it's safe in there, but it will have to do.

I leave the store and meet Donna the realtor at a local café. We talk about the kind of house I'm looking for and basically I'm up for anything as long as it's bigger and nicer than that place Cassius dares to call a flat. Each house that she shows me on the Apparating tour I take a picture of with my camera so I can develop them later and decide what I would like to pick. Do I want a large yard? Do I want a pool house? These are hard decisions to make.

I find myself partial to a rather large castle in the Scottish country side that was built in the late thirteen hundreds and located on a large estate, surrounded by a dark forest. The landscape is beautiful and the castle has been remodeled for the more modern wizard in the last hundred years. It would be cool to live in a castle…. Or a Baronial House as Donna the realtor put it.

I take three pictures of that one before heading home. I avoid the commotion happening all over the downstairs for Cassius' coming home party as I run up to my room and sit down on my bed. I stare at the camera. I want to develop the pictures of the houses now, so I walk around the top floors of the Manor, taking random pictures of different things to fill up the film and when I'm finished I find Mom in the downstairs kitchens, instructing the house-elves on what foods she wants made for the party and what drinks she wants served.

"Mom," I say to get her attention and she looks at me over her shoulder with an eyebrow raised. She's wearing a pair of old denim shorts and one of Dad's old school t-shirts, telling me she's been helping to do most of the work for the party. My father hates it when she does that because he always feels guilted into helping her. There is a man who hates manual labor. "Can I go to a magical printing company to get these developed?"

She ties her hair up in a messy bun as she walks over to me and takes the camera from me. "I can do you one better." She smiles. "Follow me."

I do as she says and when we reach a floo connected fire place I raise a questioning brow. "Where are we going?"

"To the beach," she says with a smile before grabbing my hand and stepping into the green flame.

We land at the beach house that served as our private sanctuary after we thought Cass died and when I step into the living room I look towards Mom. She's still holding my hand and she starts pulling me towards the stair case.

"I just had this installed last year," she says as she opens the door under the stairs that leads down to the basement where my parents usually kept spare bottles of wine. "I haven't really had a chance to use it yet."

When we step into the darkness of the basement, she clicks on the lights and I notice a door to the left that has a red light above it.

"What is this?" I ask because I'm confused.

"Our very own dark room," she says walks over to the door with the strange red light above and she opens it, turning on the lights inside. "When the red light is on outside no one is allowed in. This is the old school way of developing pictures. I took that class in photography last spring, but I haven't really gotten to play with this yet," she says as she walks further into the room and smiles at me.

There are a bunch of small pans and clothes clips hanging from small wires hanging down from the ceiling. I notice a cabinet full of some kind of solution and rows of reel spools and beakers with measurements down the sides.

"It's kind of hard to learn. Do you want me to teach you?"

"Sure," I say with a shrug because I have nothing else better to do.

She walks me through the steps, showing me the different chemical's, and solutions that I'll use… how to reel film onto a spool… how to hang it to dry after dowsing it with the mixed solutions and fix. "There's a lot to it…" she says as she shows me the blank sheets where the negatives will plant themselves on in the tray. "But I think it's kind of fun and you can play with the contrast and filters, manipulating the picture into perfection."

"Okay," I say again because I'm not as excited about it as she seems to be. "And most of this has to be done in total darkness?" I say because that part sounds stupid.

"Well, you don't want to expose the film to light until you've fixed it or it will ruin it."

"And the film in here is black and white," I say as I hold up the camera and she nods her head.

When all the lights get turned off, Mom takes it upon herself to do all the work after I knocked over a canister of some kind of foul smelling liquid. After the film was on the reel and safely in the canister, she turned on a small light above the work desk and made me put the first mix of chemicals in, showing me how to agitate it by swishing the canister around in my hands.

"This seems like more work than it's worth," I tell her as I pour the fix into it next.

"It might be worth it," she says softly as she monitors my movements closely, waiting to step it the moment I mess up.

After we clean off the film she makes me hang it in a weird locker thing to dry before we can do anything else with it. I glance down at my watch as we take a seat on the stools to wait.

"So, how have you been Gavin?" she asks as she puts her chin in her hands.

I itch the back of my neck and look away. "Alright."

"Addison's mother stopped by my Gallery the other day," she says as her eyes take me in. I crinkle my nose at the mention of that woman because she's so dreadful. "She was quite distraught."

"I imagine she was," I say to simplify what I'm thinking. I don't want to talk about it anymore with anyone. "That woman is mental."

"Not really," she says gently. "She's just worried about her daughter."

"She's just upset that her daughter won't be marrying a Malfoy heir," I snap out of anger and Mom sighs.

"Not everyone is bad, Gavin," she says like it was the truth.

"Not everyone is good, Mom," I counter back and I wish I didn't because I don't like the pity look that she's giving me.

"You know, I think everything happens for a reason," she says cryptically as she starts straightening things on the table.

"I think things happen and then stuff happens after that. There's no grand scheme."

"Maybe you're right," she says tiredly. "But I think it's more comforting to believe the other way."

I can see why she thinks that way… after what she went through with my Dad and how stormy their relationship started out. Sometimes I guess it's nice to think it's out of your hands and there'll be a silver lining at the end, but that's not realistic.

"Do you think I'm a lot like Dad?" I ask out of nowhere and she raises her eyebrows at me.

"You remind me of him a lot," she answers as she stands up. "All of you kids look more like him than me, of course, but you have a lot of his personality traits, if that's what you're asking."

"Do you think I'm a bad person?" I ask seriously and she tilts her head to the side. I don't know why I asked, to be honest.

"Do you think you are?" she repeats and I look away because I can't actually answer that question and that bothers me. "You're not bad, Gavin. You never have been. When it comes down to it I think you always do what's right."

I nod my head and look away again. "Is the film dry now?"

She shows me how to cut the film and choose the photo I want to develop and I try to pay attention as she walks me through how to use all the equipment and she turns off the lights, letting a red light glow as we start the process after picking the ones I deemed good enough to print.

"Why do you have so many pictures of houses?" she asks as she hangs a soaking picture of one on the wires with a clothes pin.

"I'm thinking of buying one," I tell her as I look at the picture appearing in the tin before me.

"You don't have to move out right away," she says gently and I know Dad probably told her about Addison because she doesn't bring her up. "It's not a problem."

"I'm too old to be living at home," I tell her and she looks at me.

"You're only twenty one, Gavin. You're not old at all."

I don't answer her as the picture develops before my eyes and I furrow my brows as Addison's face appears before me. I remember that day on the beach. How beautiful I thought she looked and how warm she made me feel. I shake my head to get rid of the image as I look down. I shouldn't have chose to develop this one. She looks surprised in this photo, I had taken it when she wasn't ready and her lips are parted in a gasp and her eyebrows were slightly tilted up. I haven't kissed those lips in a long time and I'm struggling with myself, trying to decide if I want to again.

"I didn't know you took a picture of this," Mom says softly and I watch as she takes a wet picture from the metal pan and pins it to the wire.

I glance at the photo in question. It's the one of her and my father on the same beach, when the misery of losing my brother was still fresh in their minds. Even though he is back now, I can tell by the look on my mother's face that the pain has yet to be forgotten.

"I'm glad he's back," she says as she looks at me.

I smile. "Me too."

"Do you think it was horrible for him? What he went through, I mean," she asks as she chews on her lower lip. "I know he says he doesn't remember and he doesn't want to talk about it… but I think something did happen to him… I think something bad. Has he said anything to you?"

I shake my head, but then I remember the wild tales he was telling the crowd while we were at that pub last night… something about an Island and a boy with leprosy, and a bitchy king and his wicked wife. I shrugged it off as lies… but he was on Vertiserum, so he had to be telling the truth, right? What the hell happened to him?

"Gavin?"

I look at my mom again. "He hasn't said anything to me," I state and she nods her head sadly and turns away.

"I suppose I should get back," she says with a sigh. "We have a lot of work to do before Cass' party."

"You know he's going to hate that," I say plainly and she agrees with a nod of her head.

"But your father insists. Things like this just don't happen everyday…"

"Yeah, I'm sure there are some people who think he's the next coming of Christ," I joke as I pull the picture off Addison out of the solution and I put her on the wire.

"Or something more sinister," she mutters to herself. "In any case, stay here as long as you like. It's fun to play with the different exposures and things."

"Thank you, Mom," I say softly as she walks past me, leaving a kiss on my cheek.

"Stop getting so tall," she says as she falls back on her heels because she had to stand up on her tip toes to reach me. "All of you are so tall. It makes me feel so tiny."

"You are tiny," I tell her as I tilt my head down. She is quite short.

"Says the giant," she says with smirk before leaving me alone in the dark room.

After all my pictures are developed and dried, I place them in a large envelop and I head back to the Manor. While in bed, I take out the photo of Addison and stare at it, trying to figure out what I feel. I have cheated on just about every girlfriend I have ever had, besides Addison. Is that significant? Did I find the other girls weak when they forgave me? Yes, but that was only because I didn't love them… and my father said sometimes you just need to feel wanted by someone and it makes you do stupid things. I was gone all the time. I never really thought about how she would feel when I was out with my mates every weekend. I just expected her to accept it and be there when I got home because she loved me and it did work out that way, didn't it? But it turns out she is a real person. A real person who has thoughts and feelings and even though I did love her I never really thought of her that way.

Another thing that's getting to me is that I can't let it go. I can forget about every other girl I've ever been with, but I can't seem to stop thinking about her. Is that because I thought she was carrying my baby and we had been together for so long…. Or was it because I love her? I'm not dying without her… I still eat and I can sleep… I can still function and I don't feel like committing suicide because I'm not with her, but I do feel terrible most of the time. I don't think real love is that intense unless you're an obsessed teenager or some crazy person. But what do I know?

I remember when we first moved into the flat together. Neither of our parents were told, so we had to do all the moving ourselves, which wouldn't have been so bad, had we not chosen to live on one of the top floors in the building and lifting charms can only carry something so far up before losing balance. It was last summer and it was particularly humid that day, so humid that all the wildlife outside seemed to wilt and people hid inside with their airing charms on full blast. Unfortunately, the airing in our flat hadn't been activated yet, so it felt like an oven, but we were too excited to care. When all the furniture was moved in, I volunteered to carry up the heavy boxes full of breakable things. Neither of us were comfortable enough to magic them up and some of them were so fine they couldn't be shrunk down to any lighter size, so I was a sweating mess as I carried everything from outside to the lift to the second to top floor.

"You look sexy when you're sweaty," she had told me as I brought another box into the kitchen. She was taking glasses out of another box and unwrapping them from the old daily prophets we had packed around them to keep them safe.

I smirked and took off my shirt to wipe off my face. "I look sexy all the time," I told her arrogantly.

"Too true," she said as she turned towards the open cabinet to put away the glass. She's a small girl, so her reach was off when she tried to put it back. She had to reach up on her tip toe and. I watched her with a smile as her shirt rode up her body to reveal the smooth skin of her back.

"I think you're the only person in the world who can proudly wear a Hogwarts Reading Club t-shirt," I had joked as I looked at the red shirt with a few books cleverly stacked as a graphic.

"Reading is important," she said and I rolled my eyes. "You're just jealous because you can't do it."

"Reading is overrated," I commented with a shrug as I leaned against our newly purchased kitchen table. She looked over her shoulder and smiled at me. I had smiled back and my heart thumped strangely. It always seemed to happen that way around her, but I can't decide if that's important or not.

I watched her as she removed one of the glasses from our wrapping paper and she filled it with water, adding a few ice cubes from our ice box before turning to me. "Since you did all that lifting, I bet you're thirsty."

"You know me well, woman," I had said and when I went to take the glass away from her she brought it up to her lips and took a big drink.

"Hm," she said as she pulled back and wiped off her mouth. "Water is good when it's hot out. You should make yourself a glass," she tried to hide her smile as she began to walk away.

"That was just cruel," I told her, going over to the sink and turning it on. She stopped in the doorway and smiled at me. I knew she wouldn't be smiling for very long because I took the attachment out of it's holder and pointed it in her direction, pressing the button so the water squirted out all over her.

"Gavin!" she snapped as she brought her arms up to shield herself away from the blast.

I kept on spraying her, so in retaliation she flung the water in her glass at me, letting the ice cubes hit my chest and then she ran towards me, trying to get the sprayer out of my hands. "You jerkface," she said through gritted teeth as we fought and the glass she had went crashing to the ground. We both paused to watch it and sighed in relief when it didn't break. It just rolled off under the table and Addie took the opportunity to try to take the handle away again. Of course, I'm ten times stronger than her, but I always let her think she had a chance.

"Jerkface? Your insults always cut deep," I joked and then she gave up trying to get it from me, instead she brought her fingers to my bare stomach and started tickling. Now, for as tough and awesome as I am… my greatest weakness is that I am terribly ticklish, and she knew that. "Not fair," I told her as I twisted my body to get away from her, dropping the sink attachment to get away from her clever little fingers.

"Fair," she had said with a laugh as she chased me around. She laughed when I did, but I eventually got myself out of the tickling torture by picking her up and throwing her over my shoulder. "Put me down!" she yelled as she hit my back with her fists.

We were both soaking wet from our water fight, but I didn't care as I carried her over to the new kitchen table and sat her down on the top with a thump which rattled the whole kitchen.

"I hate it when you do that," she huffed as I parted her legs and stood in between them. "Just pick me up whenever you want to. I'm not a child, you know."

"I had to get out of that by any means necessary," I told her with a smirk as I took the pink bandanna out of her hair. "Have we decided to keep this table?" I asked and she glared at me.

"You ask me that after spraying water all over me?" I smiled and glanced at the Hogwarts Reading Club shirt that was sticking to her body in the most attractive way. My eyes flicked to hers again as she glanced up at me. "Yes, I think we should keep this table. I like it."

"Then let's break it in," I told with a dark smile before bending down to kiss her with my hands threading into her golden hair.

"Oh, it's too hot to have sex," she said reluctantly as she pushed me back. I knew that look in her eyes, though, and I knew I was going to win this battle as well.

"We better get naked then," I said seriously and she laughed as I went to tug the stupid club shirt over her head.

"We have so much work to do," she whined as I left hot kisses on her neck and shoulder after I threw that horrifying t-shirt on the floor. "We can't waste time," she had said, but I smirked against her skin when her hands came up to tangle in my hair and her legs wrapped around my waist tightly.

When we were done wasting our time in the most pleasurable and exhausting way, I let my chest fall down onto hers as I covered her on the table. It was hot and we were both drenched with sweat and heavily breathing. Girls always smell so good, and Addison smelled like green apples and cream, so I let my nose rest by her hair where the scent was the strongest. She arched her back to get me off of her and when I pulled up I noticed she was smiling at me. I smiled back as she ran her hand down my chest with a sigh.

"I love you," she had said and it sounded so real.

I smiled even more like an idiot. "Me too."

"You love yourself?" She said with an eyebrow raised and I laughed.

"No… well, yes… but I meant…" I bent down and kissed the small birthmark that's located on her ribcage. "I love this little spot."

She laughed and pushed my head. "Come on, then," she had said with a sigh as she sat up and made me move back as well so she could get to her feet.

"I don't want to bring in anymore boxes right now," I told her as I pulled up my pants. I thought she wanted to go back to work.

"I know, but there's still the couch, and the bed, and the shower, and the floor…."

"The floor?" I said flatly. "What are you talking about?"

"To break in," she said with a mischievous smile.

It had been a good day, and as I let the memory slide I put the picture down and rub my eyes that are suspiciously starting to burn. Even though I wouldn't admit it to myself, I was looking forward to having a child with her. All my thoughts are conflicting and it pisses me off so I try to shake them off. I don't sleep much, and I don't wake up until noon the next day. I take extra time getting ready and I sort through my pictures again before leaving, choosing a handful of them and putting them in a manilia folder that I hold under my arm as I leave the Manor. I head towards the Poison Seraph and choose a table towards the back with the envelope of pictures resting on my lap. I order a firewhisky to give me courage and the waitress sends me a disapproving look before going away. Apparently hard liquor for lunch is frowned upon here.

I look down at the table cloth and count the stitches until I hear my name being said. "I got your note," she says and I glance up at her. She looks just about nervous as I feel and I nod at her to sit down.

I figure she's excepting me to rant at her because she looks around to make sure people are watching before carefully sitting across from me and taking a sip of water from the glass in front of her. She coughs uncomfortably and pulls back with her hands on her stomach.

"Gavin—"

"I don't want to talk," I tell her and her mouth falls open for a few seconds before closing and looking down.

"Then why am I here?" she asks softly as I study her face, nearly flinching at the sting of betrayal that always gets me when I look at her now.

I pull out the envelope from its resting place and hand it to her. She's hesitant to take it, but she does so anyways with shaky fingers.

"Pick one," I tell her and Addison's eyes look confused as she takes the pictures out.

"What?"

I sit back, and watch her eyes widen in astonishment as she looks through the photo's that I had taken. The waitress comes back with my drink and I wave her off after taking a large gulp that burns my throat and brings heat to my cheeks. I set the glass back on the table and look her in the eyes.

"Pick one and it's yours."

_**Lavinia **_

"Welcome to Antioch Universiy's fall orientation!" The orientation leader beams at the little group that I'm in and I chew on my lower lip. "We've split you up into little groups so you can get to know each other and the campus on a more personal level."

He goes on talking about the history of the magical college as I glance around at the statues and large brick buildings that make the campus so beautiful. Antioch was one of the first wizarding colleges ever founded in England and it has a very prestigious reputation. The reason why I chose it was because it was close to home and it has one of the best graduate healing programs in the wizarding world if that's what I choose to go into. Politicians children, the very rich, or the very smart are the kind of students that attend this school. It will be nice not to stand out because of my last name.

"Alright, if you would just follow me, I'll show you the student dorms and rec room where you'll be able to hang out with your new roommates and learn more about each other."

I glance over at my assigned roommate and sigh out loud. Her name is Kim and she hates me already just because I'm wearing a dress that's on the pink side of peach in color. Kim looks at me and scowls before turning away and walking faster to catch up with the other girls who have dyed black hair. I watch her as she walks. She's overweight and black seems to be the only color she favors because that's all she's wearing. A black shirt, black jeans, black boots, black hair, and black lipstick all round out her outfit with about a pound of eyeliner coating the outsides of her eyes.

It's going to be a long day.

You need a special key to get into the student housing buildings and I wait patiently as the leader opens the doors for us. Everyone else is making friends, but I'm too quiet to just approach people, so I focus on the flowers growing under the windows and the birds as they fly by. I bend down to a particularly beautiful red rose and smell before standing back up straight.

"Okay, ladies, gather around," the leader waves us over when we enter the lobby and he holds up a handful of brass keys. "These are your room keys, so don't lose them or you'll have to sleep in the hallway once school starts."

He looks down at his clip board. "I'm going to call you out in pairs so you can go up and check out your rooms together. Are there any questions before we start?"

"Yeah," Kim raises her hand and I roll my eyes. "How soon after we move can we change roommates?"

I would have been insulted if I wasn't thinking the exact same thing.

"Oh, well, I suggest giving it a try before you worry about that," he says and he sends me a wink.

I look away.

"Alright, Kim." She nods her head. "Why don't you and Lavinia Malfoy go first," I walk forward and accept the brass key he's holding out as my new husky roommate does the same. "Your room is number 434… that'd to the right on the fourth floor. Remember, we're eating lunch in the dining hall at 12:30! Don't be late!"

It's a coed dorm and there's a group of obnoxious boys in the lift as my roommate and I step on. "Oi, I've seen you before," one of the blokes in a polo shirt and popped collar says as I press the four on the key pad. "You're Draco Malfoy's daughter."

I nod my head and look away so he'll stop talking to me. "Stop being rude, Chuck," one of the other boys elbows him in the ribs and holds out his hand for me to shake. "My name is Logan." When I put my hand out to shake his back, he brings it up to his lips and kisses the back of my hand. Kim huffs in annoyance as he looks into my eyes and when I get my hand back, I wipe it off on my dress. I try to hide the movement so he won't see it be doing it behind my back. "My father is Lance Clark. He invented the nonstick bottom cauldron."

New Money. You can always tell.

"No one cares about what your Daddy did," Kim says with a sneer and she pushes them out of the way as the elevator door pops open to the fourth floor. I don't make eye contact with anyone as I step off as well and I follow my angry roommate down to our room with quiet steps of my leather boots, wishing she wasn't so nasty to everybody. I'll never make friends with an angry walrus as a roommate. "I don't care what your Daddy did either," she sneers as she unlocks the door. "Money doesn't make you a better person."

"I agree," I say quietly as we step into the room.

The dorms are set up like small apartments with dark cheery wood lining the floors and shelves lining the walls. There's a small living area with hanging lamps coming down from the ceiling and a small little kitchen with an ancient looking stove divides the small room in half. As Kim claims the bedroom to the right, I peak my head in to the left side. It's not as bad as I thought it would be. It's about the size of my closet at home and there's a single twin size bed against the far wall with a wooden desk and random shelves opposite of it. I walk in and pull the blinds up so I can look out the window at the grounds below. It looks so pretty from up here.

"So, we have to go over some rules now." I turn around and blink at Kim as she stands in my doorway. "I like music, so I'm going to play it loud whenever I want. You might want to look into getting a sound barrier charm put up." I raise an eyebrow at how blunt she's being. "I don't want to hear you having sex with your boyfriend either, so keep it in your room. The common room is for everybody, so leave your stuff out of there. I hate other peoples clutter."

"Sounds reasonable," I say just because I think I should. I'm not very good with confrontation.

"I write poetry a lot, so if you see me writing, do not disturb me. I can't stand it when people talk to me while I'm trying to write. Do not come into my room without knocking and do not wake me up while I'm sleeping. I need a lot of sleep and I'm not a morning person. Clean your own dishes or I'll put them on your bed and I'd prefer if you didn't take up the bathroom all the time doing your hair."

I stare at her for a few moments as the silence hangs in the air. "May I add a rule?" I say politely as I clasp my hands together in front of me.

"What is it?" she snaps and I tilt my head to the side.

"You will not speak to me that way again and I will give you the same courtesy in the future," I tell her as I walk towards her. "Now, please leave my room," I tell her as I shut the door in her face.

I exhale slowly when it's closed and let a pleased smile come to my face. That did feel good. I push off of the door and run my hand over the mattress. I imagine it would look good with dark purple sheets and a white comforter with lavender and plum stitching. I try to imagine the things I can take from my room at home to decorate this new smaller space as I walk around and test out the drawers and small closet. After fifteen minutes of me making up my pretend room, I start to feel guilty about that way I handled that situation with my new roommate, so I wonder out of my room to apologize to her.

She's sitting Indian style on floor in the common room with a small wireless radio in her hands and her head phones on. I carefully walk over to her and tap her on the shoulder. The scowl I receive from her when she twists her neck up to look at me would make a lesser woman scared, but I hold my ground and smile.

"I'm sorry I was so short with you," I tell her honestly as I take a seat across from her. There's no furniture in here yet, so I sit with my legs tucked under me so I don't flash her my knickers. "We should try to be civil with each other. College is a time to get to know new people, right?" At least that's what my mother says.

She removes her ear phones and stares at me.

"So, what school did you go to?" I ask because her accent is most definitely Australian.

"The Sindon Acadomy of Magic," she says as she eyes me. "You went to Hogwarts?"

I nod my head and place my hands on my lap. I notice she has a quill in one hand and on the floor is a little red book. "Is that where you write your poems?" I ask curiously as she snaps the book shut and tucks it in her book bag, like it was top secret and I wasn't allowed to see it.

"No, that's my journal," she says and I notice most people get huffy about their diaries.

"My boyfriend keeps a journal," I tell her so I can find some common ground. "He's quite attached to it. He has a magical one that never runs out of pages. Does your do that?" I ask with a tilt of my eyebrows. She shakes her head.

"Oh," I say to carry on the conversation because she isn't. "So, what kind of music do you like?" Since she loves it so damn much.

"Nothing you would have ever heard of," she says again as she eyes my dress once more with distaste. I think it's a lovely dress so I won't let her make me feel bad about it.

"Try me," I say with a smile and she sighs loudly.

"The Cutter Twins?" She studies my face as I draw a blank. "The Devil's back bone? Sodom and the Gomorra's?"

Oh, dear.

"You were right… I don't know any of those bands." I'm actually glad I don't after hearing those names. "What do you think your major will be?" I ask to get it back into safe waters.

"I got a full ride here," she says as she tilts her chin up. "I'm going to go into mechanical magical engineering."

"That's interesting," I say, even though I thought it was terribly tacky that she said she got a full ride just to show me how smart she was.

"What about you? Are you going into Fashion or something?" she asks like it was a generic major for rich girls who wore pink and could afford this expensive school without a scholarship.

"I think I want to be a medi-witch, actually," I say because that's all I'm leaning towards right now. It could change in a month, but oh well.

"That's going to be hard," she says like she thinks I'm too stupid to handle it. "You'll be in school forever and you have to learn more than just a few simple acne removing spells."

"I'm well aware of that," I say, resisting the urge to be hateful. "I'm smart too, you know," I tell her honestly. I didn't get to be top of my class at Hogwarts for nothing. "You should never judge a book by its well dressed cover," I add. I thought that was clever, but she didn't seem to care for it.

"Are you hungry?" I ask as I look down at my watch. "And it's almost 12:30. I say we should start heading down to the dining hall. Is that okay with you?"

She nods her head and follows me out as we leave our room. I lock the door with my new brass key and we walk in silence to the dining hall without so much as a word to each other. As soon as we enter the crowded room, Kim ditches me to hang out with her more alternative looking friends. It doesn't bother me because the silence was starting to get awkward, so I grab a yellow tray and take my spot at the end of the line. I know most of the people here will recognize me from the papers and because of who my father is, so I try to keep my head down as they whisper behind their hands and glance at me when they think I'm not looking.

I decide to go with the salad and a side of fruit for my lunch and I get a glass of water for myself before picking an empty seat towards the back of the cafeteria. I carefully sit down with my tray perfectly lined up in front of me and I take my time unfolding my napkin and laying it across my lap, knowing I won't eat anything before me because I'm going to take lunch to Byron after this is over. I check my glass for water spots before taking a sip and gently placing it back down on the table as the rest of the student body speak loudly to one another in a dull roar.

I'm looking forward to seeing Byron at work, all dressed up and professional looking. I smile as I think about him as I stir my water with a straw. After I had left his flat the other day, I was too upset with him to even be bothered by my brothers and their unfortunate presence when I was there. He caught me before I Apparated away and apologized for what my brother had said…. I didn't want to be angry at him, so I forgave him sooner than I probably should have considering what a sore spot the whole 'too young for me' thing is, but oh well. I told my parents I was going to go shopping for school things when I left that day, but when I didn't come back with anything, no one questioned me.

I glance up when trays get set down around me. It's a group of well groomed girls and I sigh inwardly as they take their seats. "You're Lavinia, right?" the blonde one says and I nod my head while tapping the name tag we all were made to wear at the beginning of the day.

"I'm Jessica," she puts her hand out for me to shake and I do hesitantly. "I was in Gryffindor, do you remember?"

I nod my head. "Of course," I lie because I have no idea who she is.

"I didn't know you would be going here. That's exciting right?"

"It sure is," I mutter as I start stabbing my fruit with my fork.

"I think I'm going to go into fashion design. That seems cool, doesn't it?" I look at her and I think of Kim. I hide my smile as I look down.

"Sure does," I mutter softly.

I only got asked about my brother ten times, and I only one photographer showed up to snap a picture of me while I was on campus. All in all it wasn't a bad day. I'm getting pretty excited about getting into classes, though. I know it's weird, but I miss school work. I keep my brass dorm room key in my boot with my wand as I stop by a small deli and grab a couple of sandwiches and drinks before heading towards the Magical Muesuem in London. I feel nervous as I walk in and approach the woman at the main desk who's writing something down with an old looking quill.

"Adults are three sickles," she mutters without even looking at me and I grip the bag of food as I set the drinks down on the table top so I don't drop them.

"I'm not here to see the exhibits," I say softly and the old woman glances at me and tilts her head to the side. "I'm here to see Byron Flint. Is he in?" I ask softly and she looks me over. Her eyes rest on the name tag that I left on and she must recognize me because I see her eyes light up and then she smiles.

"Of course, Miss Malfoy." Yup, she knows who I am. "His department is on the base level," she stands up and points behind her. "Just go through that door, turn right, and follow the green arrows down. You should be able to find it quite easily." She hands me a vistor's pass and I smile.

"Thank you," I look at her name tag. "Janice."

"You're welcome, Lavinia."

I follow her directions down to the base level and I follow the green arrows that lead to the ancient artifact department. On the way there I have to show my pass to two security guards and one small rat looking man in a tweed jacket. My legs start to hurt as I walk through the maze of twists and turns, following those stupid green arrows and on the way I pass a stunning woman in a pencil skirt and a red silk shirt. I stop her to ask for directions because I fear I may be getting lost.

"I'm looking for Byron Flint," I tell her. She's taller than me so I have to tilt my head up to face her, and she has hair the color of a deep dark red wine. She's also ridiculously beautiful and I try not to stare at her too long as she smirks at me.

"He's right in there," she says before walking off on ridiculously high heels.

I watch her go with a frown before going the way that she told me to. Byron shares an office with two other nerdy looking blokes and they both look up when I enter, but he doesn't it. I find him bent over a desk with a magnifying glass, studying some kind of small gem on the table.

"Having a good day of work?" I say with a smile and when he looks up I hold up the food I brought. "Hungry?"

He smiles and scoots back, putting the magnifying glass down as I walk towards his desk. "How was orientation day?"

The two other men in the room get up and leave, muttering something about lunch and I'm thankful they're gone because I allow myself to become more comfortable. "My roommate is a goth girl named Kim who hates me," I say bluntly as I hand him his sandwich and drink.

"Well, at least your time there won't be boring," he says and when I look at him, I let a smile come to my face.

"At least," I say with a laugh as I sit down on top of his desk. "There was a woman outside," I say as I take a drink from my straw. "Does she work here?"

"What woman?" he asks as he unwraps the food that I brought him.

"She's tall, has dark red hair," I say as I study his reaction. She seemed so out of place down here, is all… "She's very pretty."

His hands still and he hesitates a second before answering. "I don't know who you're talking about."

"She knew you."

"Lavinia," he snaps and I raise my eyebrows. "I don't want to talk about anyone else right now," he says, talking more softly to me as he puts the sandwich down and holds out his hand to me. "Come here."

I take his hand and let him pull me down on to his lap and I glance around again to make sure everyone's gone before I give him a kiss. "How is your day going?" I ask as I play with his tie. I like it when he dresses up.

"They've got me cleaning and categorizing rocks right now. So my days are fairly boring."

"At least you look handsome doing it."

"Thank you for bringing me lunch," he says as he adds a kiss to my jaw.

"Can we go outside?" I ask because the day is just so beautiful and it smells odd down here. "Or must you stay here?" The other's left, I think he would be able to too.

"A little fresh air would be nice, I think," he says as he checks the clock on the wall. "I just have to be back in an hour."

"That will be just enough time," I tell him gently and I have a pleased smile on my face as we leave the building and fall into step beside each other on the sunny sidewalk. "I think there's a bench over there if you want to take a seat."

We take a seat on one of the concrete benches that line the museum and I watch as Byron resumes eating the lunch that I brought for him. He's wearing a white dress shirt with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows and his tie is wrung loosely around his neck. I smile at the gray and black plaid dress pants and polished loafers he's wearing, thinking him brave for trying to pull those off.

"Do you like the two men that you work with?" I ask curiously as I take him in.

He shrugs his shoulders. "They're all right. They've been there for a while, so I'm the odd man out. They have all these stupid inside jokes that they say back and forth, all day long," he glances at me. "It's kind of irritating actually."

"Well, before you know it you'll be joining in on their inside jokes," I say with a smirk and he shakes his head.

"Kill me first."

I take a drink from my straw again and squint against the sun as it shines in my eyes.

"Cassius and Gavin got in a fight last night," I tell him as he puts his elbows on his knees. "I had to heal them when they got back from the pub."

"What was the fight about?" he asks as he looks at me over his shoulder again. The sun is hitting his eyes just right... making them look like stained glass.

"I don't know. They didn't say," I tell him with a sigh as I think about my ridiculous brothers. "I don't even know why I helped Gavin after the way he treated you."

"He's your brother… you shouldn't fault him for that."

"He shouldn't have hit you," I tell him, annoyed that he's defending my brother's actions. He doesn't say anything so I sigh and bring my fingers up to run through his hair. "Are you going to come to Cass' party?"

He snorts. "Am I allowed to?"

"It's an open event for friends and family," I tell him honestly. "You can be my plus one."

"I don't know," he mutters softly to himself and he flicks me a look before facing forward again. "Will there be dancing?"

I smile. "There is always dancing."

"Then I don't think I can make it."

"Byron."

"I think I have other plans," he says and that little smile tugs the corner of his lips.

"Stop it. You're going to come."

"Let's see," he says as he wipes off his mouth with his napkin. "It's going to be a large party, crowded with people I don't know, there will be dancing, and your father will probably be glaring at me all night. Yes, it sounds like fun."

"It's for Cassius," I tell him so he'll accept, but I want him to be there for me.

He sighs. "I'll think about it."

I smile again and kiss his ear.

"Will you itch my back?" he says and I laugh because I think he's joking. "It's been bothering me all day," he says seriously as he arches his back.

Being the good girlfriend that I am, I un-tuck the bottom of his shirt and put my hand underneath the thin shirt he had underneath, scratching my nails against the bare skin of his back. I try to ignore the rigid raised scars as they slide under my fingers, but I can't help but make a face at as my fingers trace the valleys and hills that they create on his perfect skin. They feel like they would be painful, and I imagine it hurt like the hell when he got them.

"That feels good," he says softly as I continue to work my fingers up and down his spine and sides. "Thank you."

I pull my hand out from under his shirt and rest it on the back of his neck. "All better?"

He nods his head.

We don't talk as we finish up our lunch and Byron remains hunched over, allowing me to study the way the light hits his hair and the broadness of his shoulders that tapper down into a narrow waist. I love seeing him dressed up like he is now… work looks good on him. As I study everything little thing about him, I notice a little spot of red appearing on his crisp white shirt. I furrow my brows as I touch it and another spot appears by his shoulder blade, growing larger as the material of his shirt absorbs it.

He hisses and arches as more red begins to saturate his shirt. "What is that?" I ask as he stands up and turns away from me. "Byron, is your back bleeding?"

He blinks a few times as he tilts his head down and I stand up to get a better look at his back. "Let me see it," I tell him as I go to touch the bottom of his shirt to pull it up. "Did I scratch you too hard?"

He seems to panic and he turns around and pushes me away roughly. I nearly fall from the shove, but I catch myself and stare at him with wide eyes.

"That's blood. Are you okay?" I say as he winces.

"I have to go."

"Where are you going?" he starts walking away from me as the back red on the back of his shirt spreads and becomes darker. "I'm coming with you."

"No," he snaps as he reaches an apparition point and he takes out his wand. "You're not coming. Will you please tell the main office I had to go to St. Mungo's?" he says and I notice his eyes are becoming glassy… like he's starting to cry.

"I—"

He pops away before I can finish and I just stare at the air where he once was. I don't know what to do with myself, so I follow his orders and I go to the main office of the museum and tell them what had happened so he doesn't get in trouble. The seemed concerned and they hoped that he was okay, so I know he won't get reprimanded for this when he gets back. After that, I go straight to St. Mungo's to find him. It took some convincing at the main desk, but they finally told me what room he was in and I go there with quick steps, tucking my wand into my boot so I don't drop it in my haste. When I reach the room that he's in, I gently open the door and look inside.

"It's a shame this can't be healed magically," the healer says. "This muggle way isn't pleasant." The healer's back is to me and he's working his arm around, doing something with his hands. He's blocking out Byron, who I think is sitting on the bed, and I crane my neck to try to see. "Does it hurt when this happens?"

"Every time," I hear Byron's deep voice answer and I gasp out loud when the healer moves aside to reveal what he's doing to Byron's back. The long scars he has there must have split open, causing all that blood to escape outside of the museum. It looks like the healer is sewing his skin back together with black thread and a small U shaped needle. It looks painful and primitive, like some kind of flesh made quilt crafted by some demented muggle.

The noise I made must have been loud because both and healer and Byron looked at me. Byron looks panicked again and he stands up quickly and turns around to hide his back from me.

"I told you not to come," he snaps as he narrows his eyes at me. The healer walks over and puts his hand on the door.

"I'm sorry, miss, but you can't be in here," he says and I feel my eyes water as I look back at Byron. That must hurt terribly.

"Byron…"

"Get out, Lavinia," he says angrily. "Go home. You never fucking listen to me."

I'm hurt by his words and when the door closes on my face I back up a few paces with my hands on my chest. I know he's hurting and that hurts me to see him in such a way, but why doesn't he want me by him? I close my eyes and turn my head away when I remember those black threads holding together his skin and I shake my head, trying not to get sick by it. How horrifying it looks.

"Are you alright?"

I open my eyes at the familiar voice and see the healer with blond hair who checked out my back when I broke it at the beginning of the summer.

"Conrad?" I say timidly, not sure if I remembered correctly.

He nods his head and smiles wide. "You remember," he says as he puts his clip board under his arm. "You look upset," he says with concern as he looks over my face. "Are you here for a particular reason?"

"Oh," I look at the room where Byron is and I shake my head. "I just, it's nothing. I better get home."

"Let me walk you. Will you be flooing, or Apparating?"

"Um, Apparating, I guess," I say as I send another troubled look to the door where Byron is.

We start walking, and I send a worried look over my shoulder as Conrad starts speaking to me. "Would you like to get some tea first?"

I glance at him. "Oh, well," I wanted to say no, I really did… but a part of me wanted to stay in the building and maybe catch Byron before he left so we could sort this all out. "Okay then."

"Your brother was in here not too long ago," he says as we reach the cafeteria area of St. Mungos and get in the long line to order something to drink. The line is full of healers in scrubs and patients families in their day clothes and chatting with one another in loud voices.

"He has to come here practically everyday," I reply softly as I think about the stitches on my boyfriends back and how painful they must be.

He nods his head. "Yeah… did he ever tell you about… about how he got to be that way?" he asks and I shoot him a look.

"No," I say honestly because he never did tell me even though I know Byron's theory on the Horcrux thing. "Sorry," I offer because he turns away.

"So, how's your back doing?" he asks, reaching for conversation. "Not giving you any trouble is it?"

"No, it's fine."

"That's good."

I get a Lemon Fizz instead of a cup of tea and I follow Conrad to one of the small tables set up around the room. I take a seat across from him while I worry my lip between my teeth and stare out ahead of me with blank eyes as I try to figure out what to do with myself. As I'm thinking about all the different things I can say to Byron to make him okay, I put the cold drink in-between my hands and inhale deeply. What a confusing day this is turning out to be.

"I've been wondering about you, you know," he says and I look at him again, taking in his blonde hair and green eyes with the yellow burst around his irises. He's a different kind of handsome than Byron. Where Byron is smooth and sharp, Conrad the healer has a more boys boy look about him with a squarer jaw and a rounder tip to his nose. "You made quite the impression on me."

"Why?" I ask before I realize what he's doing. I think he's flirting with me….

"Because you have the most amazing blue eyes I have ever seen."

Yup, definitely flirting. I take my wand out of my boot because it's bugging me and I set it on the table, rolling it between my fingers so I have something to do.

"Oh, well…" I can feel my cheeks heating up and I look down so I don't have to face him. "Thank you."

"No need," he says with a charming smile that makes my stomach turn. "It's only the truth."

Okay, I need to leave. I stand up quickly and give him an apologetic smile that I hope looks sincere. "I really should be going home," I say and I grab my bottle of lemon fizz that I just realized he bought, so I set it back down on the table unopened. "Thank you for, well, yeah. Bye then!"

"Hey—"

I start walking away before he can speak anymore and I feel like such an idiot as I speed walk down the hallway and through the waiting room with my shoes tapping loudly against the tiled floor. What is wrong with me? Why can't I ever handle situations well, like any normal person would?

"Stupid, stupid…." I mutter to myself as I make my way towards the front doors so I can Apparate away. I wish I could stay, I wish I could find Byron, but he obviously doesn't want me around and things just got so freakishly awkward that I can't stand it.

"Lavinia! Lavinia Malfoy!"

I start jogging.

"Lavinia! Stop running, I have something for you!"

When I get to the front doors I reach into my boot for my wand, only to realize that it's not there and I close my eyes before turning around and facing Conrad the healer as he smirks and holds my wand in his hands.

"Are you late for something?"

"Yes, terribly late," I lie as I walk over to him, waiting for him to hand me my wand.

"How late?" he jokes. I go to grab it from him, but he moves his hand so I miss it.

"Give it back."

"Give me a kiss."

The gall of some men, honestly. "Very funny, please give me my wand."

He turns his head and taps his wand against his cheek. "Just a quick one."

"This is ridiculous," I say because he is coming on way too strong in a very short span of time. "Give me my wand."

He taps his cheek again and raises his eyebrow. "Oh, Jesus Christ." I say as I step closer to him and grab my wand while adding a chaste peck to his cheek. "There, now give it back," I snap as I force my wand from his fingers.

"That wasn't so hard, was it?" he says with an amused smile. "It was good seeing you again, and if you ever give up on that one bloke, here's my floo number." He hands me his card as he winks at me before walking back inside. I glare at him before stomping towards the Apparation point. Stupid boy.

I don't go back to the Manor. Instead I go to Byron's flat to wait for him. I know that may seem annoying to him, but I'm worried and he's hurt. I want to be here for him when he comes home. After an hour or so of waiting I realize he may have gone back to work and I yawn into my hand as I flip through one of the Quidditch Magazines that was lying on the table. It's terribly boring, so I head to Byron's room and I begin cleaning it to stall time. He's a very disorganized person. His clothes are all over the place, falling off of hangers and hanging out of drawers, and papers are scattered all over the floor.

I take my time cleaning everything by hand. Folding his clothes, stacking his papers, and dusting his shelves, all the while thinking about those horrid looking stitches on his back. How often does that happen to him? When the room is in order, and everything is put away, I find myself becoming tired so I sit on his bed and unzip the brown leather boots I'm wearing, carefully placing them by the foot of his bed as I make myself comfortable against his pillows. The sheets smell like him and I find myself smiling against them as I fall asleep, dreaming of random scenes and weird landscapes. I wake when I feel weight settle on the side of the bed and I crack my eyes open to see Byron sitting there with his head in his hands.

I sit up right away and stare at him as I pull my legs up to my chest. "How are you feeling?" I ask softly, my voice is still heavy with sleep and I yawn against my shoulder, hoping he doesn't see it because yawning is so terribly unattractive.

"Why are you here?" he asks, not removing his hands from his face and I worry my bottom lip between my teeth, trying to ignore the sting of his words.

"I wanted to wait for you… I was worried," I slide closer her him and let my feet land on the cold floor. "I'm sorry if I'm upsetting you and I hope you don't mind that I cleaned," I finish lamely as I look around the newly organized room. I go to touch his leg, but he moves away and I pull my hand back quickly because his movement embarrassed me. "Are you alright?"

He doesn't say anything and when I say his name he still stays silent. I become worried. "Byron," he doesn't say anything so I lick my lips and clasp my hands together. "I'm sorry I came. I'll…. I'll leave."

He finally turns his head and looks at me as one of his hands drops to his mouth, rubbing his fingers over his lips. His eyes are red and bloodshot and his cheeks are flushed. I know he's been crying and that makes my heart clench painfully because when boys… men… cry, it's always for something terribly serious or painful.

He just stares at me. Looking over my face, my lips, my hands… studying every detail about me so closely that I feel like I'm underneath a microscope so I look away to get away from it.

"Does your back still hurt?" I ask softly as his eyes burn holes into my skin.

"Yes," his answers and his voice sounds raw and deep.

"Does that happen to you often?" I finally find the courage to look at him.

"Not often."

I nod my head and face forward again, pulling my hair over my right shoulder to get it out of my way.

"You have beautiful hair."

The compliment surprises me and I glance at him with my brows furrowed as he takes a strand of my hair and twirls it between his fingers. I begin worrying again and, even though I don't want to think about it, I do remember that he's no longer on his medication and I do remember Chloe's warnings to me about him. He just looks so detached right now and that makes me nervous.

"And skin," he hand moves to my neck and he runs the back of his hand against my neck and jaw. "You have the most beautiful smooth skin."

I take his hand and pull it away from my face. "Are you okay?" I ask again because I am almost positive that he's not okay.

He turns his head and looks at the wall across from us. "I don't think…" he glances at me and then back at the wall with his elbows on his knees. Cutting himself off from me again as he severs the connection I feel with him. "I don't think we should see each other anymore."

What?

I ignore the way my heart falls into the stomach because I want to believe I heard wrong. I swallow the lump in my throat as he continues to talk.

"I just… I think we should take a break."

Of course, tears come to my eyes. "Did I do something wrong?" I ask as I try to figure out the terrible thing that I could have done to make him suddenly think this way.

"No," he says as he turns to me and takes my hands. "No, you didn't do anything wrong."

"Then why," my voice cracks. I'm crying in full now and I know I'm not a pretty crier so I wish I wasn't so easy to tears. It's embarrassing. "I don't understand. I'm sorry I followed you to St. Mungo's and I'm sorry I came here. I was just worried about you."

"I know. That's not why. You're going to start school soon and I'll be working most of the time."

"That doesn't matter. We could make it work." I'm starting to sound desperate now. My heart is ringing in my ears and my face is turning red. Why is he doing this to me? Didn't he love me?

"I'm sorry, Lavinia."

I pull my hands back from his and turn away. "Why are you doing this?" What did I do? Did he see me kiss Conrad's cheek? I could explain that away, that was harmless… what else? He couldn't have been that angry, he didn't seem angry. In fact, he looked like he was going to cry again.

"Because it's the right thing to do," he says solidly like he was convincing himself it was a good idea.

"Why is it the right thing to do?" I snap angrily. "That doesn't make any sense. This is hurting me, how is that right?" He doesn't say anything and I refuse to let him go into that weird quiet mode that he falls into. "Answer me. This doesn't make any sense."

"Please, don't cry."

"Don't tell me what to do," I snap. My sadness and shock at the situation has officially turned into painful anger. "So this is it, then? You're just done?" He doesn't say anything and I stand up. "You were fine before your back started bleeding, what changed?"

He looks at his knees. "I came to my senses."

Ouch. I stare at him, letting more tears fall and I feel like holding my stomach and curling into a ball because it hurts so much. I have to leave now, I just have to. I grab my boots and pull them on quickly, only zipping them up half way in my haste to get out of the room and once they're secure, I start to flee with my wand clenched in my hand, wiping my eyes and trying to calm my breathing. Not only is this painful, but it's also embarrassing and I try to think of the things I'm going to tell people. I went in head first and now I have to deal with people seeing my failure in this relationship that no one cared for anyways. What just happened?

Before I reach the front door, I lean against the wall to catch my breath and I close my eyes as I bring a hand up to my forehead, taking in a deep shaky breath.

"Don't cry," I hear him say softly from behind me and I wanted to kick him for it. I feel his hand on my arm and then he takes a step closer to me, pressing his chest into my back. "Don't cry," he whispers as he bends down to kiss my shoulder.

"Stop," I whisper because he was confusing me and even if my reaction right now is dramatic, you just can't say something like that to someone you love. He puts his arm underneath my breast and pulls me tighter against him, leaving open mouthed kisses on my neck. "Stop it," I snap harsher and I pull myself away from him. "I hate that you do that… You're constantly pulling me in different directions. I never know what you want."

He stares at me, like he always does, and then he flicks his eyes down to my lips while taking a step closer to me. I back up and shake my head, but he ignores it as he grabs my face and pulls me in for a kiss. What the hell did he think he was doing? I try to push him back, but he's too strong and he's just painfully pressing his lips against mine as I hit the wall and struggle to get away from him. He can't just kiss me now! He tries to deepen the kiss, but I won't let him so he moves to my neck.

"Stop!" I yell as I push at his chest. He brings a hand up and fists it in my hair, pulling my head back as he kisses my jaw and presses his body into mine. "Get off of me, you jerk!" I arch to throw him off but he doesn't move.

"I take it back," he whispers against my skin. He kisses my reluctant lips again as he lets his hand slide from my hair to the bottom of my skirt where he starts bunching it up. He pulls back and looks into my eyes as his fingers start moving up my thigh. "I'm sorry and I take it back."

Was this just some kind of cruel game? I push at his chest as hard as I can and he goes stumbling back. "I hate you," I say as I wipe off my mouth and then run out of his flat.

What the hell was that?

_**Cassius**_

"Have you been crying?"

Byron wipes his eyes but ignores my question. "Let's go. Harry said he would meet us at his office. "

"Alright," I say carefully as I watch his reaction. He's looking a little worse for the wear. "Let's go then."

Harry Potter and my Uncle Ron had started up their very own private investigator firm a few years ago and it's located on the second floor of a larger building full of other stuffy offices. I really wasn't looking forward to this, but I needed answers from the only person alive who had ever dealt with destroying multiple horcruxs and lived to tell the tale.

"Is this it?" I ask when we reach the glass door that has Weasley and Potter's name's scrolled across the top in black block letters.

"This is it," Byron confirms softly as he opens the door and makes a motion for me to step inside first. I do so reluctantly, hating that he made me go first.

There are a few wooden chairs set up against the white washed walls and two doors are located on the opposite side of the room, with a desk resting between them. Sitting behind that desk is my former crush and Byron's little sister, Samantha. I look away like a coward when her eyes turn to us and she stands up.

"Harry's not back yet," she says flatly. "You two are going to have to wait."

She's a pleasant little thing now, isn't she? Byron and I take a seat on the wooden chairs to wait for his step father as I study Samantha Flint sort through papers and file things away in the cabinet to her left. She is a pretty girl, no… she's more than pretty… she's beautiful… that's why I had wanted her so much when I was in school, but she doesn't go much deeper than that. Now that I'm older I realize I would take Interesting and average over beautiful and boring any day.

"So, how are you doing, Byron?" Samantha asks as she takes her quill and signs off on something.

"Fine," is his short answer, but he doesn't elaborate further.

"Mom said you've stopped taking your meds again."

I flick her an irritated glare because that was something personal that didn't need to be discussed in front of me, but Byron ignores her anyways as he lets his head fall into his hands and he leans forward so his back doesn't touch the chair.

"Has your hair always been brown?" She looks at me and raises an eyebrow and I find a scowl turning my features.

"Shut up, Samantha," Byron mutters softly and I'm grateful he was the one who said it. I don't enjoy being rude to women, but I can if that woman deserves it.

No one talks after that and I lean my head against the wall and cross my arms until Harry Potter and Ron Weasley come barreling into the room with their cloaks and sunglasses on. Potter's twenty minutes late for our meeting and I roll my eyes as Byron stands up to greet them.

"Thank you for meeting with us, Harry," Byron says softly as Potter hangs his cloak on the cloak rack and places his sunglasses on top of his head.

"Come into my office," he says as he walks to the door on the right side of Sam's desk. My eyes catch Ron Weasley's before I walk in. He's staring at me in such a disturbing way that I find myself wiping off my face to make sure it doesn't have food on it.

"Take a seat," he says when he closes the door behind us and beckons us to sit on the leather chairs across from his old wooden desk. He unbuttons his waist coat before sitting down and places his sunglasses on the table. "What did you two want?"

"You're one of the only people in the world that has ever destroyed a Horcrux," I say because Byron doesn't seem to be in a talking mood. Potter takes out another glasses case and opens the cover, revealing those round rimmed things that he wears all the time. "We need to know how."

"Why?" he asks suspiciously as he eyes Byron and then his narrowed eyes rest on me as he places his glasses on the bridge of his nose. "Why do you need to know that?"

"Knowledge is power," Byron mutters softly and Potter sits back in his chair with his fingers tapping against his desk.

"How did you come back?" Potter centers his gaze on me. "I've only known one wizard to come back from the dead. Is that why you want to know about how to destroy Horcrux's? Did you make one yourself?" Now he sounds deadly as he glares and Byron sits up straight.

"You have to kill someone to make one," Byron snaps. "Cassius couldn't do that."

"Then how did you come back? You were in a cemetery, in a tomb for months. No one would survive that and that girl you were with died. Why didn't she come back too?"

"A Horcrux is what did this to me," I state because I think he's implying that I killed Paige. "And I'm not the only one. There are other's stuck there. We need to destroy it to help them."

"What is the Horcrux?" he asks and I tighten my jaw because I let that information I didn't want to share slip. "Who made it?"

I remain silent and he furrows his brows.

"What does your father think?" he asks as his green eyes stare deeply into my own like he was trying to read my mind. I put up mental shields just in case the old bastard was actually trying to.

"He doesn't know."

He rubs his eyes under his glasses while sighing loudly. "I hear the Death Eaters are forming again," he says softly into his hand. "There have been magical attacks on muggles in the bigger cities the past couple of weeks that are attributed to them." I stare at him as he continues. "Some of the muggle witnesses said they heard the name Bellatrix Lestrange getting passed around by the culprits. That's weird, right? Because she's been dead for over twenty plus years," he looks me over. "People thought you were dead. That's not natural, is it? The dead should stay dead."

"He was never dead," Byron chimes in and I glance at him. There's a tick in his jaw and the muscle in his neck is tight. "Will you help us or not?"

"I will only tell you one thing," he says as he picks up a folder and opens it up. "A Horcrux needs to be destroyed so totally that no magic can repair it, which is an extremely difficult thing to accomplish with a magical object."

A great deal of help he's turning out to be.

We just stare at him as he looks through some papers and then he flicks a glance towards us. "You can leave now."

Right.

I stand up and head for the door with Byron trailing behind me. "Cassius," I lift my eyebrows in surprise to hear Potter say my name and I look over my shoulder. Those green eyes are staring into my own again and I try not to blink because that would seem weak in our staring contest. "I'm going to be keeping an eye on you."

I smirk. "You and everyone else," I say before leaving.

Outside of his office I turn to my friend and raise my brows. "Well?"

"Did you ever read any of those books on how Harry defeated the Dark Lord?" He asks and I shake my head. "A lot of them are wrong, but I do remember him mentioning Gryffindor's sword. It's said to appear at Hogwarts when a true Gryffindor is in need."

"God, I hate vague magic," I say as I rub my eyes.

"But we are Gryffindor's, are we not?" he says and I look at him. "Maybe a trip to Hogwarts is in order?"

I smile at the adventure and nod my head. "We'll have to wait until it's open. That will make access easier, I'm sure."

"Indeed," he says as we leave the building.

We part then and I stall time in a nearby park before I head towards a public floo line to go to Madrid. This is just as important for me as it is for them, because I can judge how to get in and destroy that blasted earring that got me into this mess in the first place. I floo right into the head director's office and I don't even bother to clean off the soot as I step onto his expensive maroon rug.

"Mr. Malfoy, thank you for joining us," I glance behind him at the board of trustees as I shake soot from my hair and clean myself off.

"Thanks for having me," I say as I add a handshake to the old man's hand.

This is the dean of the school and he's a tall bean of a man with a balding head and squinty eyes surrounded by deep wrinkles. His accent is thick as well, but I refuse to speak Spanish right now. I'm the guest and they have to make me feel welcome.

"We have many questions to ask you," he says as he places his hand on my back and guides me like a woman towards one of the empty seats around a large table with other elders and department heads of the school and museum nearby.

"I don't have many answers," I say honestly as I take my seat. It's hot in here because there's another fire blazing and I glance at it in humid disgust before unbuttoning my cashmere cardigan to let my body breathe. My parents have bought me a whole load of new clothes since I've been back. I guess they feel bad because I've been living like a poor person for the past couple of years.

"Mr. Malfoy…" One of the old coggers with liver spots asks and I face him.

"Call me Cassius," I say. Mr. Malfoy is my father and I'm not ready to take on that title just yet.

"Cassius," he repeats with a fake smile. "Of course, before we reveal the statue, we would like to know what happened to you. It was a very powerful curse, never seen in the modern world… it could change everything."

"I doubt it would do that," I say, trying to sound nonchalant like I don't care.

"So, can you tell us exactly what happened when Miss Montgomery and yourself when you were in the water?"

"Can I see it?"

The old man blinks at me and they look among themselves, trying to process my request. "Why don't you answer our questions first?"

"What all due respect, sirs," I say as I lean forward and place my hands on the table. "I was sealed in my family crypt for months. I won't answer questions until I see that damn statue."

That was not the desired response they were hoping for, but they'll listen and I smile to myself as the director nods his head. They show me to it right away, anxious for me to answer their questions and when enter the white concrete room, I squint my eyes against the harshness of the overhead light. A weird feeling pools at the pit of my stomach as I see the giant statue head with it's serene smile and blank dead eyes on the other side of the glass in a password protected, sealed room.

"Open the door," I demand. "I want to see it up close."

"I'm sorry, Mr. Malfoy," the director says. "No one is allowed in there now. We detected magical energy coming from it last Saturday and we don't want anyone getting cursed."

I know Byron was able to get when I was still stuck on the Island, but it looks like they moved it to a different spot than Byron described and I bet the wards are better as well. I put my hands in my pockets because they're shaking and I take a step closer to the glass, looking at the rune etching on the earring…. The place that traps souls.

"Do you know what those runes mean?"

"No," I lie even though Byron told me.

"I could tell you, if you'd like," the pompous old man says and I roll my eyes.

"No, that's alright," I say as my eyes roam the statue, taking in every groove and every chip. "Can I have an access key?" I ask as I eye the security recording system by the door.

"Tell us what you remember."

"I remember nothing," I lie as I bit my lip and stand back. I have the urge to kick it, but I fear it may suck me back in, so I just glare instead, hoping Paige…. Or whatever the hell her name is, feels it. "But if I had a pass I could visit it whenever I wanted. I'm sure it could jog my memories."

"We are not sure if the statue is secure," one of them says and I frown. "That would be unwise."

I turn around and stare at the old man. "If I told you that this statue head was dangerous, that it's a terrible weapon… would you destroy it?"

He laughs. "It's an old statue. It's danger is in the curse that you activated, but that's done now. It can be made safe if we knew what it was. It's too important to destroy."

I nod my head and turn away. "I want an access key or I won't talk to you anymore," I tell them before leaving the room.

With my nicely planned exit, I can't exactly ruin it by going back and asking to use the guys floo fireplace, so I walk out of the building and sigh as I look for a public line around the campus. I'm not exactly thrilled to go home, so I put my hands back in my pockets and take a stroll, taking my time trying to get home. Maybe I'll stall long enough and miss that stupid party my parents are putting together.

"I would suggest it be moved to a different area."

I know that voice and I stop walking to try to find it.

"It's not safe there, there are threats against it," she says and I finally spot Daniella's head of dark hair by one of the small abstract statues of a student practicing a spell. She's wearing one of those gray t-shirt dress things with black leggings and a pair of patent leather high heels that curve her legs in a very appealing way… not that I was looking, of course.

I slide closer to see what she's talking and I see a dark skinned bloke with dread locks and an anime shirt shaking his head as she speaks.

"It's fine," he says and his accent sounds like Byron's Mom. "The wards are the best in the word. No one is going to get that statue, so don't worry your pretty little head about it."

"I need to talk to whoever is in charge," she says desperately. "You don't understand."

"One girl already got me in trouble because I showed her that thing. I'm not risking it again."

She makes a strange huffing noise and pushes his shoulder as she walks past him. I smile and jog to catch up with her. "Good day for an angry walk, wouldn't you say?"

I smile when her shocked eyes turn to me. "What are you doing here?" she asks like I was an annoying bug that just happened to show up.

"Oh, well, you know," I say vaguely and then I speed up my steps and turn around so I'm walking backwards in front of her. "What are you doing here and why are you trying to get them to move that statue?"

"I'm not," she says with her head tilted up.

"You may be surprised by this, Dani, but I have excellent hearing," I tell her with a smirk. "And I heard what you were telling that nerdy bloke back there."

"Well, you heard wrong and you're going to run into a pole."

I turn around just in time and sigh in relief as I face the right way and step around the pole that I was heading right towards.

"I could get you in to talk to the director," I tell her and her green eyes snap to mine. "If you tell me why, of course."

"Of course," she mutters with a sneer.

"Does it have something to do with your death eater club?" Her eyebrows shoot up and I face forward. "I didn't know you were a purist, Daniella."

"You don't know a lot about me, Cassius," she says back and I look at her from the corner of my eyes.

"Your boyfriend's pleasant," I say and she snorts. "He has great people skills."

"You shouldn't have been saying those things to his girlfriend," she says and she smiles slyly as her eyes meet mine. "I'm glad to know I'm the third best looking girl you've ever seen."

I cringe when I remember saying that.

"That was one of the best pickup lines I've ever heard."

I rub the back of my neck and look down. "Yeah, sorry about that. I was on Vertiserum."

"Oh, well, knowing that you were telling the truth really makes it better."

We fall into silence as we walk the brick sidewalks around the campus and I find myself chewing on the insides of my cheeks. "So how have you been? I haven't seen you in years…"

"I've been alright," she says softly. "You've had quite a year."

She smiles when I look at her and I find my cheeks heating up so I look away. "Yeah, quite a year. Did you go to school?"

"Yes."

"Do you have a job?"

"Yes."

"Okay," I say because she didn't elaborate further.

"What about you? Have you been doing terribly exciting things since we graduated?"

"I'm a ninth level ninja wizard on the Warlock Wars."

She laughs. "A video game is your greatest accomplishment? You have been doing important things."

"Hm, not many people can claim that title," I reply with the corner of my lips turned up. "Where are we going?" I ask as I stop walking and look around.

"I'm going to a floo line. I have no idea where you're going."

"Ah, I'm in luck, then, because I need a public floo line."

"Good."

"Good," I repeat as we resume walking.

There's a line of college kids waiting for the floo and we stop at the end, waiting silently as I try to come up with clever things to say.

"Could you really get me a meeting with the director?" she asks after a few moments of silence.

"If you tell me why you need to." She looks at me and her eyes look even greener out here in the sun and I sigh. I always have a soft spot for girls with pretty eyes. "Is it important to you?"

"More than anything."

"Fine, I'll set it up," I tell her even though I'm not totally sure if I can… but I'm sure if I told those old men that I'd talk, they'd let her in as well. "As long as you promise not to blow anybody up."

I laugh, she doesn't.

The line dwindles down and eventually two fireplaces open up that Daniella and I step over to. "It was good seeing you again, Cassius. We'll keep in touch," she says, adding a wink as she steps into the grate.

"There's a party tonight," I tell her with a smile as she grabs a hand of floo powder. "It's at the Manor and I just invited you. It starts at ten."

"Do I need to bring a present?" she asks and I laugh.

"Not this time. You just need to bring yourself."

"How charming," she says with a tilt of her eyebrows as she floos away into the green flames.

I find myself smiling as I head home, to face the chaos there. I do not want to have a party. I do not want to attend a party for me. I do not want them to throw me a party. Does anyone care? No, they don't, but I have a little bit of a bounce in my step in hopes that a certain guest might show up and make it worthwhile.

"You might want to start getting ready," Mom finds me in the front hallway and she walks over and touches my hair. "People are going to start showing up in a couple hours and you're covered in soot."

"Mom," I look down at her and furrow my brows.

"I know, she says softly as she smoothes down my collar. "But your father insists."

"I better take a shower, then."

"Cass, if you suddenly get sick in the shower, then I can cancel this whole thing," she says and I smile.

"Thanks," I say warmly. "But father does insist." If not today, then it will just be tomorrow. My father is used to getting what he wants. I ponder that thought for a few moments. He does always get what he wants, even if there is drama and heartache. When it comes down to it, Draco Malfoy always gets his way.

What a lucky bastard he is.

"I'll see you later," I tell her with a good natured wink before I start climbing the stairs. I can feel her eyes on me the whole way up, but I don't turn around.

I take my time getting ready, staying in the shower until I prune and brushing my teeth until my gums start bleeding. I'm kind of nervous, if I was being honest with myself. A lot of people are going to be here tonight and they're all going to want to talk to me. As I'm buckling up my pants, I see a small round ball on my night stand and I pick it up, throwing it up and down a few times before taking out my wand and tapping it until it glows.

I fully intended on giving this back to Lavinia after Evelyn handed it off to me, but I never found the time to do it… I tap through the emotions until I settle on calmness and I smile at the warm glow from the ball before slipping it in my pocket. Lavinia doesn't need this thing anyways, I tell myself, as I slink into a shirt and I grab my black suit jacket. I decide to forgo a tie as I sit down on my bed and prop my feet up on my nightstand as I take out my Warlock Wars hand held game that I got when I was in Hogwarts. I play that for a few hours, wasting time and killing evil warlocks before I hear a knock on my door.

"Yeah?"

"Cassius, the party started an hour ago."

That's my father's voice and I quickly tuck the game under my pillow and sit up as he opens my door.

"Are you ready?"

I nod my head and slip into my shoes, tying them as he stares at me. "Is everyone here?" I ask just to have something to say.

"Yes, it's pretty packed downstairs."

"Wonderful," I mumble under my breath and when I'm done with my shoes I stand up and straighten out the rest of my clothes.

"Where's your tie?" he asks and I raise my eyebrows at him.

"Do I need one?"

He looks me in the eyes before going over to my wardrobe and opening it up, sorting through the different array of ties hanging there that I never wear. "Since you've decided to do black on black," he looks over his shoulder at the black dress shirt and jacket I randomly grabbed. "How about a black tie?"

"Whatever you think is best," I say with a shrug as he takes out the silk tie and walks over to me.

He pops up my collar for me and puts it around my neck. I bring my hands up to do it up myself, but he doesn't step back, so I let my hands drop as he ties it for me like I was a child. He doesn't talk and he looks so serious as he does this task and after he puts my collar down and tightens it to my neck, he glance once at my eyes.

"Black was a good, optimistic color to wear for tonight," he says flatly and I smile at his joke.

"You're one to talk about optimism," I counter back and he smirks.

"At least we're good looking," he says and I snort and turn my head away. He steps back and looks me over from head to toe before sighing loudly. "I _hate_ your hair," he says and I snort again because I know he detests it. "Come on, I tired of telling people you're on your way."

I nod my head and follow him downstairs. Before we reach the ballroom, I pause in front of the doors and take a deep breath to collect myself.

"Cass," I look to my Dad as he searches my face. "I can make everyone go home, if you want."

I smile a little and shake my head. "Let's get this over with."

He puts his hand on my shoulder and squeezes tenderly before opening the door. Hundreds of eyes turn to me at the same time and I loosen the tie around my neck as I smile reluctantly back.

I anticipate this is going to be a long night.

_**Evelyn **_

In the cave by the shore is a door on the floor.

In the cave by the shore is a door on the floor.

In the cave by the shore is a door on the floor.

"Do you think she'll be alright?" I hear my mother's voice as I crouch under the table. "I know the healer said it was probably just a stomach flu… but I don't know. It wasn't regular vomit and she didn't seem like she was sick."

In the cave by the shore is a door on the floor.

"I don't know, sweetheart." Daddy says as he helps her clasp the silver necklace around her smooth pale neck. It broke during the party, so they both excused themselves to fix it. I followed because I knew they would unlock their door and I needed to get in there. "I think she's fine. She was acting normal today… we just need to let her rest. She didn't even ask about the dress or the box today."

"She is pretty excited about the party," Mom says as she leans into his arms and they stare at each other in their full bodied mirror for a few moments before he kisses her neck. I start rocking back and forth.

"I am too. People are starting to get anxious about Cassius. We needed to bring him out again."

In the cave…

"I know," she says with a sigh. "He hates all the attention, though. He never has liked being in the spot light."

By the shore…

"We have to put up a strong front so people know it's really him. Coming back from the dead is always scary and people need to be reassured so they don't start hunting him like he was a zombie that's going to eat their brains."

Is a door…

"Is Gavin better now after you spoke to him?"

On the floor…

"I think so, but there's still unrest out there… I think that little club with all my former associates is gaining speed and getting stronger," he says seriously as I bite my fingernails. "I'm hearing terrible rumors."

"I don't want to hear them," she snaps and my eyes snap to them once more from my hiding spot. "Not tonight. I want to pretend everything is fine."

"You look beautiful," he says as he steps back and buttons his suit jacket.

She smiles at him over her shoulder. "You always say that."

"I always mean it."

"We better get back," he says as he takes her hand.

They kiss before leaving the room and turning off the lights. Once in the darkness I creep out from under the table and dash over to their closet, opening it with my wand and ripping through it with a vengeance as I try to find my dress. I know it's in here, I just know… it's just a matter of finding where they hid it.

"In the cave by the shore is a door in the floor," I start singing quietly to myself as I pull dresses off hangers and shoes out of their boxes. "And a flood of their blood will clean the mud off the moor."

I smile when I see a bit of white fabric peeking out from under a heavy box of my father's old dress robes.

"And there you are," I say with a smirk as I move the box and tug the half burned dress out from under it. I know they thought this was a good hiding spot. My parents can be so dense sometimes.

I walk back into their main room, with the light from my wand keeping me company as I take out the fabric scissors from my back pocket and set them on my mother's vanity. Everything in here had been restored from my previous fit and it's all pristine and neat once again. I slip out of my clothes, stopping only once to check out my naked body in the looking glass. I turn to the side and frown at my chest. I sorely wish my boobs were bigger.

"Oh well," I mutter before tugging on the white dress and smirking when I see my dark haired companion on the other side of the mirror. "No time to talk," I tell her softly as I take the scissors to the hem of the dress. "I'm in a hurry, but I'm willing to consider your opinion on what color you'd like to be from now on."

"Excuse me?" she says, baffled and confused as I start cutting the dress off to my mid thigh. The scissors make an uncomfortable tearing noise with each movement and she cringes and flinches as the fabric falls away.

"You could never go wrong with a basic black, or we could be daring and do polka dots," I send her a smile as I hem the ragged threads of my crooked cutting with my wand so they will be even. Beads that lined the dress clatter to the floor and roll in all different directions. "I lean more towards blue because I so dearly love the color… but what do you say?"

I cut off the sleeves with a little help from my wand because it's hard to cut them when I'm wearing the dress and the lace sleeves flutter to the ground like dead butterflies. I debate whether I should plunge the neckline in the front a little, but then I decide to go with an asymmetrical design. I cut off one sleeve completely and cut off all the fabric from below my right arm, slicing up to my left shoulder. I have to use my wand behind my back to cut off the part that I can't see, so I hope I don't cut myself.

"Well?" I find myself more impatient with her. "What color?"

"I like green."

"You would," I say with an eye roll. "Pick something not predictable."

I get rid of the sash under my chest and let it fall to the floor and I look at her expectantly as I touch up all of the edges and get rid of the stray threads, making sure all the lace and pearls are gone, leaving only the silk chiffon.

"Fine," she states haughtily with her arms crossed as the pieces of her dress fall off her body as they fall off mine. "Make it orange."

"I love the color orange," I tell her, even though I know she meant it as a joke, I turn the dress into a dark burnt orange color…more of a bronze… with my wand. It doesn't look half bad and plays nicely with my hair color. I fix my hem once more as Bella eyes me critically.

"Make it Silver instead," she says and I look over the dress once more before agreeing and changing the color to a pewter gray. "Have you always been that good at tailoring charms?"

I shrug. "I always fix the sizes on my sister's clothes," I state and she narrows her eyes.

"But you never cut them up like I just saw you do, did you?"

I look at my mirrored friend and smirk. "I saved your life the other day. I would like a thank you and I would like you to shut up because you and I are going to a party."

She raises her brows at my words and then she crosses her arms and tilts her head to the side as she studies me. "That black necklace would go great with that design," she says and I glance at her as I turn my body to check out my bottom.

"What black necklace?"

"The one in the box, silly," she says and I frown. I don't know where that box is, but I don't want to tell her that because I don't want her to get angry, so I smile.

"Maybe next time. I think I like the bare neck look better with this dress."

Again she tilts her head, but I don't say anything else. I'm already horribly late as it is.

In the cave… I start walking down the stairs with my head held high as music and voices filter down the hallway from the ball room…. By the shore…. I crack my neck and pat down my hair to make sure it's perfect…. Is a door….. I plaster a smile on my face as I spot my Dad coming out of one of the rooms with a short man by his side. He glances up at me and narrows his eyes…. On the floor.

He excuses himself from his friend who starts heading towards the ball room and Daddy starts walking towards me. "Where did you get that dress?" he asks in anger as he looks me over. My heart begins to beat and my insides panic because I think he found me out and in my nervousness, I put my hands behind my body. He walks up the stairs to meet me halfway. "Well? What happened to the blue one your mother bought you?"

I look at him and shrug. "I found this one in my closet."

"That is way too short to be decent, Evelyn," he says as he takes out his wand and points it at the bottom of my dress. "You know that."

He lengthens the dress to my knees and then glares at me.

"All better," I say with a smile because he's too thick to realize what this dress once was. "Thank you, Daddy," I say for good measure. He's a couple steps down from me, so his face is even with mine. I put my hands on his shoulders and kiss his cheek. "Tonight will be good, right?"

"Tonight already started," he snaps. "What have you been doing?" I don't answer and he eyes me once, like he was suspicious and trying to figure me out before letting a warm smile break his face. "Yes, tonight is going to be good."

"I believe it will be success," I tell him with a smile before walking the rest of the way down the stairs and heading towards the ballroom. By the front door, house-elves are doing scans on the guests to make sure they didn't bring any cameras or recording devices inside. It's all quite serious.

It's already packed in the ballroom, with people dressed to the nines to welcome back my newly alive older brother who had been hiding in his room for the duration of the night. I see Gavin by the open bar, drinking some white concoction that the bartender has given him and Lavinia is nowhere to be seen... she's probably hiding too. Quite the life of the party they are. I catch a glimpse of myself in the glass of one of the veranda's doors and I smile at Bella as she appears in my reflection. Indeed, I'm doing a good thing by bringing her to the party.

I greet my father's work associates the sheltered children of politicians as I make my rounds around the room. Half the people here have probably never spoken to my brother before but they feel entitled enough to be invited to such an event. People can be tiresome. I people watch for a while before I find myself being very thirsty, so I go to the punch bowl and scoop out some fruity punch to quench my thirst.

In the cave by the shore is a door on the floor.

I shake my head and touch my forehead as I start to get hot, so I take another large gulp of punch and take a deep breath. It's all these people in here, that's what it is. I need to get some fresh air, so I put my glass down on the table and I bypass a few a few of my Mother's friends from her gallery as I head towards the doors leading outside to the back garden. I push them open and go over to the cement railing so I can rest against it.

In the cave…

I close my eyes and inhale deeply, taking in the summer time air full of flowers and humidity.

By the shore..

"Draco," I look over my shoulder when I hear my father's name and I see a mouse of a man approach my father by the open veranda doors. "I analyzed the two potion vials you sent me."

I cock my head to the side when I hear that. Two potion vials sounds pretty familiar to me. That must be the two other's from the box. I creep back towards the doors and plant myself against the wall so I can listen more closely.

"And what is your conclusion?" My father asks flatly, with his deep drawl that makes him sound so rich and distinguished.

"It's unlike any potion I have ever seen. I'm not totally sure of it's purpose, but it's main ingredient seems to be blood."

"Blood?" My father sounds disgusted and I even crinkle my nose. I drank blood. Ew.

"Type AB- to be exact. I ran it through the criminal database just to see if I could get a hit."

"I bet you did," Dad says softly.

"It belongs to Bellatrix Lestrange." I get chills at that name spoken out loud by another person and I cross my arms because of it. "So, we can figure that the potion… or whatever she was doing… can't be good."

"What other things were in the potion?" My father asks.

There's a door on the floor in the cave by the shore.

"Well, let's see…. mandrake root, crushed snail shell, Peppermint extract, Cinnamon, blood… obviously, cat bone marrow, Krapen Leaves, bird liver, and another indentified ingredient that I couldn't pinpoint. Oh, and plasma."

"Gross," I whisper because I drank that whole thing.

"Plasma?" My Dad repeats. "Keep working on it. I want to know it's purpose by the end of the week. My wife doesn't know it, but my baby girl ingested one of those and I need to know what it does."

"Yes, of course."

They walk away and I frown as I slump against the wall. I have a feeling Daddy is going to ruin things for me.

"Evelyn," I hear my name being whispered lightly and I look around the veranda with my brows furrowed. "Evie, over here,"

Only one boy I know has a voice like that and he shouldn't be here tonight. I carefully walk over to the pillar where I think the voice is coming from and when I get close enough Jeremiah steps out from his hiding spot.

"Goodness, what are you doing here?" I ask as I take him in. He looks a little nervous, to be honest, and he's biting the insides of his cheeks as he looks me over.

"I just wanted to see you," he says like he was embarrassed to say so and I smile while going in to give him a hug.

"How very clever you are. Did you sneak in with the rest of the guests?"

He nods his head. "The house elves recognized me, so I think they assumed I was allowed in."

I smile at him and he gives me a hesitant smile back.

"You seem different," he says as he tilts his head to the side and studies me. "What have you done?" I shrug and step back so he can try to figure it out. "Did you get a hair cut?"

I shake my head.

"New dress?"

"I always wear new clothes," I tell him even though I'm pleased that he noticed. "I did design this dress myself though," I tell him as I do a little spin for good measure. "Do you like it?"

"I like it very much," he says and he protests when I grab his hand.

"No, what are you doing?"

"We're going inside to dance, silly," I tell him as I pull him through the doors and onto the dance floor.

"I wasn't invited," he says as he ducks his head so no one will see him. "Do you think they'll kick me out if they see me?"

"No, you fool," I tell him with an eyeroll as I force his hands on my waist and I put mine on his shoulders. "They know who you are."

He nods his head as I start swaying us back and forth. Like most boys I've encountered, Jeremiah is a terrible dancer, so our movements are limited to swaying back and forth and listening to his apologies as he steps on my toes.

"So, have you and Xavi the toad gone on your date yet?" he asks stonily and I glance up at him with a smirk.

"No, not that it's any of your business, of course," I snap as I tilt my chin up and look away.

"I'm sorry I brought it up."

I glance around the room to see my brother surrounded by a hoard of people. He looks terribly uncomfortable as he messes with his tie and downs glasses of wine. Poor guy. I feel like I should save him like a good little sister, so I give Jeremiah an apologetic smile as I stop swaying.

"I hate to strand you, Jay, but I must go save Cassius."

"But... what?" he looks confused, the poor thing.

"Why don't you go get something to drink," I tell him as I pat his shoulder and then leave him alone on the dance floor.

When I get through the overpowering crowd, I grab Cassius' hand and smile when he looks at me in surprise. "Come dance," I tell him and he gives me a thankful smile as he excuses himself. My brother hates to be rude, so he probably would have been stuck with those people forever had I not intervened.

I pull him to the dance floor and he smiles down at me. "Thank you," he says as he takes my hand and starts dancing with me in an old fashioned kind of gentleman way. "You have saved my life tonight, Evelyn."

"Just being the perfect little sister that I am," I say with a smirk as I look up at him. I really never noticed how silver his eyes are, but with his darker hair it really makes them pop. "How did you come back?" I ask softly.

He glances at me, and then looks away. "I don't know."

"You're lying," I say and his eyes snap to mine. "Only one wizard has ever come back from the dead."

"Please do not compare me to Voldemort," he says with an irritated sigh. "I don't want to talk about it, Evelyn. I've answered questions like that a million times tonight. I don't need it from you to."

"It's just so terribly exciting," I tell him honestly as I stare into his eyes. I can see myself reflected in them and I smile. "You must be a very powerful wizard, Cass."

"I don't think that has anything to do with it," he mutters. "Lavinia and Byron did a lot of work."

"Is Byron a pureblood?" I ask curiously and Cassius furrows his brows.

"Does it matter?"

"It's just a question," I say with a shrug. "I find that the most powerful wizards and witches are purebloods."

"How many powerful witches and wizards are you acquainted with?" he snaps and I raise my brows because he's getting angry with me.

"Well, Dumbledore was a pureblood, and Antonia Willington," I start listing off other powerful magical folks as Cassius stares at me. "And Mom and Daddy both are and they're pretty good with their wands."

"There isn't one witch or wizard that's more powerful than the other," he tells me seriously. "We're all born with that magical spark, but it's how we apply it that makes us great and how much work we put in to refining our talent has a lot to do with it too. Blood status has nothing to do with that. In fact, I think it's a hindrance… The Slytherin's were obsessed with being pure, so all that inbreeding was happening. The mighty line of Salazar Slytherin was condensed down to a few buck teethed hillbillies living in a shake before they wasted away. "

Slytherin, that catches my attention. "Do you know who Tom Riddle is?"

"Yes," he says and now he sounds suspicious. "Why are you bringing him up?"

" He was Lord Voldemort… before he was… you know, the Dark Lord."

"Everybody has to start somewhere," he attempts to make a joke and I laugh just to make him feel like he accomplished something.

"Did you know that Mom used to write in a journal that was his?"He looks at me blankly. "When she was a first year at Hogwarts, Grandpa Malfoy gave her a journal that was possessed by Tom Riddle."

"Did she tell you that?" he's not sure whether he should believe me or not so I nod my head.

"Yes, she did. She told me the whole story. Riddle wrote back to her and made her open the Chamber of Secrets."

Even so many years later, every child who ever went to Hogwarts has heard about the Chamber of Secrets and we've all heard about the monster that lived there to eventually be slain by the boy Harry Potter. I just never knew my mother was involved.

"Mom told you this?" he states again and I nod my head up and down.

"She said she loved him."

He stares at me and he's about ready to respond, but the music cuts off and my father's voice booms over the crowd. Cassius sighs loudly and then looks down at me, shaking his head.

"He's going to call you over," I say. "You might as well go now."

"You're right," he whispers and with reluctance he passes through the crowd and makes his way over to my father who clamps his hand proudly on his shoulder.

I don't want to listen to this speech so I slide out of the room, forgetting about poor Jeremiah and everyone else as I go into the hallway. I feel like I should go somewhere… I feel like I want to go to the beach… somewhere by the ocean, somewhere wet…. In a cave…. I sneak down the hallway when I hear music and I start heading towards the noise because it's not coming from the crowded ball room. I pass by a young couple as they exit the bathroom together. The man's tucking in his shirt and the girl is fixing her hair as they smile at each other and blush when they see me.

"Shame on you," is all I say as I continue to move through the house.

The music is very fittingly coming from the music room, and I lean against the wall when I see someone in the hallway, looking in on whoever was playing the piano, playing the beautifully dark music with perfection. I know the profile well, and I crouch down behind a table to hide more when Byron Flint puts his hands in his pockets. When the music stops, Byron tenses, so I figure whoever is playing the piano must have noticed him.

"I didn't know you played so well," he says softly and I raise my eyebrows.

"How long have you been standing there?" Lavinia doesn't sound too pleased and a loud bang makes me jump. I think she might have slammed the cover to the keys down. It didn't make Byron jump, though. He just keeps staring at her. "Why are you here? I thought it was pretty clear that I uninvited you."

"I was stupid."

"Go away."

"Is that what you really want?" he asks from the doorway.

"At least I know what I want," she snaps and I can hear her light footsteps against the floor, her heels making a clicking noise against the wood. "Unlike you."

"I try to do the right thing," he says gently. "It was stupid… I thought it was right."

"Go away," she repeats again, sounding angrier. "I don't want to talk to you right now."

He walks into the room and I creep closer to spy some more. He walks over to her and touches her face, but she smacks his hand away and glares.

"You can't just do that to me," she hisses at him as she steps back. "Saying things like that…"

Oh, I wonder what he said. How interesting this is.

He bends down to kiss her, but she ducks and moves away. "You've been drinking," she says accusingly. "I can smell it on your breath."

"Let me kiss you," he says sternly, like it was something that he needed to do.

"No," she moves away from him some more until she's by the music books. "Get away from me. I'm not ready to talk to you yet."

"Why?" he snaps harshly and even I raise my eyebrows by the darkness in his tone. "Why not? I already said it was stupid. I was talking without thinking."

She doesn't say anything, she just turns her face down and he takes the opportunity to get closer to her. He uses his fingers to tilt her chin up and he looks into her eyes for a few moments before placing a gentle kiss on her lips. She doesn't respond, she doesn't even close her eyes and he glares at her when he pulls back.

"Do you really want me to leave?"

She looks away but doesn't answer.

"Fine," he snaps as he storms out of the room. I suck myself against the wall and watch him as he stomps down the hallway with heavy steps and an aggravated hand shaking through his hair. I watch his silhouette when he gets to the end of the hall. He pauses, breathing deeply, making his shoulders rise and fall with each breath. I jump when he turns to the wall and punches it with his fist, making a few picture frames rattle and fall.

He turns the corner and leaves after that and I turn back to the room where my sister hesitates a few seconds before running into the hallway as well.

"Byron, wait!" It's too late… he's already gone and my sister's shoulders sag as she turns around and wipes her eyes.

"What things did he say to you?" I ask because, well, I might as well.

"You were spying on me?" she sounds mad and she might hex me, so I crawl out of my hiding spot and stand up, dusting off my dress and smiling at her.

"Not spying. I was just following the music you were playing and stumbled upon your discussion."

She looks away again with glassy eyes and shakes her head. "Why must you always spy?"

"Not spying," I repeat as I put my hands behind my back. "You look very pretty."

"Oh, shut up," she says with a sneer as she begins walking down the hallway.

I follow after her. "How was your orientation today?" I ask just to talk to her. I miss talking to her… she's never around anymore.

"It was fine. Please, I just don't want to talk right now, Evelyn."

"Are you going to cry?" I ask as she heads towards the back stairway. I suspect she's going to go to her room and sob.

"No," she says as she sniffs.

"Do you want me to cuddle with you?"

She glares at me and then she scoffs. "No, I do not want you to cuddle with me," she says like it was a stupid suggestion. "Just leave me alone."

"What was the stupid thing that he said to you?"

"Where did you get that dress?" She tilts her head as she looks at it. "Did Mom buy that for you? I thought the dress you got was blue."

"Oh," I tug on the bottom of my dress as we pass paintings and other framed decorations in the hallway. "I made it myself."

"You made a whole dress?" she says as we make our way to her room. "That's not believable."

"I am brilliant, I will have you know."

She looks at me and frowns. "What's wrong with you?"

"Whatever do you mean?"

She opens her door and throws off her high heels… I guess she's done with the party downstairs. The lights come on and she goes straight to her vanity to get herself a tissue. I cross my arms and watch her as she fixes her makeup and straightens her hair.

"Are you going to go back downstairs?"

"I don't want to, but I bet Mom or Dad will come get me when they notice I'm gone…" she flicks a glance at me in the mirror and then drops her tissue because it's not me she sees at all.

Stupid me.

I quickly move out of the way of the mirror as she turns around to look at me. "What was that?" she asks suspiciously as she looks back at the mirror, but I've moved out of the reflection. "That wasn't you."

"You must be upset, because you're talking crazy," I tell her with a smile even though my heart his hammering.

"Come here," she says as she squares her shoulder. "Come here and stand in front of the mirror."

"No," I say with a laugh. "Silly you. I think I'm going to get back to the party."

"No Evelyn," she snaps, walking closer to me. "Where did you get this dress? Who was that woman in the mirror?"

"You're mad," I tell her with another good willed smile.

She grabs my arm and I try to twist out of her grasp as she tries to pull back to her vanity.

"Let me go," I tell her as I hit her and her eyes flame in anger because of it.

"Who is that woman in the mirror?" she asks angrily.

I work my way out of her grasp and start running. I hear her start running after me and I speed up. I'm quicker than my sister, and my legs are longer, so I can easily out run her… but judging by her footsteps she's going to give me a run for her money. I catch Bella running beside me in the picture frame's reflections.

"Her boyfriend is unstable," she says I run and I glance at her in passing as I run. "Find him, tell him she's cheating and he'll corner her."

"What?" I say breathlessly. I find a mirror in the hallway and check behind me to make sure I lost Lavinia before stopping. "What are you talking about?"

"You said Byron Flint has issues, right?" I nod my head and send a nervous look down the hallway. "He punched the wall, he's unstable. Tell him that you caught Lavinia with another boy."

"I can't do that. That's not true," I say because I'm not that bad of a person.

"If you don't, she'll tell your mother and she'll come and get us and kill me!"

"Evelyn!"

I jump at my sister's voice and I send Bella a worried look before taking off again. No matter what happens I know my parents are going to be told and I don't want them to take my dress away.

In the cave…

I could leave.

By the shore…

Run away.

Is a door…

I make it to the front door and throw it open.

On the floor.

I slam it behind me and start sprinting towards the front gates with my wand gripped in my hands so I can reach the Apparation point. I hear my sister calling me again as I run and I nearly roll my eyes when I see Byron Flint at the gates, leaning against one of the stone entrance arches with a hand in his pocket.

"Evelyn! Stop!" my sister yells and Byron's head snaps towards it, noticing me barreling towards him.

"What are you doing?" he asks as he steps in front of the large gate and he glances over my shoulder at my sister who I'm sure is close behind.

I inhale deeply and hope this doesn't cause too much damage.

"She wants to erase my memories," I tell him as he furrows his brows. It's dark outside, so it's hard to see his reaction, but I know he's confused. "Byron, I'm sorry but she doesn't want me to tell you."

"Tell me what?"

"Don't you dare, Evelyn!" My sister calls because she doesn't want me to escape.

I glance over my shoulder. Lavinia's getting closer. "I'm sorry," I say softly before turning to him. "She doesn't want me to say, but I caught her cheating on you." The lie feels thick in my mouth and I knew this was wrong, but I couldn't stop myself. Bella said it would work. "She was sleeping with this one blond haired bloke and she didn't want me to tell you. She told him you were crazy… that you were a…" I was reaching for a word that would hurt him most so it would keep them occupied while I made my exit. "She said you were a… freak."

"Byron, don't let her leave," she says when she gets close enough, but I can tell he's not bothering with me anymore. His stance is ridged and his attention is on her.

"You said you hated me," he says darkly as I by pass him and head for the gate. "You meant it."

"Byron, she's leaving!" my sister says and I look over my shoulder once to see him grip her arm when she tries to get past him to get to me. "What are you doing? She's wearing a cursed object, let go."

The gates begin to creak open as I watch Byron jerk her back towards him. Even in the dark I can tell that he's gripping her much too tight and that jerk was way too rough.

"You're hurting me," she says and her eyes turn to him. "Byron, let me go."

I give my sister what I hope is an apologetic look as I slip out of the opening and lift my wand to Apparate away.

In the cave by the shore is a door on the floor.

And she'll laugh….

And she'll laugh….

And she'll laugh….

And she'll laugh…

And she'll laugh…

And she'll laugh….

And she'll sing….

As the whole city burns.


	16. Chapter 16

_**Evelyn**_

"Where am I?" I mutter out loud as I look around me with worried frown turning my face.

I carefully take a step forward and glance around me as the wind whips the hair around my head in violent tugs. Gray waves crash against the jagged rocks by the shore and I furrow my brows as I cross my arms to deaden the chill of the ocean. How did I get here? I know I Apparated, but I don't know how to Apparate…. And I have no idea where I am!

"Am I still in England?" I ask as I stare up at the hazy sky. It was night time when I left, but here it seems to be dusk… somewhere in between night and day. "Where am I?" I ask again as I try not to cry.

Bella would know. There are a bunch of dark ill formed rocks surrounding me and I try to be careful as I climb around the damp formations to the edge where rock meet water and I get down on my knees to peek over the side. Bella is there, but she's all fuzzy and blurry because of the moving water and with a sad sigh I realize it's starting to rain as well. That's just my luck.

"How did I get here?' I ask her as I grip my wand in my hands. The rock digs into my knees, but I ignore it as I push damp curls out of my eyes. "Bella, where am I?"

"How would I know?" She snaps and I start shivering. "I can only see you and the sky."

"Well, I'm on a beach, I think," I say as I look around at the rocks and dark sand that make up my surroundings. What an unpleasant, non peaceful beach this is. "By the shore…" I look over at the cliff on the other side of the beach. There's a gaping hole carved into the side and I squint as I try to see it properly. "And there's a cave."

I bite my lip and look back down at her.

"In the cave by the shore is a door on the floor."

Bella narrows her eyes. "What did you just say?" she asks and I repeat the words.

"I've had the poem in my head all day," I admit softly.

"You took that potion, didn't you?" she snaps angrily and I raise my brows at her tone. "You stupid girl! You were supposed to learn that doppelganger spell, and then you could give it to your double!" I flinch because of the harsh was she's speaking to me and my teeth start chattering. "Did you take all three of them, you idiot?"

"No, I only took one," I say as my eyes sting with tears. "What is the potion? I thought would help." I sniff loudly as she sneers. "I don't understand what's happening. I keep on having all these terrible thoughts and everyone is getting so angry with me."

"You should have listened to me, but you were too lazy and self involved! Now I have to fix this mess you created and—"

I back up so she can't finish that sentence and I sit on the rock, drawing my knees up to my chest as I let my forehead fall against the top of my knees. Mom was right. Mom's always right. When she first told me about Tom Riddle, I didn't think it applied to me because I really didn't want to.

"I can understand," she had told me as she laid down beside me on the bed after the healer left. "Why you would want a friend right now. I was heading to Hogwarts for the first time when I was given the diary. It was a hard transition for me… everything was so new and different, so it was nice having someone to talk to. You're going through a lot right now," she had said as she put my hair behind my ear. Then I was irritated, but now I would long for her warm touch in this strange cold place. "It has been a hard summer on all of us."

She didn't actually know about the relationship I shared with Bella, but she suspected something more was going on with the dress than I was letting on, and the more she talked about her experiences with Tom Riddle, the closer it resembled my own with Bella. I didn't want it to, so I ignored the warnings she was giving me. She said that Tom had started out sweet and nice, saying the things that she needed to hear as a lonely eleven year old girl who needed companionship…. Then the relationship turned sour and manipulative. Her Tom turned mean and vicious, but she didn't really care because she thought she owed him so much… until it was too late, and she almost died.

Now, with Bella's harsh words to me, I couldn't help but feel like the biggest idiot.

In the cave...

I shake my head and bring my hands up to my temples, trying to rub the headache out as the rain drenches my bones and chills my skin. I don't know how to get home. I can't Apparate, even though I somehow made it here, and I fear I may be stuck here forever. I lift my head, with my teeth clattering, and I glance at the cave opening. It's probably warmer in there and some shelter from the storm would be nice.

I carefully stand up and slip out of my shoes. The slight heel that are on them would make it harder to climb, I imagine, so I hold the straps with my fingers as I make my way towards that silly looking cave. The jagged rocks cut my feet as I climb and I slip a few times on the slickness the rain creates, but I don't let it stop me. My shoes go clattering to the ground after I trip over a small little snatch in the stone and I watch them bounce into the water with a frown.

"Drat," I whisper. I liked those shoes.

When I make it to the cave, I lift my wand and light the inside with a lumos as I step inside. It does feel warmer in here, and it is drier, so I ignore the way my body is shivering as I step inside and look around. What's a cave doing in such an odd place, anyways? There are etchings on the wall and I take a step closer to see them properly. I have no idea what they mean. It looks like Chinese writing, actually. Not that I can read that, of course… I glance at the floor when something metallic catches the light and I turn fully when I see a small wooden door.

On the floor….

I feel uneasy and uncomfortable, but curiosity gets the best of me, like it always seems to do. I feel one day I'm going to be one dead curious cat. I walk towards it and bend down, with my wand shining on its rusty edges and the ancient looking lock. I reach a tentative hand out to run my fingers over the grooves and bolts… letting it skim the key hole that keeps it locked.

"I wonder…" I whisper as I look at the strange door. Who would put this here? And what's on the other side.

As I'm contemplating what it could possibly be, I start hearing a strange hissing noise and I feel my heart start thumping as I tilt my head to hear it better. I just want to go home now, and the hairs sticking up on the back of my neck are a good single telling me to the heck out of here.

THUMP

My heart busts out of my rib cage as the door thumps up and I scramble away from it. My wand drops and rolls to the side as I crawl backwards.

THUMP

THUMP

THUMP

THUMP

THUMP

THUMP

THUMP

THUMP

THUMP

The door vibrates with each hit and I find my breath coming out in short gasps as I watch the door move and shake in violent thumps and rattles. A wooden door does seem to be pretty breakable and not sturdy. I stand up, and I'm about ready to bolt it out of here, but all of a sudden the noise and the thumping stops… the door stops moving and the hissing seizes… all of a sudden everything is silent. Eerily quiet, actually. I don't even hear the crashing of the waves anymore and I jump when I do finally hear two pops of Apparation.

"You did surprisingly well during your initiation."

The voice is a woman's and I sigh in relief to hear because I'm sure they'll be able to help me. I scurry to the edge of the cave to meet them and I notice the rain is coming down in a thick and heavy shower, making vision hard.

"We are all very impressed with your abilities."

"Of course," A male voice adds flatly and I hesitate speaking to them. I see them climb up, with black umbrella's shielding them from the rain.

"We're all surprised how well you've been doing, of course," the woman says and I start biting the insides of my cheeks as I contemplate what to do.

They stop, though, I suspect to take a break, and they both face the sea. Their backs are to me now, so I can't see their faces and the umbrellas are held up above their heads. The woman is wearing a dark purple cloak with the hood drawn up, blocking her head from my view. She's shorter than the man and there are intricate silver designs along the edges of her cloak, the thin thread making delicate patterns along the deep purple. She lowers the umbrella to rest on her shoulder so even her head is lost to me. The man is very tall and very thin and he's wearing a black cloak, but he doesn't have the hood up so I can't see the back of his head. His hair is cropped short and, even though it's drenched in rain, I can tell it's a very dark red in color. Almost like wine.

"Why is that, may I ask?" The man's voice is flat and bland, like there's no emotion in him to let out.

"Because of your family," the woman says bluntly with a cruel laugh. "It's hard to recruit a boy whose entire family was killed by one of the Dark Lord's raid teams. It's kind of a sweet turn around, wouldn't you say?"

"They were blood traitors." Again with the flatness. I bite my lip again, trying to decide if they are the kind of people I want saving me.

"You were just a baby at the time," the woman says with that playful meanness to her voice. "Thank goodness that Draco Malfoy saw fit enough to spare your life. What amazing foresight on his part."

The man makes a hmf noise and the woman laughs bitterly again.

"Of course, he didn't let you live because he knew you'd be a great asset to our cause." She turns her head to look at the tall man and I can see a strand of dark hair and the tip of her pale nose peaking out from the umbrella. "He probably let you live because of that bitch he married would have wanted him to spare you. It wasn't long after he married her that he started getting soft. He probably let you live because he _felt_ bad. Can you imagine? After all he's done." She snorts and turns forward again. "I swear he turned into a whimpering kitten after being with her. You should have seen him before they were together and especially before they had those creatures they call children. He was the ideal Death Eater. He was strong, and powerful, and frightfully handsome…"

"We don't have time to reminisce," the man cuts in and when he turns towards the cave, towards me, he lifts his wand.

The woman turns as well and does the same so I lift my hands in an act of compliance. "It's okay," I say softly as they both point their wands directly at my heart, their umbrella's discarded among the rocks in their obvious surprise. It's now that I notice the woman is much older than the man, closer to my parent's age, while the boy looks a little older than Cass. "I'm just lost."

"What are you doing here?" The woman sneers.

"I said I was lost," I tell her. I believe I already covered that.

The woman tilts her head to the side as the man pockets his wand.

"What is your name?" she asks as she arches a perfectly sculpted eyebrow.

I smile nervously. "Jill Jones," I offer and I hope she buys it.

I don't move as she climbs up the rocks and when she makes it to the cave, she looks me over from head to toe with a critical eye. "Hm, nice try, little bird," she says with a snake like smile. "You look just like him."

"Like who?" I ask softly because she looks like a cruel cat that's ready to play with a helpless mouse.

I fear I'm that mouse.

"You know, if the other one didn't have that garish red hair, I would have half a mind to think that he was slipping your mother a genetic potion so he could weed out all of her unsavory traits. It really is astounding how much you all look like him." She looks over her shoulder and smiles at the tall man as rain falls from her cloak in small pebbles. "It would be so terribly fun to corrupt two of Drake's children."

"I just want to go home," I say worriedly when her eyes turn back to my own. "I came here by accident."

"There are no accidents here, little one."

"Pansy, we have a job to do," the man says as he walks up the rocks as well. "Leave the girl."

I give him a thankful smile, but the Pansy woman doesn't agree with his suggestion. "What did she say?" She says as she looks into my eyes. "Blood of my blood? This girl is Narcissa's granddaughter," she looks at the man. "It might work."

"Now is not the time."

"But it's an opportunity," the Pansy woman says with light in her eyes as she grips my arm. I whimper and try to pull back, but she digs her long fingernails into my skin. It really hurts and I am way more thin and weak than I'd like to be in this situation. "Let's take it while we can."

She drags me into the cave, and I kick and scream the whole time, not willing to go anywhere with her with out a fight. I end up pulling back her hood and getting a hold of her short dark hair and yanking as hard as I can. She yelps and back hands me across the face and I stare at her, stunned because no one has ever struck me before.

"Oh, shut it, you stupid girl," Pansy snaps as she throws me on the ground. "Keep her there," she tells the man as she takes a key from a necklace around her neck and she walks towards the door.

I look up, rubbing my hurt cheek, and I gulp as the man towers over me with his wand held loosely in his hand. I can take opportunities too, and as he looks away to watch Pansy put the key into the lock on the door on the floor, I jump up and start running. I don't dare look back as I jump down on the rocks, cutting up my feet even more as the rain pours down on me. The rain makes it harder to see, but I don't care. I just want to get away from the crazy people in the cave.

I pump my legs as fast as I can and I imagine I'll run forever, but a popping sound stops me, and I slam into something solid and slump to the ground in a weak and disoriented heap.

"Jesus," I hear someone whisper and when I look up I see my mother trying to find her footing. "Evelyn?" she balances herself and then looks down at me. "Are you alright?"

I let a sob escape my throat as I stand up and hug her tightly with my cheek still stinging. "I don't know!" I say into the material of her ruby red cloak. "How did you know where I was?"

"That's a silly question," she says as she pushes me back so she can look at my face. I nod my head. Of course, we all have tracing charms on us. "What are you doing here, Evelyn?"

"We need to go home," I tell her as I glance over my shoulder and my eyes widen when I see Pansy making her way down the rocks. "Let's go!"

When I look at my Mom, I see that she's staring at Pansy too, and then she pushes me to the side as a streak of green light passes by us.

"Hide!" she orders as she lifts her wand and sends a hex at the other woman making her way towards us with her wand raised. "Listen to me, Evelyn."

I do as she says and scramble to get behind one of the larger rock formations to the right as different colors light up my surroundings through the rain and wind. "It's always you." Pansy sneers and I peek my head around the rock to see her approach with fire in her eyes. "Why can't you just ever go away!?"

A yellow curse streams from her wand, but my mother doesn't react quickly enough and it slices the side pf her face, opening a cut along her cheek. She gets propelled backwards and lands with a thud on the dark sand as Pansy smiles. Mom brings a hand up to her face and winces at the blood that covers her hand. Her hood falls back and the rain drenches her auburn hair, making it look brown.

"That felt good," Pansy says as my mom tries to stagger to her feet. "I have another thing to say that will make me feel better," she says as my Mom glares at her as the rain soaks them both. "Not only have I slept with you husband, but I can also add your baby boy to my list of conquests."

It was a stupid thing to say.

My Mom lifts her wand and shoots a curse that hits Pansy directly in the chest. It sends her flying yards back, landing against the rocks and causing her leg to twist at a weird angle. It even made me cringe to see it and I winced for her when she yelled out in pain. I've never seen my mother lift her wand in violence, so the fact that she was dueling so violently had me quite shaken and glued to my spot, unable to move or comprehend what was happening. She sends another curse to that Pansy and it makes her scream in pain as she arches her back and twists her head from side to side. I close my eyes and look away.

"Find the girl," I hear Pansy's breathless voice and it's now that I remember there were two of them. "Kill her if you have to!"

My eyes open at those words, and they distracted my Mom as well, because she turned her head to find me. Pansy took advantage of the distraction and flung a curse at her. The curse made my mother fall to the ground and start shaking and I brought a hand up to my mouth as I stepped away from the rock. This is all my fault, and now my mother was getting hurt.

"Come here," I blinked a few times as the tall man rounded the rock and I didn't even fight when he grabbed my arm and dragged me further behind the formation.

"Please, don't kill me," I whisper pitifully. I didn't even have anything in me to fight it if he decided to.

I closed my eyes when he didn't say anything and then I felt him take my hand and press something hard into my palm. "Here," he says gently and I snap my eyes open and glance down at the wand in my hand. It's mine. "Stun me and then get the hell out of here," he says as he steps back and looks me in the eyes.

"What?" I ask softly because I'm so terribly confused. "I don't understand."

"You are going to stun me," he says sternly as he peeks over the boulder to see how the duel between my mother and his woman friend is going. "I came over here to kill you, but you had your wand and you took me by surprise. Do you understand that?"

I nod my head, even though I don't, and he takes the tip of my wand and points it to his heart. His eyes were the color of blue steel and his skin was very pale with a dusting of ginger freckles across the bridge of his nose. He seems very boy like now, up-close like this.

"My god, you're young," he says gently as he looks over my face. When he was talking to Pansy his voice was flat and cold, but now he seems human, and there's warmth in his eyes that I didn't think he had. "Do you even know how to do a stunning spell yet?"

"Yes, I do," I reply gently and he nods his head curtly.

"Good, then make it strong. We don't want anyone getting suspicious."

"What about…" I bite my lip. "What about my mother?"

"Pansy is all bark, but no bite. I'm pretty confident your mother will win this duel. Now, hurry."

"What's your name?" I ask, because I feel like I should know.

"Dorian," he says softly. "Dorian Bones… but it is imperative that you never tell anyone about this. Do you understand? You can never tell that this happened."

"I understand," I smile a little. "Thank you, Dorian," I say gently and he presses my wand into his chest again.

"Now."

I close my eyes and mumble the spell. When I hear him hit the ground, my eyes snap open, and I run over to him to make sure I didn't hurt him. "Evelyn!" My mom's voice is breathless as she runs around the rock and she grabs my arm before I can reach down and touch Dorian. "Come on," she says as she wraps her arms around me and pop's us away.

I don't speak as we land in front of the Manor and Mom doesn't let up her grip on my arm as she pulls me up the walk way.

"What were you doing with those people?" she asks and I glance at her as we speed walk. "Why were you there?"

"It was an accident," I say softly. She looks terrible. That cut on her face keeps on bleeding, staining her skin and the top of her dress and cloak in dark red. There are other random cuts on her body as well and I look away when I notice them. "I'm sorry."

"Are you okay?" she asks and I nod my head.

"I'm not hurt."

She throws open the doors and when we step inside she lets my arm drop. I rub the spot that she was gripping and I look at the ground in embarrassment because of the situation I had put us in. I can be so daft sometimes. When I hear a wand clatter against the floor, I look up in surprise to see my father at the foot of the stairs, staring at my Mom with wide eyes.

"What happened?" he asks slowly as he walks towards her and touches her chin. "Who did this to you?" he snaps as he tilts her chin from side to side so he can get a better look at her wounds.

"Did everyone go home?" she asks and he nods his head.

"Yes and the kids are in the game room now," he says and then his eyes flick to mine. "Are you alright?" I nod my head, so he turns back to Mom. "Damnit, Ginny, if I would have known you were going to come back looking like this, I wouldn't have let you go by yourself."

"We'll talk about it later," she says tiredly and I can tell she's crying, but trying like heck not to. Those wounds must hurt. "I'm going to go upstairs and clean up."

He watches her go, and when she disappears out of sight, he finally turns to me. "Tell me everything that happened."

Suddenly, I feel overwhelmingly tired and I just want to sit. "Daddy," I say softly and I blink back tears as he stares at me.

"Give me your hand," he says gently and I put my hand in his, letting his large one envelope my smaller one. "Your sister told me about the reflection in her mirror," he says as he starts walking me down the hallway. "That's the dress, isn't it? The one we took from you?"

"Yes," I say and then I sniff as I bring my hand up to wipe my face off. "I'm sorry, Dad."

"Are you cold?" he asks as we get into one of the sitting rooms and I nod my head as he takes off his suit jacket and places it over my shoulders. "There. Now come here."

He pulls me in front of one of the mirrors and his eyes narrow as he sees Bella where I should be. Bella looks surprised for a second and then she covers it with a smile.

"Why, hello, Draco. My, have you grown."

"What are your intentions?" My father asks the mirror as he pushes up his glasses and glares at Bella.

Bella smirks and I flinch. "Where's the fun in that?" she asks. "The student always surpasses the Master. You should know that." I have no idea what that means and I sniff loudly again, making Bella focus her iced eyes on me. "Stop crying," she snaps and my Dad squeezes my hand. "You have no reason to cry, you idiot."

"Stop it," my father says sternly as I lean into his chest, trying to remember why she was my friend in the first place. "Tell me what you are."

Bella just smiles… and she doesn't respond.

When I take off the dress, I give it to my parents and I swear to never touch it again, even though my mind hurts when I say it. It's like a swelling of irritation in my brain, but I try to ignore it. I tell them everything that has happened with the dress… the spells, the book, the things that Bella had told me, and they took what I was saying to them with blank faces and sympathetic touches. It made me feel sick. It made me feel broken and I don't like feeling broken.

When I'm left alone in my room, I sit on my bed and stare at the wall. I can't sleep because my room seems so menacing and dark, so I creep into my parent's room and I slide in between them like I was a little girl again who was too afraid of the dark to be in my own bed.

I know the movement woke both of them, but they didn't kick me out, and I felt Mom kiss my forehead before I felt safe enough to drift off into sleep… resting in between my father and mother like I was a baby who had nightmares and was afraid of shadows. After today, I just might be. I wish things were normal again. I wouldn't have to worry about anything and I could dance, and have fun, and kiss handsome French boys with out a worry.

I wish things were back like they used to be.

_**Gavin **_

"Have you seen this yet?"

I stop outside of my father's study and lean against the door as my mother approaches my father. "What is it?" My father asks distractedly, not even bothering to look up from the papers on his desk.

She holds up the newspaper, showing him the headline.

"Oh. That. Yes, I've seen it."

"The Massacre on the Moor," my mother reads it with a shake of her head and I lean against the wall beside the door so they don't see me. "Over twenty people were murdered last night. It was them, wasn't it?"

"Who else would it be?"

I know what they're talking about. It's been all over the papers and the radio since it happened. The Massacre on the Moor, they're calling it. I guess it was a gruesome scene. A small group of wizards were doing magic on a field near Kent and some muggles saw them. A fight ensued and nineteen muggles ended up dead. None of it really makes sense… I know the purist group did it to garner sympathy and muggle hate. After all, who owns the papers now? Pansy white and Theo Nott, and they're making those few wizards out to be martyrs with out mentioning the muggles that were slaughtered.

"It's not going to be like it used to, is it?" My mom asks worriedly and the door gets shut, so I can't peek in to see them anymore. "I don't want it to be like it used to."

"That cut is bleeding again, sweetheart," he says gently and footsteps move about the room. That cut. That strange cut that appeared on Mom's face after she came home with Evelyn. No one knows what happened to her and no ones talking about it. "I am going to kill her, you know that right?"

"I almost did," Mom says gently. "She made me so angry."

"She would have deserved it," Dad snaps and there's silence where all I can hear is their breathing.

"Have you talked to Darren yet?" Mom asks. "What does he say?" Dad doesn't respond and I hear my Mom make an impatient hmf noise. "He's a good man, Draco. He has to have some opinion on the matter… he runs the ministry and if that... group put this set up together he should call them out on it."

"He's a good politician," he states flatly. "There is a difference."

"What does that mean, then?" she snaps. "Is it going to be like it used to, with the random killings and violence?"

"I don't know.'

"Things are different now, Draco. We have four children and we can't…" she sighs. "You don't think they'll get much power do you?"

"I doubt the murders that happened near Kent would have happened if they didn't have strong holds in important places already. They probably have more things planned. If this was the first spark to get followers to their side, I'm sure they're going to do something terribly worse in the days to come." Dad says honestly and I hear another annoyed intake of breath from Mom. "In fake retaliation for the Moor Massacre."

"Why are there people who think that way?" Mom says softly and there's a pause before Dad speaks again.

"I have been hearing underground rumors from people who still think I would care," he says solidly. "There have been threats made against Potter. Beatrice and the baby have gone into hiding, along with Lavinia's friend."

"Chloe?" she says and Dad makes an affirmative sound. "That's terrible. Why can't they just leave him alone?"

"I don't know," Dad repeats flatly.

"What do we do, then? They were going to hurt Evelyn. We can't just do nothing."

"Maybe if I go back in," he says softly. "They might be able to tell me what's going on. I'm not even sure who's running things now because they all seem so vague, but if I join they'll have to tell me. Most people in that circle seems to still like me."

"No." she replies quickly.

"No?"

"No," she repeats solidly. "You aren't doing that."

"Are you saying no because you think it's too dangerous, or because you think that I actually want to join?"

"Both, and because you legally can't join with them, remember? You signed that oath." Silence ensues and then I hear Mom stomp her foot. "I saw you sign those papers. I was there. Draco!"

"I didn't send them out," he says gently, like he was trying to pacify a crazy person. "If Gavin was involved, I didn't want to be unable to help him if he was in trouble. Anyways, if Darren hasn't come out with a statement yet, I'm sure those Oaths will be repealed soon anyways."

"You promised," she whines and he sighs.

"Sweetheart…"

"Don't call me sweetheart," she says hatefully. "I'm not feeling particularly sweet right now. We're going to figure out a different way because I refuse to let you do that."

"That sounds fair," he says flatly and I hear footsteps coming close to the door so I push off the wall and stand up straight.

"I'm going to bed."

"Is Evie going to be with us again tonight?" he asks as I get ready to head down the hallway.

"Most likely…"

I don't stay for the rest of that conversation as I begin walking down the hallway with my hands stuffed in my pockets. I've been in a state of depression all summer for one reason or another and I find myself feeling oddly detached after my proposition to Addison over lunch. It's like things keep on building and getting worse and I have nothing stable to hold on to and I have no idea what to do. Addison was an anchor when I thought Cassius passed away and I needed that stability again… but I didn't get it. I basically handed her the world and she turned it down. Like she had punched me in the gut, I felt the impact of her refusal as she stuffed the pictures back into the envelope and slid it back towards me.

When I asked her why, she was close to tears as she stared into my eyes. "Can't you see?" she said softly and I was confused. Wasn't this was she wanted? "We have so much going on between us and both of us have been hurt."

I didn't understand and I didn't see.

"I appreciate this, Gavin, I truly do, but buying me something like this is not going to fix things. I'm sorry I hurt you, I truly am, and I have to live with that every day," I scoffed, but she ignored it. "But don't you feel how disconnected we are right now?" she had put her hand on the table and reached out towards mine, but pulled it away at the last second like it was a mistake. "We need to talk. Really talk, before we make any decisions. You don't forgive me and I think, deep down, a part of me doesn't forgive you for things."

"Damnit, Addison," I snapped then and banged my hand against the table. I needed something solid and real, but she wasn't giving it to me. "I'm trying. You messed up," I said and she flinched. "But somehow, every time I talk to you, you're the one that looks the like the victim. I know I haven't been a good boyfriend to you, okay? I know that, but at least I'm trying now."

She nodded her head and looked away.

"Tell me what I'm supposed to do," I said and it sounded desperate even to my ears. "Please, tell me what you want me to do because I can't win."

"You don't have to _do_ anything, Gavin," she had said and I wanted to smash something. "Just talk to me. You never just talk to me."

I brought and hand up and pinched the bridge of my nose as she scooted her chair back and stood up. I didn't look up as she walked around the table and kissed the top of my head.

"I have another checkup in two weeks… if you want to come."

I didn't answer and she was gone. I left the restaurant in a fit of rage because I was confused. Why can't relationships ever be simple and easy to figure out? I shake my head to get that aggravating conversation out of my mind and I turn the corner, heading towards the back door that leads to the gardens.

When it comes down to it, I always feel cut short, like I don't have a purpose… or that I haven't done anything worth while with my life and that's never a good feeling to have. As I step outside into the darkness of the back yard, I let my head drop as I walk on the grass, letting it bend under my shoes as I think and think and think and think and think and think… but I can't really think of anything concrete as my thoughts jump all over the bloody place.

I pass the pool house and the stables as I walk towards the pond at the end of the property. There's a small wooden bridge connected the two sides of land over the water and I walk towards it with thick steps and a heavy heart. I place my feet on the wooden planks as the water stays still and silent underneath me and I go the center of the bridge, inhaling the night time air, filling up my lungs and exhaling slowly as I close my eyes. I'm in a weird funk and I need to stop moping.

I bend down and untie my shoes, slipping out of them and putting them beside me as I take off my sweatshirt and let it fall to the floor. Autumn will come soon…maybe a new season will bring different wind that will change my mood. Hopefully.

I send out a silent prayer to anyone who'll listen before I fall into the water with out ceremony. The water breaks against my skin as I hit the top and sink down. I don't even bother holding my breath. I just inhale the pond water and let it get into my throat and infiltrate my lungs. I start coughing as I resurface and I slick back my hair with my hands as I catch my breath again. The water is bloody freezing for such a humid night and I let my eyes close again as I go back under and swim around. I wonder what it would feel like to drown.

I wonder what it feels like to die.

With that thought, I think of the Moor Massacre and I resurface again with a glare in my eyes.

Maybe my father can't do anything about the Purist meetings… but I can. I never officially left the organization, I just stopped going, and I'm sure I could get back in. Possibly talk to Theo and figure out what's happening. Maybe it would please my Father if I found everything out.

Maybe it would please me.

I climb out of the water, back onto the bridge, and I sit on the edge as I look up at the stars. I'm rich, but I don't do anything helpful with my money, I have a good job, but it accomplishes nothing spectacular, I'm healthy…. I shake my head, letting the water shake out as well while I slip my shoes back on. They squish with the water as I walk away from the bridge and the pond and the sweatshirt that's still laying on the wooden floor. I stop halfway towards the house and look up at my childhood home. It looks menacing in the dark with a few lights on, shining like the yellow eyes of a monster through the darkness.

I start walking again and I don't stop until I reach my room where I fall down on my bed in my soaked clothes and I stare at the ceiling until morning comes.

I contact Theo at noon, and he tells me to meet at his house on Friday night to take the final steps. I have no idea what that means because when I was going to the meetings it was just a hodge podge of different pureblood people, hanging out and complaining about things like they mattered. I suspect there has been more going on under the covers than I knew about and for some reason that pisses me off that I was out of the loop.

I spend the rest of the week like a zombie, going through the motions of showering, shaving and going to work every morning. I play chess with Cassius at night as he worries about the Massacre on the Moor and I help my sister move into her dorm room like nothing was wrong. When Friday night rolls around, I find one of my father's old black cloaks, and I clasp it around my neck before Apparating to Theo's old white house where he's standing on the steps with a hand on his right hip.

"Fancy seeing you again, Gavin," he says with a smile as he rests against one of the large stone statues of a lion he has guarding his front door. "I was about really to give up hope on you."

"Where are we going?" I ask as he takes out his wand and walks towards me.

"Somewhere very sentimental," he says with a smirk.

He doesn't say anything more, so we have to Apparate like a couple, with his hand on my arm because I don't have any idea where the heck we're going. I nearly roll my eyes when we land in a cemetery because I think they are highly overused in dark magic things. It's not the magical one where my family is buried, but a smaller place, with modest sized head stones and a few concrete angels scattered on the grass with no sense of order.

"Charming," I say as I take out my wand and look around in the darkness.

"Are you prepared to become a real member of our society?" he asks and I nod my head. "There's no turning back now," he says and I turn away.

"I understand."

As we walk further into the cemetery, I can see a circle of cloaked figures towards the center, all dressed in black and I put up my hood as we approach to match them. There are about twenty of them, in all different shapes and sizes, and I can't make out anyone's faces because all of their hoods up, obscuring their features.

"We have a new recruit tonight," Theo states as he steps into the center of the circle. I stay back and try to calm the beating of my heart. I know these people murdered all those people in Kent. I know they did. "Come here," he says, making a motion with his hand for me to join him in the center.

I do so and, when I'm standing by him, he puts his hand on my shoulder. "Blood is what binds us together," he says and I figure they'll make me do some kind of blood ritual to determine my loyalty. "Blood is most important. Do you agree?"

"Sure." That earned me a glare so I tried again. "Of course," I lied.

"Good," he steps back and looks me in the eyes. "State your name."

"You know my name," I say and I glance around the cloaked figures again thinking them foolish for seeming so serious. Just about everyone in the wizarding world knows my bloody name.

"Just say your full name," Theo snaps in annoyance and I sigh.

"My name is Gavin Scorpious Malfoy. I'm twenty one, my favorite color is green, I'm a leo, and I like short walks on the beach… not long ones… those are overrated."

"You aren't taking this seriously," one of the cloaked figures says and I smile.

"You have to make your own fun sometimes. I apologize." I look back at Theo and tilt my head. "I'm ready."

Theo looks dead serious as he stares at me. "Bring them out."

That catches my attention and I furrow my brows as I watch two of the cloaked figures disappear, only to return seconds later, with two people whose hands are tied behind their backs and black bags covering their heads. Oh, Fuck.

I gulp.

"These two witnessed the Cleansing on the Moor," Theo states as the cloaks remove the black bags, showing me a frightened and confused middle aged man and woman. "We can't have that, now can we?"

I flick a glance at Theo as the others in the group answer him with shakes of their heads and silent 'no's'. "I'm afraid I don't understand," I say, trying to keep my voice level as my palms begin to sweat.

"I think it's pretty self explanatory," he says as he looks at the couple who are shaking in fear as they kneel on their knees with two cloaked figures pressing their hands on their shoulders to keep them down.

I might start panicking soon because I didn't anticipate this. I knew that they did the Moor Murders, I just didn't think they would expect me to do something like this so soon. I swallow the lump in my throat and look at Theo as he looks at me with a dead expression on his face.

"I thought you didn't believe in the violence," I say to stall time and he puts his hands behind his back.

"Some things are necessary," he tells me, like it was an every day thing that came up. "We all have to make sacrifices sometimes."

"And killing these two will do that?" I'm starting to sound hateful, but I can't help it, and I can feel the unrest among the other people in circle. "Killing those wizards?" I add and he glances at the two muggles before turning to me. I know he wouldn't care about the non-magical people that were killed by Kent, but three wizards died as well.

"They didn't believe in our cause, Gavin, sometimes to make fire you have to light a match." I feel like rolling my eyes at that statement, but I can't. "You don't have to kill them," Theo laughs and I almost sigh in relief to hear it even though I know this is fucked up. "We won't make you into a murderer, Gavin." He shakes his head as he takes a step closer to me. "You've missed a lot the past couple of days," he says softly. "We are bonded by blood here and we've all gone through the initiation. Kids your age don't remember what it was like when the Dark Lord was in power…. It was like Utopia for the wizarding world."

I didn't hear it that way.

"All you have to do is perform one little curse on them. They're muggles, so it won't be too hard to do… We just need to make sure that they never remember what they saw in Kent."

"You want me to Confound them?" I ask as I glance at the man and woman on the ground. They look about ready to cry.

"No," he smiles and puts his hand on my shoulder like I was a child he needed to talk through something difficult. "We both know any good healer worth his magic could uncover a hidden memory… we need to make sure that the memory is too painful to uncover."

I furrow my brows.

"Do you understand now?"

I shake my head because I don't want to understand. He smiles again, a patient smile, and he removes his hand from my shoulder. "The Cruciatus curse isn't difficult. And that's all you need to do."

My heart drops. "That's an unforgivable."

"Ah, but here, among us, it's forgiven." He steps back and raises his hands. "Everyone here has seen the other perform similar spells. We are bonded by blood and by secrets, Gavin. For our race."

There are a few cheers from people in the circle.

I might throw up.

"Do it now."

I bring a hand up to my forehead and wipe away the sweat starting to form on my brows. I was an idiot to think this was a good idea… to think I could handle this. I feel like I just got head slammed into a brick wall because I was not expecting this.

"Now, Malfoy!" the demand is barked and no longer patient. "Do it now."

I shake my head and swallow again, even though my throat is dry and tight. I glance at the two muggels again and wince for them as I turn away. I can't do this.

"Do it!"

"He can't," I snap my head up when I hear that voice, and I stare dumbly at my father as he steps into the center of the circle and lowers his hood. Has he been here the whole time? "He's not doing it."

"Of course he can," Theo says and I stare at my Dad's profile. He looks older now then he ever did before, with the white at his temples and the grim look on his face. "Go ahead, Gavin."

"No, he can't," my father says sternly. "He doesn't know how. He's never done it before."

"It's not hard."

"He didn't grow up in the world we did, Nott. Let him leave." I want to step in and say that I can handle it… but I know I can't, so I'm fine with Dad swooping in right now.

"Draco," Theo shakes his head and smiles. "You know the rules. He has to follow through."

"Says who?" Dad asks casually with his wand cleverly clenched in his right hand. "You? Are you in charge now, Nott?"

Theo smiles again. "Classified information, Malfoy. The world will find out soon enough."

"Let him go home."

"There are around twenty-five of us here. You and I both know that's not going to happen. I'm surprised that one of your sons could be so weak."

Ouch. "He's not weak." For the first time Dad's eyes turn to mine, shining silver behind his glasses. "You are not weak. Stupid sometimes… but never weak."

"Touching," I hear someone sneer and I furrow my brows as I look down at my wand.

"I'm kind of surprised to see you in this position, Theo," Dad says as he flicks his gaze back on the other man. "This was never your cup of tea, was it? In fact, if I recall correctly, you never even raised your wand during the last war and fight. You were too busy hiding behind your desk and taking notes with your quill."

Theo's dark eyes flare, but he lets the cool smile rest on his lips. "Things change, like you… you've changed. What brings you here, after all?" he says as he walks around the circle with his hands behind his back. "After that cat fight between your wife and Pansy, I was waiting for you to come blazing in with your wand ready. I must say, I've always been quite partial to your Ginny. I always felt kind of bad for her, to be honest."

He stops walking and looks at my father.

"Do remember the first time you brought her around all of us?" He laughs and puts a hand on his chest. "Good Lord, you got so angry with her. Do you remember? You made her apologize to me in front of everyone for acting like an ungrateful bitch." He makes a whistling noise as my father tightens his jaw. "Quite a turn around on that one, eh?" He looks at me and winks. "Good work getting her on your side. You've always been quite good at that."

"I've never liked you," Dad says and Theo bites his lip with a laugh. I feel betrayed now by this man I had looked at like a friend… and betrayal seems to be a bitter feeling I am all too accustomed to right about now.

"Like wise, old friend."

"Dad," I say and he glances at me from the corner of his eyes. "Can we go home?"

"We can't just go home, you stupid boy," he says tiredly and all of a sudden I'm five years old again with shaky knees and worried eyes. "They'll kill us."

"Indeed," Theo adds and I furrow my brows. I didn't think this out well at all and now I feel like the biggest kind of idiot. "Well, what's it going to be, gentlemen?"

My father works his jaw again and the muscle in his neck twitches as he narrows his eyes in thought. "If I do it," My father says and I snap my eyes to his profile. "If I do this, will you let him go?"

"A trade?" Theo smirks and I feel so disappointed with him. He was like friend to me for the past few years. How can he act this way now? "But, Drake, you've already been through all of this and, I say, yours was immensely worse. Does Mrs. Malfoy know what you did to her brother?"

I have a troubling feeling in my heart and I wish I wasn't here anymore to hear this banter.

"Will you accept it?" Dad ignores him.

"We could just kill you with those muggle guns and the world would be in an uproar. It would definitely help our side if one of the most recognized wizards in the world was murdered along with his baby boy by a few wild eyed muggles with their silly metal weapons. Could you imagine what that would do for our PR?"

Theo tilts his head to the side and looks around at the cloaked figures. "Although, it would be nice to see you in action again," he answers. "A lot of the people in this circle have never seen you work your wand like that." He sighs as he looks at my father. "I suppose one Malfoy is better than none. You'll be bonded with us, then, Draco. There will be no backing out… you'll be on our side."

"It's a deal then," My Dad says tightly and he turns to me. "Go home now."

"Dad…" I trail off because I have no idea what to say. I do feel weak. "I'm sorry."

"Don't be sorry, Gavin," Theo says. "You've never seen your old man here perform an unforgivable, have you?" I blink a few times as I stare at him, trying like hell not to lift my wand and curse him. "It's quite a show."

"Stop talking to him," Dad barks and then he shoves my shoulder. "Go home."

"Run to mommy, Gavin," one of the cloaked figures says. I don't recognize the voice, but it sends fire to my veins.

"No time for pride," Dad says because he must have seen the change on my face. "Please, for me, go home."

I nod my head just because of the way he said it. It was more of a desperate plea than anything and I wanted to apologize again for being a moron, for being so stupid, and so naïve… those aren't things I enjoy being. I send one last look to my father before I start walking away from the circle, feeling like a weak failure and coward. As I start walking among the tombstones, I start feeling horrible and I stop dead in my tracts when the night time lights up with red light. One of the muggles starts screaming and I clench my jaw because it's a deep, painful, heart wrenching scream that makes my insides twist in pain because I know it's my father who is causing it.

I nearly fall to my knees, I nearly run back, I nearly stop breathing, but I do nothing and when the screaming stops, and the night turns dead once more, I feel like someone just tore out what was ever left of my heart.

"Bravo, Drake," I heard Theo say and I wanted to kill him, but because I was a coward, I couldn't even turn around. "One down, one more to go. This is a treat."

Again, the night lights up and this time a higher pitch screaming and gurgling slices my ear drums. I know I should leave, but I can't and I find enough courage… or stupidity… in me to glance over my shoulder. Through the gap in between cloaks I can see her… the woman. She's flaying around on the ground moaning and gasping and screaming and spitting in pain. Her face is twisted in the worst expression and her hands are still tied behind her back, so she keeps on hitting her face against the ground, making her nose crack and bleed with each thump.

I can feel the bile rising up in my throat and I raise my wand, Apparating back to the Manor because I have no idea what else I should do. I barely make it half way up the walk way before I run to the side and start puking against one of the trees. That was the worst thing I had ever seen in my life and, as I spill the contents of my stomach, I can't help but hate myself for being in that situation, for making my father bail me out like he always has to.

I puke until I have nothing left in my body, and I eventually end up spitting and dry heaving as I rest my hands against the tree and stare at the vomit on my shoes while my eyes water and my throat burns. I don't even try to straighten up when I hear someone approach. I just clench my eyes shut, and when I feel a hand on my back I start gagging again.

"It's okay," I hear my father's deep voice as my stomach contracts. "You're okay."

"I am not okay," I tell him and my voice sounds raw and deep. "I am the opposite of okay."

"I'm sorry you had to see that, Gavin," he says as the warmness of his hand leaves my back. "You should have never been there."

"I thought I could help," I say to the vomit on my shoes. "I thought…" I shake my head and wipe off my mouth with the back of my hand. "Are they dead?"

"No," he says gently and I glance up at him as he leans against the tree beside mine with his arms crossed. "And luckily for them they won't remember what happened tonight."

"But they will if someone tries to pull those memories out of them," I snap and he nods his head.

"Let's hope that doesn't happen."

I shake my head and turn away as my Dad takes off his glasses and hooks them in his shirt pocket.

"I'm sorry, Dad," I say softly. "I am so sorry. This is my fault."

"Not totally," he says and I look at him again as I attempt to stand up straight. "You know," he says softly as he glances at the puke by my feet. "I use to throw up all the time when I was younger… after all those sessions with my Aunt I would just come home and empty my stomach all over my bathroom."

"Was it that terrible?" I ask and I look at him and he nods.

"What you saw tonight was tame."

"I can't…" For the first time I find myself speechless. "I can't…"

"Do you hate me?" he surprises me by asking and I look at him with my eyebrows scrunched together. "For what I did tonight?"

I look down at my vomit again. "No… it was all my fault."

"Let's go inside and get you cleaned up," he says and he puts his hand on my arm. "Come on."

"What happens now?" I ask as we start walking up to the house.

"Now, we go to bed."

"That simple?" I say with a bitter turn to my voice.

He flicks a look at me before facing forward. "That simple," he confirms with a dead tone. "But we can't tell anyone about what happened tonight." He looks at me again. "I'm serious, Gavin, no one. Especially not your Mother."

"Why were you there tonight?" I ask after agreeing never to tell.

"Because you were," he replies and I feel that stomach twisting feeling again as we open the doors and go inside. I think the feeling is guilt and I hate that fucking feeling with an unrivaled passion.

"I'm going to kill him, Dad," I say when we reach the door to my bedroom.

"Who?" he asks even though he knows perfectly well.

"I'm going to kill him and I will not be kind."

"No Gavin," he says as he puts his hand on the back of my neck, forcing me to look at him. "You will not do anything to Theodore Nott. You are better than that."

"I'm not feeling better than anything," I say with my eyes watering and he stares at me for a few moments with his eyes narrowed.

"You are, Gavin, and this is not your fight."

He's goes to bed then and I turn towards my room, walking in like a zombie before falling down onto my bed, not seeing, not moving, and barely even breathing. I don't take a shower, I don't change my clothes, and I don't do anything for three days straight. On the third night of my self imposed exile, I grab my wand and leave the Manor.

It was easy breaking into his flat because he's a moron and the wards were shoddy. I waited for him in his living room, sitting in the dark while smoking a couple of cigarettes as I watched the lighted end blaze to life and then die with each drag. I inhaled the smoke and tasted the tobacco on my tongue as I kept my mind blank and tried to think of nothing at all even though everything tried to creep up on me. After a couple of hours of sitting in the dark, in the dingy little flat, I hear a key in the door and I hear a scream when the lights get turned on.

"Relax, it's just me," I say as I stub my fourth cigarette out on the arm of the chair I'm sitting in. You can barely tell, it's so filthy in here.

"Holy Merlin, man." Kelvin puts his hand on his chest and slides off the wall that he planted himself along. "You can't… you nearly gave me a heart attack."

"I have a job for you," I tell him as I dust ashes off of my pants.

"Listen, I know we have that blood bond, or whatever, but you can't just do this to me." Blood is what binds us. Blood is the most important thing. "I've got a life, you know. I can't just do whatever you want, whenever you want. Send a bloody owl some time and set up an appointment."

"After this, I'll never bother you again," I tell him as I stare at my knees.

"What is it, then?" He doesn't sound too convinced and I take a deep breath before flicking my eyes up to his. What he sees in my face must trouble him because he backs up against the wall again. "Man…"

"It won't be difficult," I tell him seriously as I slide forward and put my elbows on my knees. "Have a seat," I tell him nodding towards the couch across from me.

He's reluctant to do so, but he does after a few moments and when he relaxes onto the cushions, I lick my lips before telling him what I need him to do. He doesn't seem very anxious to help me. If I was being honest, I think the guy hates me.

I guess I can't blame him.

I hate me too sometimes.

_**Lavinia **_

"_I don't want you to think bad things about me." _

"_Then let go of my freaking arm!" I had yelled at him. At that point I was so angry I was willing to knee him the crotch to get him off of me. "Let me go! You're hurting me!"_

"_I don't want you to want anyone else," he said and my eyes started to water because of the pain in my arm. _

"_I don't care what you want!" I snapped as I tried to tug my way out of his grasp. "Please," Tears fell and he looked over my face as my voice cracked. "You are hurting me." _

_He studied my face for a few seconds before shaking his head and letting his hand drop from my arm. I took a second to rub my skin because I knew there were going to be bruises and I sneered at the thought of the marks on my skin. I was so angry because of the way he was treating me that I brought my hand up and smacked him hard across the face. He looked stunned and I didn't even feel bad as a red handprint blossomed on his cheek. _

"_You can't just handle me like that, just because you're stronger than I am, Byron." He stared at me with a tense jaw and I shook my head. My parent's marriage was a shining example of why you shouldn't let men handle you like that. "I needed to stop my sister, but because of you she's gone and I have no idea where she went!" _

"_I'm sorry," he said stonily, but I didn't care and I could tell he didn't really mean it. _

_I sent him one more glare before heading back towards the house. Of course, he followed behind me and I kept my hands clenched in tight little balls as he caught up with my strides. _

"_I can understand if you hate me, I just can't…. sometimes my thoughts overlap and I can't…" he trails off and I glare at him. _

"_I thought you said the medication did that." _

"_I'm sorry I hurt you," he kept on talking as we made our way back to the Manor and I tried like hell to ignore him because the last thing I wanted to do was listen to him talk. I was worried about my sister. She didn't know how to Apparate, she didn't even have her license yet… what if she was splinched somewhere, cold and alone? "I'm sorry. I can have such a terrible temper. I know that." _

"_Leave me alone. You're getting what you wanted and now we're officially on a break. Go home." _

"_Please, listen to me," he grabbed my arm again and forced me to look at him. I nearly smacked him again but the panicked and wild look in his eyes made me freeze. "Do you think that you're too good for me?" _

"_Of course I don't think that." _

"_I think that," he said as he nodded his head. "I think that all of the time. I know that I'm not good… I lie, I keep things from people, I think terrible things some times and those images really make me believe that I am the worst kind of person. I know I'm bad, Lavinia, but I don't want to be." _

"_I need to go inside." _

"_Just listen to me," he said forcefully and I watched him with troubled eyes. "I feel like I'm suffocating half of the time. There are days where I will just stare at my wall for hours on end, counting every crack and praying that the ceiling will collapse on top of me. I can't breathe most of the time…. but you're like a breath of fresh air to me. Did you know that? For the first time in years you helped me breathe easily, you made me feel normal, and when I'm with you I can actually see myself as the person I want to be." _

_I stared at him, unable to say anything, as he continued to talk. I couldn't even move as he rambled on._

"_I want things from you that I know I shouldn't want because of how young you are and who I am… but when I saw you holding James at my mother's house, I couldn't help but picture you holding another dark haired child. One that you and I had made together, and I was actually happy about it because I knew you would be such a wonderful mother. That's weird, isn't it? I've never wanted to have children, never. Because I never had a good father figure growing up, I always feared that I would turn into Marcus if I had a child and I never wanted that to happen, but then I had to see you holding my baby brother and it changed everything I thought on the matter." _

"_Byron…" _

"_I can understand if you were with someone else. I'm confusing… I think one thing and do another and I barely tell any one what I'm truly thinking because I'm always afraid they'll think I'm a freak, but I am. I am a freak. You were right, and I'm terribly insecure when it comes to you. I try to do the right thing, I really do, and when I saw that look on your face at St. Mungo's I knew I wasn't any good for you. What do I have to offer? Nothing. I'm just some bloke with a lot of issues that you'd be guilted into staying with because I scare you…Well, you scare the hell out of me too." _

"_Byron…" was all I was able to get out as his eyes watered and he stepped back to wipe them with his sleeves. This is the most I had ever heard him talk before. _

"_I'm sorry. I know… I know I'm scaring you right now, but I have to say all of this before I lose the courage to. I want to tell you things, I want to share everything with you, and I want to give you things, but I don't know if I can do that. It's hard for me, but I want to try with you, but I know I shouldn't. When I heard you crying and saw how upset you were after I told you we should take a break, I knew I had to take it back. I can be selfish too. I'm terribly selfish a lot of the time and, even though I know I hurt you, and I will probably hurt you more in the future, I still don't want you to be with someone else… even if they make you happy. Isn't that terrible?"_

_I took a deep breath as he looked over my face. _

"_Please just… I'll understand if you never want to see me again… but I don't want you to hate me. I couldn't stand the thought of you somewhere out there… hating me."_

"_I don't hate you," I had told him softly. I reached out and took his hand. "I could never hate you, okay?" He didn't nod or do anything to acknowledge what I had said. He just stared at me so I squeezed his hand before letting it drop. "Let's talk about this later."_

"_Are you seeing someone else?" he asked in such a desperate way that I just had to answer him. _

"_No," I said softly. "Of course not. I've been with you." _

_He nodded his head. "I believe that," he said gently. "I believe you. I won't hide things from you anymore." _

_I frowned again. "We'll talk about this later. I really have to find my parents, Byron."_

I shake my head to get rid of that memory and I glance down at the book I'm reading as I twirl a strand of hair between my fingers. I haven't talked to Byron at all since that night. I had ran inside after his rant and got my mother to tell her about Evelyn and after that my conversation with him kind of fell to the wayside. Until today.

"Have you been waiting long?"

I put my bookmark in between the pages to save my spot and I glance up at him. "No, not really," I say even though I have been sitting outside of the museum for half an hour.

"That's good."

He nods his head and looks away with his hand on the back of his neck as I stand up to face him. I tilt my head to the side as I look him over. I love him in his work clothes and today's he's wearing a blue dress shirt that's the same color as his eyes underneath a black sweater vest with matching pressed trousers. Across his body is the strap to a black leather satchel and I quickly look away so I don't start gawking at him. I know I think it often, but he really is way too good looking to be normal.

"Do you want to go to your flat first to drop off your stuff?" I ask because he literally just got off of work and I'm sure he wants to relax for a little while.

"No," he says with a shake of his head, causing his dark hair to slide over his forehead. "No, I'm fine. Are you hungry, or anything?"

"Not really," I state honestly. "But if you are, we could go somewhere."

"No, I'm not really hungry either."

An awkward silence falls over us and I bite my lip as I look down at my sandals. It's strange how uncomfortable a once comfortable relationship can get after one conversation.

"How are you feeling?" I ask gently as I look at his torso. "Your back, I mean."

"It's fine," he answers shortly.

"That's good," I whisper into my hands as I remember how the black thread looked against his pale skin. It makes me sad again so I try to ignore it.

"Have you ever been to Berry's Hanging Gardens?" he asks and I shake my head. "It's within walking distance if you'd like to go there."

"I hear it's beautiful," I say and he nods his head and starts walking that way.

I stare at his back for a few moments before racing to catch up with him. He's acting quite odd and when I fall into step beside him, he flicks his eyes to mine before quickly looking away. We barely talk as we walk down the busy street. Business men and women clutter the streets with their brief cases and fancy high heels, hurrying home because they just got off of work as well and as we're crossing the cobble stone street, Byron grabs my hand and pulls me back from running into a group of unfortunate looking goblins who storm past with scowls on their wrinkly faces.

"Thank you," I say softly, but he doesn't let my hand drop as we try crossing again. "Byron?"

He looks at me. "Yes?"

"Do you remember what you told me the night of Cassius' party?" He was drunk, so there is a good possibility that he wouldn't.

"Yes." He looks forward quickly. "I'm sorry if it troubled you."

I squeeze his hand until he looks at me again. "When you said you hide things from me…. What did you mean?"

We make it to the Hanging Gardens before he can answer and he drops my hand as he steps up the ticket booth. I don't want him to pay for me, so I step up the second booth and I take out some coins to pay, but the woman points to Byron who is holding two tickets already. It makes me frown and I try to hand him my money, but he won't accept it.

"Byron, let me pay for this," I say because it's silly for him to pay all the time, especially when I have so much money and he doesn't.

"I have a job now, remember?" he says as we walk into the building.

Berry's Hanging Gardens is an inside establishment that's four stories high and all the levels are connected by wrought iron spiral staircase. Each level is open, so the ivy and plants can connect the floors together, creating green walls of flowers and foliage that ripple down from the top floor. The roof is complete glass to let the sun come in and there are fountains and concrete statues to add to the ascetic of the place. It's like stepping into a rain forest, minus all the animals and bugs. The first thing that we pass is a small group of some exotic looking purple flower with glowing red dots on the petals and I take a moment to bend down and smell one of them before straightening back up and turning to Byron.

He's staring at me.

"I like it here," I tell him as I put my book under my arm and look around.

"I'm glad," he says sincerely before we start walking again. "I don't mean to keep things from you," he says and I look at him as we walk on the stone slabs that make up the walk ways. "But I find myself being selective in what I choose to tell you."

"Why is that?"

He shrugs. "I'm not sure."

"Well, what are some of the things you keep from me?" I ask because I do really want to know. I never keep anything from him.

He sighs loudly with his hands stuffed in his pockets as we pass a small fountain of a child playing in the water. "That woman you asked about… the one outside of my office that one day."

"I remember."

"That was Eva, the woman who wrote me that letter that you read."

I bristle in annoyance. "Why would you lie to me about that?"

"I know that whenever you mention your old boyfriend, that Darius guy, it hurts me," he says and I frown as I look at him. "And I didn't want to make you feel bad. Even though her and I only had a few sloppy shags in college, she seems to think we had something more and I didn't want you to feel… I don't know, slighted."

"It's a stupid thing to lie about," I mutter angrily and he nods his head.

"Do you want to know why I decided to get a job at the museum?"

"You didn't get one just to have a job?" I ask and he shakes his head.

"Do you remember when I was telling you about a Horcrux?" I nod my head. "Well, after talking to your brother, we realized there were two of them. Do you remember the necklace that Bailey showed us?"

"The gaudy one with the lions head?"

"Yes, that one. After studying it, Bailey had to hand it over to the museum and they keep it very well protected."

"And…"

"And we have to destroy it."

My eyes widen and I stop walking. "Why do you have to destroy it?" I ask and then I try to talk softer when another couple walk past us holding hands. "What are you talking about?"

"That Horcrux splits a soul and keeps it trapped. Cassius isn't the only one that happened to."

"Paige?"

"Not only her," he says as he takes my arm and pulls me away from the walkway, closer to the cluster of daisies. "Many people, Lavinia, and if we destroy it, then they'll be able to go to where they need to go."

"You could go to jail for that, right?"

"Probably," he states flatly and I shake my head and cross my arms with my book pressed into my chest.

"So, you and my brother have been working on this?" He nods. "For how long?"

"Not long after he came back."

That makes me feel bad. "Why would you keep that from me?" I ask bitterly. "I obviously could have handled it." That fear I had when Cassius came back about Byron giving me up to hang out with my brother is back in full now. "You could have at least mentioned what you've been doing with your time."

"I know."

"I know?" I repeat. "That's all you have to say? What else is there, Byron?"

"I'm more messed up than you think I am," he says softly and I resist the urge to roll my eyes. "I am, Lavinia."

"Then was it a wise decision to stop seeing your therapist?" I ask and he looks down. "Or to stop taking your medication?"

"I've always had this… this idealized version of you," he says softly, ignoring my questions as he takes a step closer to me. A little girl runs past us and she smiles at me as her mother grabs her hand and scolds her for running away. "Your brother has always been my best friend, your mother was the nicest woman to me, and your father…." He trails off and turns his head away. "Your father, well, he made it easier to sleep at night for a while."

He brings his hand up to my face and I glance around to make sure no one is watching. "And then you. You are so sweet, and so pretty, and so perfect. I don't want to contaminate that…"

I stare at him for a while as he lets his hand drop and then he starts fiddling with the strap from his satchel. I sigh and step back. "That's hard to compete with," I say and he furrows his brow as he looks at me.

"What?"

"You said you had this idealized version of me… something you decided I was before you even knew me." He shakes his head but I can't stop it. "You just like my family."

"No, that's… that's not what I meant. I meant—"

"That's basically what you just said."

"No," he shakes his head. "No, I didn't mean it like that."

"So, you like me because I'm like Cassius, but I look like my mother, and I'm related to Draco Malfoy."

He runs his hand over his face as he shakes his head. "Stop it. I didn't mean it like that. I love you because of you, but, I'm just trying to get you to understand. I'm… I'm telling you things."

"How much do you know about me?"

"I know everything about you," he says and I believe him, even though I just feel like fighting with him right now because I'm so terribly annoyed with him. "I feel like I'm messing up again."

"I should get back," I say as I look at my watch. "It's getting late."

He knew I was purposely trying to get away from him and the look on his face almost made me want to hug him and tell him I was sorry. But I wasn't sorry at all and I hated that he had that puppy dog affect on me. "Do you like school so far?" he asks and I nod my head.

"We haven't really had to do much yet."

"Can I escort you home?" he asks.

"Yes, of course," I say softly even though I don't want to be by him right now. "I really should get going, though."

We Apparate to the campus and I see him struggle with wanting to touch me, but he decides to let his hand drop to his side as we walk towards my dorm.

"Are you and your roommate getting along now?"

I shrug. "We don't really talk much."

"But classes? Do you like your classes?"

"So far."

"What building do you live in?"

I glance up at my dorm. "Hunter Hall," I say, nodding towards the large brick building. I take out my key as we approach and I put my book under my arm again.

"How's your sister doing?"

"She's fine," I say, not even bothering to look at him.

"That's good. I'm sorry about that," he apologizes again when we reach the entrance of my dorm. "For holding you back when that happened. I'm sorry."

"It's alright," I reply curtly and we stare at each other for a few moments before I break the silence. "Well, goodbye, Byron."

"Can I see you soon? Like on Saturday maybe?"

"I'll be busy the next couple of weeks," I tell him with out even thinking about it and he looks hurt again.

"Okay," he says softly. "Can I kiss you, at least?"

I look at him with a tilted head and then I take a step closer to his body, putting my hand on my chest and rolling on my tip toes so I can give him a quick kiss. He brings a hand up to my face as I press my lips against his and deepens the kiss with his hand on my neck. My heart still skips every time I'm close to him, so I let my whole body relax as he places his arm around my waist to pull me even closer against him.

Some one whistles and I pull back quickly. "Geez, Malfoy, I didn't take you for the PDA type."

I blush as I glance over at Jessica as she smiles at me. She has books in her hands, so I know she was probably at the library studying. "Hey," I say as I take a step back from Byron and I wipe off my mouth. Jessica was one of the first girls who talked to me when I came here, and I didn't even realize we were in the same year at Hogwarts, as sad as that is.

She smirks again and then her eyes slide over to Byron. "Oh! You're dating Byron Flint?" she says and she smiles as she looks at him. "Do you remember me? We were in the same house."

"I'm sorry," Byron shakes his head as he stuffs his hands in his pockets. "I don't have a very good memory."

That's a lie. Byron has a perfect memory.

"Of course, I was younger than you," she says as she awkwardly fiddles with her books. "Oh, well… I'll leave you two to it," she says with a happy wave as she walks into the building with a sly smirk on her face.

After the door closes I exhale and turn back to Byron. "Is she your friend?" he asks casually and I nod.

"Yeah, she's pretty nice, actually." I bite my lip. "I haven't been able to get a hold of Chloe, though." Since we're talking about friends. "She hasn't responded to any of my owls."

"That's because she's not getting them," he says and I look at him, confused. "You've heard about what happened in Kent, right? The Moor Murders?" I nod my head. Everyone has heard about it, actually. "The group who did it have it out for Harry too…My mom, James, and Chloe all had to go into hiding."

"That's horrible," I say as I process it. This is another thing he could have mentioned at the beginning of the conversation. "I hope they're okay."

"They'll be fine. Harry won't let anything happen to them."

"But that's scary… and Hogwarts starts next week…. What's Chloe going to do?"

He looks down. "She's not going."

"Oh." Now I feel terrible for acting so bitchy about my relationship with Byron. There is so much going on right now that whatever I'm doing is pointless in the big scheme of things. "Oh… why aren't you and Samantha doing that?" I ask worriedly.

"Sam refused, and she's with Harry and Ron all the time anyways… and me… Harry actually doesn't like me very much so I don't have to worry about anyone trying to hurt him through me. I think there are a few people out there who think I'll take after my father, anyways."

I reach a hand out and let my fingers brush his, my anger and annoyance seem to have deadened with that knowledge. "Maybe I won't be so busy on Saturday," I tell him gently and then I kiss his cheek. "I'll owl you later, okay?"

He nods his head as he stares at my lips. "I know I frightened you last time," He says softly. "I truly am sorry for that."

"I apologize for smacking you," I reply as I bring a hand up to touch the cheek that I had hit. "I know that was wrong… but please don't treat me that way again." He looks down. "You're allowed to be upset about things, but talk to me about it. Don't shove or grab me. I had bruises the next day."

He flinches and looks into my eyes reluctantly. "I'm sorry."

"I know you are," I say because sorry just a word. It's your actions that really prove it. "Byron," I look down at my book. "My Father was very controlling over my Mother," I say and I can't seem to look at it while I say it. "It's gotten better now, but he's still… he still gets the final say in most things. I know that works for them, but I don't want that kind of relationship."

"I understand," he says and I finally flick my eyes up to his.

"Do you?" I ask and he nods his head. This next part is going to be hard to say but I need for him to know. "If you ever push me, or grab me like you did that night… or physically handle me in any other way while you're angry again… That will be it. I'll never talk to you again."

He stares at me for a few moments before nodding his head and kissing my forehead. "I promise I won't."

I close my eyes. "Thank you."

"Goodnight, Lavinia,"

I smile a little. "Goodnight."

He starts walking away and I stare at his back with a heavy feeling resting on my chest. "Byron?" He turns around and raises his eyebrows. "I love you."

The corners of his lips tilt up and he brings a hand up to his chest. "I love it when you say that." I smile, showing my teeth. "I'll see you later, lover."

I laugh a little and then wave him off. I run into Jessica on the way to my room and she's all wide eyed and excited.

"I had no idea you were with Byron Flint. Oh, he is so cute," she says as she reapplies lip gloss and she follows me. I suspect she was waiting in the hallway for me to come in. "The dirty things I thought about him and your brother when I was in school would probably make Voldemortblush. They helped me survive puberty, you know."

I send her a look and she smiles sheepishly. "Sorry," she says with a smile as she tugs a hand through her shiny blonde hair. "You probably don't want to hear that."

"Not really," I tell her as I take out my key to unlock my door.

We've only been at school for a week, but Jessica has been in my dorm just about every night with the rest of the group of girls that she hangs out with. The more that she talks the more I remember her from Hogwarts because she was your stereotypical loud Gryffindor who tried everything no matter how stupid it was.

"So, listen," I look at her and raise my eyebrows as I slide the key into the lock. "A few of the girls are going out tonight, if you want to come."

"Where are you going?" I ask as I unlock the door and push it open.

"There's a pub by the medical school," she says as her eyes light up and she follows me into my room. Kim's in the common area with her head phones on and Jessica makes a face at her back before coming into my room. "I hear most of the young interns from St. Mungo's go there. I could find myself a rich healer to marry."

I put my book and key on my desk as she sits on my bed and runs her fingers over my bedspread. Mom and my brothers helped me move in and I was very selective with the things that I brought from home. I spent a whole day carefully unwrapping all of my things and making sure all of my stuff was in place to my liking. Every time Jessica comes in she moves things around and I glance at her as she moves the picture of me and my sister that I had resting on the table by my bed.

"Your sister is so cute," she says as she places it back on the table—in the wrong spot. "Are you going to bring her here for little sib's weekend?"

"I don't know," I say honestly as I take off my shoes and carefully place them by the door.

"Well, do you want to come? I think it will be fun to meet new people… new, older, possibly rich healer, people. Since you're dating Byron freaking Flint, I know you won't be looking, but it could still be fun."

"I'm pretty tired," I tell her as I pretend to straighten things around the room so she'll leave.

"Boo, you're coming. We're leaving at nine, so we'll stop by your room about ten till."

"I don't—"

"You're coming, we won't take no for an answer."

She leaves with out a word from me and when she closes the door, I slump my shoulders and sigh. Going out and drinking is the last thing I want to do tonight. The thing is, I know they won't take no for an answer. College girls can be terribly persistent and with another sigh I grab my towel and head for the showers. I have no idea what I'm going to wear, and I even toy with the idea of hiding in the library so I can miss them, but I think I need to broaden my horizons a bit. Make new friends and see new people and all that jazz.

I make it back to my room with a towel tied in my hair and a robe on to cover my nakedness. Kim is still in the common room. She glances at me over her shoulder and I give her an uncomfortable wave before disappearing into my room. We're still on pretty thin ice with each other, and we've fallen into the safe no talking to each other zone. I go over to my closet and open it up so I can see if I have anything I could wear. I file through some hangers, pulling out shirts and dresses, hanging them back on the rod with an irritated breath leaving my lips when I find nothing that catches my eye.

"This is stupid," I mutter to myself. There's no point in going out right now. No point at all and I'm going to tell them all of that too.

I throw on an old cotton night gown and I braid my hair, all the while thinking up excuses to get out of being dragged to a pub with a bunch of barely dressed girls. I'm painting my toe nails when I hear a knock on the door, and I ignore it until Kim starts yelling.

"They're your friends," she calls. "Answer the damn door!"

She's a peach.

The knocks become louder and they start whining at me through the door. "Come on, Lavinia!"

With a sigh I stand up and leavemy room, sending an evil glare to Kim as I trudge over to the door and open it open to face the five grinning girls who all let their smiles fall when they see me not dressed or ready to leave.

"Malfoy!" Jessica whines. "I told you we were leaving now."

"I don't feel well," I say and I add a fake cough to solidify that point.

"Oh, hosh posh," One of the blondes says as she pushes me aside and steps into the dorm. She's wearing some sequins dress thing and I nearly groan. "We'll help you get ready, then."

"No, that's okay."

"You're right. It is okay."

Suddenly five girls are in my room, sorting through my closet and drawers as Jessica makes me sit down on my bed and she dries my wet hair with her wand. "I've wanted to play with this hair for ages," she says and I frown as she climbs on the bed behind me and starts doing something painful with a comb, tugging my strands in all different ways.

"Good Lord, I feel like I'm looking through my Grandmother's wardrobe," the brunette named Rhonda says and I glare at her. "Don't you have anything that is cut above your knees?"

"No," I state like a pouting child as they throw my clothes all around my neat and tidy room.

"Look at the labels, though," the Japanese girl says. I think her name's Natsuki… I'm terrible with names. "These clothes are expensive! They're all designer!"

"Let's shorten this," one of them holds up my jean shirt and I shake my head.

"No. I can never get it back the right length," I say because Evelyn has ruined many clothes of mine by changing the sizes on them.

"You could just buy a new one," Jessica says and then she pulls a sensitive part on my scalp and I whimper. "I'm almost done. Calm down."

"Oh, look, a Quidditch Jersey. Do you even know how to play a sport?" I would be offended if the comment wasn't totally true. The Tonya…one… I think… anyways, she has blonde highlights… she holds the Falcon jersey up to her chest and wiggles her body.

"My Mom helped with the design on that one," I state. That's the only reason why I would have a jersey like that anywhere near my other clothes.

"Wait!" Jessica says and I flinch. "Isn't there a Falcon's game tonight?" Someone answers an affirmative and I cringe because she's pulling my hair. "Oh, you should wear the jersey with the mini skirt."

"It's not a mini skirt," I say and then I watch in horror as one of the girls shortens my skirt. "Wait, you can't—"

"Hold still, Lavinia." I get pulled back and frown in annoyance.

"It's ruined now," I mutter angrily as I cross my arms and watch as they mess with the jersey.

"The guys would love it if you looked like you liked Quidditch," One of them says as they go over to the mirror with the jersey to see how it would look against their body.

"But I don't like Quidditch and I have a boyfriend," I say and sigh in relief when Jessica says she's done with my hair. I go to look in the mirror as well, but she pulls me down and takes out a small bag from her purse. "What now?"

"Make up, of course."

"I think she should wear the jersey."

"If we tighten it up a little bit, yeah."

"I bet the game will be on at the pub."

"Stop moving."

I glare at Jessica as she forces eye shadow and eyeliner on my eyes.

"Oh, stop," she says with a tisk of her tongue. "Tonight will be fun."

It didn't take long for them to finish up with my clothes and for Jessica to finish my make up. They didn't let me look into the mirror as I reluctantly shimmied into the jean skirt that had shortened so drastically and I sighed in sadness as I put on the jersey that they made way too tight. When they do finally let me look at myself in the mirror, I nearly gasp out loud as Jessica digs out the brown boots I wore on orientation day.

"What do think?" One of them asks as I try to pull down the stupid skirt. It barely even goes down to my mid thigh and every time I try to tug on it, it ends up showing my midriff because the shirt is too little.

I glance at my make up. It wouldn't be so bad if Jessica hadn't been so generous with the eye liner, making me look like some raccoon person. And the hair… It's all braided and twisted and spun around in weird chunks. I crinkle my nose in disgust.

"Well?"

"I look like a prostitute," I say flatly and the girls laugh.

"Does mean you think we look like whores too?" One of the girls in an equally short skirt and tank top thing asks.

"Close enough," I mutter and they laugh again as Jessica tells me to put on the boots. I do so hesitantly and as I zip them up, I glance around the room for my wand so I can at least make this outfit a little bit more decent.

"Ah, ah, no magic for you until we get to the pub," Jessica says as she puts my wand in her pocket.

"I don't feel comfortable like this," I tell her honestly as I attempt to pull down my shirt again.

"She'll feel comfortable once we get a few drinks in her!"

They laugh again and they shove my ID and money purse at me before ushering me out of the room. I make sure I have my room key before we leave and as I'm being dragged down the hall, I can't find it in me to look anywhere but down. Not only is this outfit way too small for me, but I would never even wear this outfit combination if it did fit properly… A jean skirt with a Quidditch jersey? Come on.

"Where are you girls going tonight?" A few boys on the lift ask and I keep my head down as they begin flirting with the other girls. I am so bloody uncomfortable… I have never been this girl.

"None of your business, Logan," Jessica says with a flirtatious giggle in her voice as I lean against the lift wall with my arms crossed.

"Hey, Lavinia," I look up at Logan. He was the first boy that introduced himself to me here on orientation day and he's also in my Anatomy class. "Did you read those pages the Professor assigned?"

I nod my head as everyone looks at me. He smiles and I start tugging my shirt down again. "Did you understand it?" he asks and I look at him as he runs a hand through his sandy hair. "I'm bloody rubbish at all that terminology stuff."

"Oh," is all I say and when the lift stops on the ground floor I flick him an uncomfortable smile and step off with the rest of the group. When the doors close behind me, Jessica takes my arm and starts giggling. There is always giggling with these people.

"He was totally waiting for the invite," she says and the others agree.

"To where?" I ask, clueless, as we leave the building.

"He wanted you to offer to help him study," Natsuki.. I think… says with a sly smile. She wiggles her eyebrows and nudges me. "I think he fancies you."

"I don't think that…" I trail off as the girls start laughing again about something stupid.

It took a while to get to the pub, we didn't want to Apparate with such a big group, and half the girls didn't know where it was located anyways, so we ended up walking. The outside of the place didn't seem too promising and it has a very Irish name with an O at the beginning and a Y at the end. It was all wooden and located between two small shops that were already closed for the night, leaving the street lamps to light up the only thing open on the road. There are colorful glowing lights on the windows, advertising the kinds of drinks that they had inside and I thought the over all effect was terribly tacky, but the excited claps that happened around me showed that I was the only one who thought that way.

"Let's go find ourselves some handsome healers, ladies," Jessica says as she pulls me into the pub.

I highly doubt a healer would come to a place like this. Smoke of all different colors hits me like a wall as I walk inside and I bat it away with my hand so I can actually see. There's a long bar along the left hand side of the room, where people are leaning over and against, trying to get the bartender's attention as he scurries behind the counter to get everyone their drinks. There are large mirrors behind him displaying the different liquor bottles and weird road signs. Good décor.

"Come on, let's find a seat."

I follow the other girls as they weave in and out of the sea of people. The music is so loud that it hurts my ears and the wooden chairs at the high tables that surround the room do not look appealing at all.

"Oh, look," Rhonda pokes my arm and points into the adjoining room. "They have billiards in there."

I glance once before turning away and taking a seat on one of the empty chairs after we find ourselves a table.

"Let's take shots first," Jessica says she raises her hand in the air to get one of the waitress's attention.

"I'll pass," I say as I cross my legs and try to be as withdrawn as possible.

"You are absolutely no fun, Lavinia Malfoy," Jessica says and it's not like I've never heard a version of that before. "Live a little, will you?"

I hate it when people say that. "Maybe one shot."

One shot turned into four and by the time I had switched to regular beer I was feeling pretty warm and good. I even forgot to tug my shirt and skirt down every second as I started talking up a storm with the girls around me. I know I said I would never drink after that incident with Chloe… but this wasn't so bad, as long as I don't let myself get too carried away.

Jessica had disappeared during the night to go hunting for boys, and she came back with an excited smile lighting up her drunk face. She pulls me and another girl away from the table, stumbling as she laughs.

"I just met three gorgeous men," she says and I shake my head. "And guess what the best part is?"

"What?' I ask as I take a sip from my drink.

"Are they healers?" The pretty Japanese girl, who I think is named Natsuki, asks as she rolls on her toes. Would it be rude to ask her what her name is now?

"Yes, real life working healers from St. Mungo's. You two have to come back with me. I told them I had cute friends."

"I have a boyfriend," I say sternly because, even though I was feeling a little tipsy, I wasn't drunk enough to forget that minor detail.

"Who cares?" she replies with a dismissive wave of her hand.

"I kind of do," I say softly, but she doesn't hear it because the music is so loud. "Why don't you ask one of the others to go back with you?" I say and I start to walk towards my chair to take a seat.

She takes my hand and pulls me back. "But you two are really pretty and I need some good support. Pretty please?"

"The others are pretty too," I say with an eye roll.

"Yeah, but you're smart and they're doctors!" she says as she pulls my hand and starts walking me towards the other room with Natsuki trailing by our side. "And you can talk smart stuff with them. It will only be for a little bit, I promise."

It didn't matter if I agreed or not, because she pulled me into the game room anyway were drunk boys were yelling at the charmed walls that were depicting the Quidditch game that was happening. I sighed again. Even while drunk this atmosphere was boring to me.

"Okay, these are my friends," Jessica finally let my hand drop and I took another drink from my bottle so I could seem totally uninterested. "This is Natsuki." Ah, I was right about the name. "And this is Lavinia."

"Lavinia Malfoy."

It was a man's voice and I look at the boys we were dragged here to meet with my eyebrows shooting up in surprise. "No way," I say as I stare at that blond healer from St. Mungo's. "You've got to be kidding me."

Conrad smiles and looks me over. It makes me all too aware of what I'm wearing again and I slouch my shoulders and tug my shirt down again.

"You two… know each other?" Jessica doesn't actually sound too pleased and when I look at her she mouths the words: 'the blond one's mine.'

"Yeah, actually we do," I say with a smirk as I turn back to Conrad, who looks just as good in a pair of jeans a long sleeved shirt as he does in healer scrubs. "I'm starting to think you're following me."

"Well, let's see here," he says as he pushes off the chair he was leaning on and slides in between Jessica and I, putting his back towards her. "I work at St. Mungo's and I've been coming here for years… I would say you were the one following me if you look at the facts."

I snorted. It was a terrible thing I always seemed to do when I was drunk and I covered my mouth so I could stop myself from doing it again.

"She has a boyfriend," Jessica cuts in because the 'blond one' didn't seem to care if he was hers or not. "She's dating someone and it's very serious."

"Oh, I know," he says as he looks at me again with a smirk on his face.

After being ignored by Conrad the Healer, Jessica soon found herself more attracted to the dark haired one with freckles any way and she spent the better part of the night trying to get him to dance with her. Natsuki, on the other hand, had better luck with the intern they were with because I saw her kissing him halfway through the night. Conrad, for as foreword as he was the last time that I had saw him, wasn't so bad after all. I have to admit, I found him to be pleasant company. We sat down at one of the tables and just started talking, which was a nice change. I can't remember the last time I actually just sat down and had a full conversation with someone just for the sake of talking.

"Are you a Falcons fan?" he asked after ordering a pitcher of beer and two glasses. I must have looked confused because he nodded down to my shirt.

"Oh," I said with a head shake as I look down at the jersey. "No, not at all. I actually hate Quidditch."

He laughs and pours beer into both of the glasses, sliding one to me. "At least you're honest about it. Why the jersey, then?"

"They made me wear it," I say, pointing to the girls I came with tonight who are in varying stages of intoxication about the bar. "I detest this outfit that I'm wearing." I say because alcohol makes my tongue loose. "I think I look like a slag."

"What?" he asks over the blare of the music and I lean over the table so I can get closer. I put my hand up to my mouth to make myself louder.

"I said, I think I look like a slag!"

He laughs again as I sit back. "Sometimes that's not a bad thing," he says and I roll my eyes good naturedly. "So, you go to school at Antioch?"

I nod my head and take a sip from the glass because my bottle is all gone. "We just started this week."

"It's a good school," he says with a nod. "I went to grad school there."

Grad school. "How old are you?" I ask because I know healers have to be in school forever. I look him over again. He actually doesn't look that old. His tussled blond hair gives him a young look and his face is still has that boyish charm to it.

He smirks and leans across the table with his arms folded. "How old do you think I am?"

I sit back and study his face as I bite my lower lip. "Hm… twenty four?" I ask and he makes an up motion with his hand. "Twenty five?" he makes the motion again. "Thirty?"

"I'm not that old!" he pretends to be offended and I laugh. "I'm twenty seven."

"Geez, you're old," I say and he snorts into his drink.

"I'm one of the youngest healers at St. Mungo's, I'll have you know. Most people my age are still interns."

"Do you know how old I am?" I ask as he takes a drink from his newly filled glass. He takes a moment to roll up his sleeves and I watch as more skin is revealed. I quickly look away then, because that was a very perv move considering it was just his arms.

"You're eighteen."

"Got it in one!" I tell him with a smile and he laughs again.

"I've read your chart, remember? At one time you were technically my patient."

"Oh, yeah, I suppose that does make sense."

"What's your major going to be?" He yells across the table as I tilt my head to the side so I can hear him better.

"I think… I think I want to be a healer, actually," I say and when I look at him I see a funny little smile on his face. "Is it terribly hard?"

"If I can do it, I'm sure you can," He says as he runs a hand through his shaggy hair. It''s now that I notice it's grown since I was at St. Mungo's for my back.

"You don't know anything about me," I joke, even though it was true. "I could be as dumb as a box of rocks."

"Well…. Dressed like that…" he says and I slap his arm. He laughs and rubs the spot. "It's actually not hard at all if you like what you're doing."

"I think I would be good at it…" I trail off as I look over the room to make sure my… friend people… are still around.

"You are very good looking," he says and I turn to him in surprise. "Did you know that?"

"Shut up," I say with a head shake. "I would much rather be intelligent and kind than good looking."

"But being pretty never hurts," he adds with a lopsided smile. He brings one of his hands out and tucks some hair behind my ear. It sends a chill down my spine and I blush as I look into his eyes, those strange green eyes with the yellow burst around the pupil. "Never hurts at all." He leans back and I look away quickly. "But you're one of those lucky people who come from a good looking family, right?"

"The Malfoy's are a pretty bunch," I joke again and his smile widens.

"What does your father think about you becoming a healer?" he asks as I run my fingers around the rim of my glass.

I shrug. "I don't think I've ever actually told him."

"Are you close to your brothers?"

"As close as most siblings are, I guess. Do you have any brothers or sisters?"

He shakes his head. "No, it's just me, I'm afraid. So, what do you think about your brother Gavin?"

I look at him and tilt my head to the side. "Gavin? Why would you ask that?"

He shrugs and takes a drink. "Just a question. I think he has potential to be a pretty great wizard if he had the stomach for it."

I furrow my brows. "Do you know him?"

He nods his head and wipes off his mouth after he accidentally spills a little of his drink. "Kind of. We travel in the same circles."

"What circle is that?" I ask and he looks down at my lips.

"It's not important. So, tell me, how serious are you with that one bloke?"

"Byron?"

He nods his head. I wanted to say I was very serious with him, but I actually didn't know if that was true after what happened between us. "Oh, you're hesitating. That's not a good sign for Mr. Byron, now is it?"

"No, we're just…" I can't find the right words so I take a drink from my glass, trying to ignore the way he's smiling at me. "Anyways, let's talk about something else."

"What would you like to talk about, freckles?"

I make a disgusted face at the nickname and decide I'm going to ignore that he even said that. "What do you think about those Moor Murders?" I ask and his face changes, it turns cold, and I realize it was a bad topic because it's been effecting people differently.

"That's a fun topic to talk about," he says as he downs the whole glass in one gulp.

"I'm sorry, I know, it's just so terrible, isn't it." I lean over again so I don't have to yell over the music and I put my hand on my neck as I rest my elbow on the table. "Do you really think it was the Death Eaters who did it?"

"It was not the Death Eaters. There time is over," he states flatly and I bite my lip again. "And, anyways, it was the muggles who initiated the fight, so who cares if they died? They were just muggles anyways."

"They were just muggles?" I repeat with my eyebrows raised. "What does that mean?"

He licks his lips and his eyes turn warm again. "I didn't mean it that way… I meant it's harder to tell who did it because a lot of wizarding groups blame muggles for a lot of things. They're an easy target."

"It's still really sad," I whisper. He doesn't say anything as he stares at me and I jump when the whole bar erupts into cheers. "What's happening?" I ask as I look around the bar at all the drunk occupants celebrating something with clanks of their glasses and loud shouts. One drunken mammoth with a moustache slaps me on the back and makes a fist pumping movement before walking off.

"It looks like your team just won the match," Conrad says with a glance to my chest. I hope he's looking at the Falcon's logo. "Congrats," he clanks his glass against mine and I smile, clanking mine right back.

After the roaring dies down, Conrad and I start talking again, but when I see one of the girls I came here with tonight looking panicked as she runs towards me, I stand up.

"Hey, I'm sorry." It's the one with the highlights that I don't know. "But we need to leave. Rhonda is puking in the bathroom."

"Oh, that's not good," I say and I send an apologetic look to Conrad. "I guess I have to go. It was nice talking to you."

He smirks. "Maybe I'll see you around."

"Yeah, maybe," I say with a smile as I follow the high lighted girl to the bathroom where the others are huddled around Rhonda who is puking her heart out in one of the stalls.

We take the knight bus back to the dorms and I get my wand from Jessica before I fall onto my bed, still in my boots and mini skirt. I'm surprised to find a strange little smile on my face and I bring my fingers up to my lips.

How odd.

I shake my head. I stop smiling right away, and I stand up. I have to use the sign out sheet to use the floo connected fireplace in the down stairs lobby and I nearly trip over my own feet as I step into the grate and throw the powder down. It's terribly rude to show up unannounced in someone's fireplace, especially in the middle of the night, but I don't care about that as I shake off the floo powder and light my wand in the darkness of the living room.

I start taking out the bobby pins and clips that kept my hair in place as I travel down the small hallway with my wand secure between my teeth. A few of the braids I couldn't seem to get with my tipsy fingers, but I was able to free most of my hair so it tumbled down my shoulders by the time I got to Byron's bed room. I didn't even bother knocking as I opened the door and stepped in.

He's awake, of course, with a lone candle on his desk, lighting him as he writes furiously with a quill on the pages of his journal. He doesn't hear me because he has headphones on and I smile as I creep up behind him and touch his shoulder. He throws off his headphones and spins around with his face tense and ready to fight. I start laughing and, when he sighs in relief, I push him back so I can straddle his lap.

"What are you doing here?" he asks, looking more than a little confused as I thread my fingers behind his neck. "And why are you dressed like that?"

"The girls from school dragged me to a pub," I state honestly as I lean in to kiss his jaw. "And they made me dress like this. Do you think I look sluttish?"

"You're drunk as well, I see," he says as he puts his hands on my waist to steady me because I might fall over. He sighs as I pull back and smile at him. "Did you have a good time?"

I nod my head and I notice him look down. I realize I'm giving him a good view of my blue knickers in this position. "That healer who made me do all those exercises after my back thing was there. We talked for a while."

"Oh."

I kiss his lips to reassure him... and maybe myself as well. For some reason I feel guilty, so I turn my head and glance at his desk. "What have you been writing about?"

"Nothing too important. Why did you come here?"

I look into his eyes. I would take blue over green any day, I've decided, and I kiss him again. "Let's have sex."

He laughs and pulls me back. "Okay, I think it's bed time."

I smirk as he picks me up and puts me on the bed gently, making sure that my head lands on the pillows as I laugh. He sits by my feet and unzips my boots, throwing them on the ground and then he leans over me to unbutton the jean skirt. I place my hands on his arms and rub up and down because I love touching him.

"I can't believe you wore this in public," he says as he slides the skirt down my legs and I lift my hips to help him. "This thing barely covered your knickers," he says as he tosses the skirt onto his chair.

"Do I look as terrible as I think I do?" I ask and he shakes his head as he bends down and kisses my hip.

"No, you don't look bad at all…. This just isn't you." He blows out the candle so we're shrouded in darkness and then he bends down to kiss my temple as I stretch my arms above my head. "Scoot over, then. You get the wall this time."

I smile as I scoot over on his small bed and when he slides under the covers beside me I reach out and pull him to me so I can kiss him. "When do you sleep?" I ask against his lips as he lets his hand rest on my waist. "You never sleep."

"I sleep sometimes," he says gently, keeping his voice soft as he pulls back from my lips. He turns on his side and faces me with his head propped up on one of his pillows. "Turn around."

I make a face to the darkness and then I do as he says, letting him put his body against mine, with his chest pressed into my back. He puts one arm under my neck so I can use it like a pillow and the other he slings over my torso. His breath is warm against the back of my neck and I smile as he tucks his legs around mine.

"Are we spooning?" I ask lazily, because I am getting pretty tired and this position is comfortable and warm.

"We're sleeping," he says against my skin and he adds a kiss as I close my eyes.

My whole sex idea gets thrown out the window with in seconds as I drift off to sleep, with Byron's heart beating rhythmically against my back.

_**Cassius**_

"Are you going to tell me why the statue needs to be moved," I ask as we leave the building. Daniella glances at me before slipping on a pair of sunglasses. "I would also like to know why you, of all people, know that it does."

"I just do," she says vaguely and I frown as we step onto the side walk. "They're going to do it tomorrow night. I'm glad they listened to me. So, are you ever going to tell them the truth?"

"What do you mean?" I ask as I stuff my hands into my pockets.

"You lied back there," she replies as she points to the place we just left.

"No, I didn't." I say and she gives me a look and stops walking.

"You were on a boat on a river, with tangerine trees and marmalade skies? There was a girl with kaleidoscope eyes?"

I nod my head.

"Those are song lyrics!" she says with a disbelieving smile on her face.

"Are they?" I ask with my head tilted to the side and I smirk when she starts walking again.

"You're lucky those old coggers back there don't listen to muggle music. Honestly, though, everyone should know who the Beatles are."

"I'm surprised you do," I tell her casually as I fall into step behind her. "Considering you're a part of a whole purist organization. Don't you burn muggle records and footballs in your free time?"

She laughs. "I wish."

"Would you like to get some lunch?" I ask and she looks surprised as she turns to me with her eyebrows up. "I'm getting pretty hungry, and it's about that time," I tell her to help persuade her to my side.

She hesitates a second before looking down at her watch. "Let's go to England and eat," she says and I smile because she said yes... kind of..."I have an engagement at three that I can't miss."

"I'll try not to keep you," I tell her.

We go home and end up at a small little sandwich cafe that serves flavored coffee and buttered scones. I try to ignore everyone as they stare at me and I focus my attention on Daniella as she talks about her hobbies, like knitting… for real. When we get our food, we sit at the one of the booths by one of the brick walls and I try not to listen to the whispers of the other customers as I stare at Daniella. She's placed her sunglasses on top of her head, pulling most of her dark hair away from her face and she smiles at me before looking down.

"Can I ask you something?" I ask as I rim my top of my glass with my fingers.

She looks at me and nods her head. Her eyelashes are really long and really dark and I find myself just staring at her before I shake my head and look down at my plate.

"Why are you a part of that party?" I ask because it's been bugging me. My brother I can kind of understand. He's been through a lot this summer, and he's never really had any close friends. Even though he knows everyone, no one actually really knows him. But Daniella….that I don't get. "That whole purist business."

She shrugs, looking down at her coffee. "Sometime it's nice to belong to something greater than yourself," she says in a monotone voice and I narrow my eyes.

"Was it that Chance guy's idea?" I ask and her eyes snap to mine.

"I don't think that's any of your business," she snaps and I raise my eyebrows.

"Have you heard about the Moor Murders?" I ask as she picks her sandwich with her fingers, pulling the bread apart and tearing it with her nails.

"Who hasn't?" she asks softly. "It's all over the papers."

"I think it's strange that a whole bunch of muggles showed up and started shooting at a small group of wizards."

"Maybe the muggles saw the wizards doing magic and got scared."

"That's what the paper thinks... but... what were the mugglesdoing out in such a secluded place anyways? That's quite a drive for them from the nearest town."

"Maybe they were already there," she says and I nod.

"Maybe, but wizards shouldn't have been there anyways. That is still apart of the uncharted muggle territory where no one is allowed to do magic... and muggles wouldn't just go and grab some guns... they have police for that... they're like Aurors and those people who died with their 'gun s' were not policemen."

"Quite the theorist you are..." she mutters and I sit back and cross my arms. She looks at the watch on her wrist and sighs loudly. "I have to go."

"It's one thirty," I tell her flatly because I have this uneasy feeling resting in the pit of my stomach.

"I have to take a shower, anyways," she says as she gets up and I try to hide the disappointment on my face as she begins walking away. "Oh, by the way," she says as she stops and turns to me. "I much prefer you with your natural hair color."

"Is that so?" I ask, remembering when we were in Hogwarts. Her hair used to be bright blonde and I convinced her to change it back to brunette, just for a little while, but she ended up keeping it natural from then on.

"Just a heads up," she says as she looks at the front of the building. "There are about ten reporters with camera men outside waiting for you to come out now."

I glance over my shoulder, around the head of the booth, and I sigh. "Thanks," I mutter softly as turn back around and I fiddle with my napkin, trying to think of ways to get around them with out being photographed for tomorrows paper. I figure she's going to leave, so I go back to my sandwich and I start eating it just to stall time before I have to fight off the mob. I focus on my food as people talk around me and I try not to feel stupid for being by myself in a crowded place where I'm sure everyone is talking about me. Maybe there's a back entrance I can slip out of when I'm all finished.

"Here," I look up in surprise at Daniella as she hands me a plastic container and paper bag. I thought she was gone by now and I didn't even see her walk up. "Let's take that to go."

I give her a look before pilling the rest of my food inside and when I raise a questioning eyebrow, she smiles at she takes a black ball out of her purse. "What are you doing?" I ask as she smirks at me and takes my hand.

She throws the ball down and I can hear people screaming and coughing as a black cloud blocks my eyes from seeing anything. I feel her tugging on my hand so I follow her because I can't think of anything else to do. I can't see, I can barely hear, and all I can really feel is Daniella's warm hand clutching my own. What is she doing? When the smoke clears and my vision comes back to me, I'm surprised again to find myself in an empty alley way.

"What?" I say as I look around and then back at Daniella. "What was that?"

"Black smoke exits are fun," she says with a smile as she takes out her wand. "At least they will have something more to write about than you eating a meatball sandwich, wouldn't you say?"

"How very clever you are," I tell her, matching her smile with my own.

"Good bye, Cass," she says as she looks over my face. She pauses a moment before she rolls up on her toes to kiss my cheek and I feel my heart beat jump and spike alarmingly. Well, that's embarrassing. "Thank you for the help today."

"See you around," I reply and when she pops away, I lift my own wand to go home. As soon as I make it through the front door I can feel a little smile on my face and I touch my cheek before shaking my head and telling myself that I'm not a fourteen year old girl that does things like that.

I try not to think about it again.

Tonight is my little sister's dance recital thing and my parents have been spending the part of the day getting ready for it. I don't understand why, she's just an understudy, but Mom insists that it's important and I barely dodged getting forced to go by saying I had a healer's appointment. Not many healer appointments are on Sunday night now a day, but they didn't question it.

I stay in my room most of the day, trying to figure out how Byron and I should go about getting that necklace Horcrux and trying not to think about Daniella because she's part of a purist club and has a gorilla of a boyfriend. The necklace Horcrux is the first one I want to get rid of because I'm assuming the earring only has Paige connected to it… and she can rot on the island for all eternity for all I care. Hogwart's officially starts on Monday, so I'm wondering if we should get the sword, get the necklace, and then destroy it… or if we should get the necklace, get the sword, and then… well, you get the idea.

"Cassius!"

I open my eyes and glance at my door. "Yeah?"

"It's time to eat." My mom yells and I sigh. Dinner doesn't sound too bad right now, actually, considering I never really finished the rest of my lunch.

I stand up and trot down the stairs two at a time until I reach the dining room where my parents and Gavin are already seated. Since Lavinia is at school her chair is empty and Evelyn has been at the dance hall all day. It makes for quite a small dinner party.

"What time is Evelyn's thing?" I ask as I take my seat to my Father's left.

"It's not until nine," Mom answers after taking a drink from her glass. "Are you sure you can't make it?"

I pick up my fork and poke at my salad. "Nope, wish I could, though." Gavin makes a noise so I look at him. "Why aren't you going?" I raise an eyebrow as he takes a bite from his chicken.

"I'm busy," he snaps and I narrow my eyes because of the way he's speaking to me. I look at Dad for an explanation, but he just shakes his head.

"What are you busy doing?" I ask, trying to goat my brother into talking to me.

"Just stuff," he says and I tilt my head to look at him.

"What—"

"Where have you been today?" My father cuts me off and I glance at him as he looks at me.

"Just out," I say and he smirks because I'm being as vague as my little brother, but why did he cut me off?

"I think Evie is going to do wonderful tonight," my mother says, apparently in her own little world on the other side of the table. "Are you sure you two can't come?"

"She's just an understudy," I say and Mom frowns.

"She has a small part in one of the scenes," she says. "And she's only fourteen so the fact that she's there at all is a pretty big deal. She always looks so beautiful when she dances," she says wistfully as I study her face.

She still has a faint red scratch on one of her cheeks, but no one has told me how it happened. Dad just sent everyone home during my little party, saying he had a headache but it was a lame lie and it didn't take a genius to figure out that Evelyn was missing and Mom went to find her. They both came back late that night, and neither of them talked about it.

"I had always wanted to be a ballerina," Mom says with a sigh and I start eating my salad again.

"Why didn't you?" Gavin asks, not sounding like he cares actually, but he's always had that 'I don't really give a shit' tone to his voice.

"My parents could never afford dance class," she says quietly and I give her a sympathetic look before going back down to my food.

"I think you would have made a beautiful ballerina," Dad says as he takes her hand and kisses her knuckles. She laughs and I smile down at my plate.

"Probably not. I was an ugly child."

"Impossible."

Gavin sighs loudly and I smirk at him as our parents sickly flirt with one another in front of us. Gavin looks disgusted, but I don't have the same feeling of revulsion that I usually have.

"Really," she says and she smiles at him. "When I was six my father gave me this atrocious boy hair cut because I never combed my hair and I was always wearing dirty boy clothes. It wasn't a pretty picture," she says and I try to imagine my mother as that little red headed Tom boy… but I can't really see it.

"Well," Dad says as he takes a drink from his wine glass. "You have grown beautifully."

"Okay, I'm going to my room," Gavin says as he takes one final bite from his plate and puts his napkin on the table. I try not to laugh as he stands up. "Have fun tonight."

I watch him leave and when I turn back to my parents. "Is it just me, or is Gavin not looking very well?" I say, having noticed how pale his skin seems and how dark his eyes have looked lately.

"He has a lot on his plate right now," Dad answers quietly and I accept it with a nod of my head.

"Cassius, what are you doing tomorrow morning?" Mom asks after a few moments of silence and I look at her.

"Why?" I ask carefully.

"I was wondering if you wanted to come with me to see Evelyn off to school since your father can't come."

I look at Dad. "Why can't you go?"

"I have to work," he says solidly and I furrow my brows.

"You own the company and you've never missed the first day for any of us."

He looks at me and I stare right back. "I have to work," he repeats flatly and I look at Mom who's engrossed in her salad.

"I don't know if I can go," I say softly because Dad isn't going to tell me more. "I'll let you know."

"I better go get ready," she says as she stands up and puts her napkin on the table. "Are you going to take a shower before we leave?" she asks as she looks at Dad. He shakes his head and she looks at me. "If I don't see you before we leave, be careful tonight."

"I will," I say even though I can't imagine why she would say that considering I'm just going to the healers… well, that's what they think I'm doing anyways.

Dad doesn't really talk to me the rest of the meal, and he eventually leaves to get dressed for the dance thing as well, leaving me alone in the large dining room with nothing to do. I eventually go to my room to try to find something to entertain me for the night because I refuse to go to Evie's dance performance. I went to one a couple of years ago and it was the most boring thing I have ever had to sit through. I like classical music a lot, I just don't like watching people dance to it..After hours of listening to the radio and reading a magazine, I decide to do something else because I'm terribly bored and I find Gavin in the library, with his feet propped up on the table and a book on his lap. He's squinting as he reads and he keeps on bending down to the page.

"I didn't know you could read," I joke and he jumps in surprise by my voice before glaring and looking down.

"Shut up."

"Do you need glasses?" I ask curiously as he brings the book up to his eyes and squints again.

"No, why would you ask that?" he snaps as he turns the page.

"Because you're reading that book like you need them." I take a seat on the other end of the couch that he's sitting on and I cross my arms as I stare into the fire.

"I don't need glasses," he scoffs. "Why are you bothering me?'" he asks after a few moments of silence.

"I'm bored."

"Go find a friend."

"You're my friend," I tell him and he flicks an irritated glance at me before going back to his book. "What are you reading?"

"A book."

"Thank you, I wasn't sure about that," I tell him sarcastically and he ignores me. I start messing with my wand as he tries his best to pretend like I'm not in the room. "Do you want to go do something?"

"No."

"Why not?"

"Because I don't want to."

"Why not?"

"Because you're annoying and the last time I did something with you, you ended up getting us into a fight."

"I guess those are legitimate reasons," I say. "Did you watch the Falcons game?" I ask and he nods his head tightly. "They might go to the play offs this year," I add and he doesn't respond.

I just keep on staring at the fire and he keeps on reading the same page in his book. After about half an hour of silence he sighs loudly and shuts his book. "Do you want to play Wizard?" he asks as he stands up.

I smile. "It's dark outside," I tell him as I stand as well.

"That's what lights are for," he says like I was stupid. "I'll meet you outback," he says as he puts his book down and leaves the room.

I walk over the table where he left his book and, when the library door closes, I look down at the cover. _Magical Artifacts of the Ancient world._ I frown as I pick it up and flip through it, wondering what the hell has Gavin reading a book like this. My brother never reads for pleasure, and this topic is something so far away from anything he would pick up that I find it concerning to see. I decide not to worry about it, though, Gavin has had a though year, so I put the book back on the table and I head towards my room to change into my riding pants and a jumper. I put on my riding boots and shin guards while asking one of the elves to bring me my broom. When I'm dressed and ready, I head towards the back yard with my broom under one arm and my riding gloves tucked in the back of my pants.

"You ready?" Gavin asks as he tosses his quaffle up and down in his hands. I smile and nod my head.

"I haven't played Wizard in ages," I tell him honestly as we start walking back towards the Quidditch pitch. It is dark outside, so we both have our wands out to light our ways.

"Me either," he says quietly as our riding boots crunch the grass down underneath our feet. "But I'm still going to beat you."

I laugh. "I don't understand why you always set yourself up for failure," I tell him and when we reach the pitch, I lift my wand to light all of the overhead lights. They sizzle to life and bath the pitch in bright white light. "Oldest goes first," I say as I grab the quaffle and I kick off of the ground with my broom.

"That's not the way we play," Gavin calls after me as he hops on his broom to chase me. "Best looking goes first," he says as he tries to get the ball away from my arms.

"Then I get to go first twice as much," I tell him as I soar towards the goal post. I lock my ankles together and I grip my broom with my thighs as I flip my broom around, throwing the quaffle towards one of the posts. When it makes it through the tallest one I look over at Gavin as he glares. "That counts."

"No, it doesn't," he sneers and I go to retrieve the ball. When I get back I throw it at his chest.

"Yes, it does. Repeat or get an automatic W."

"Fine," he snaps and then he gets in the position I was in, with his ankles locked and the ball between his hands. "This was a bloody easy shot anyways."

He does the flip and throws the ball through the highest hoop. He has an arrogant smile on his face as he turns to me. "Told you so."

"Told you so," I mock in a stupid voice as he goes to retrieve the ball.

Gavin was a chaser in Hogwarts, so he has more moves up his sleeve than I do, and I had a hard time repeating some of the goals he made in. By the end of the hour I had W-I-Z-A to my name, while Gavin just had a W, which he found the need to point out every time it was my turn.

"So, how are things going with you?" I ask him after he makes another amazing shot that I know I won't be able to copy. He's been looking a little ill lately and I can't decide what that could mean.

"Not well," he says honestly and I look at him. "How about you?"

"Not well," I repeat back and he nods his head.

"Why can't things ever be simple?" he asks out loud as he looks at the golden hoops above us. "Have you ever noticed that anything we ever do can never be simple and drama free?"

"At least we're interesting,' I add. "I had lunch with Daniella today," I say as I fly up to copy his shot.

"Yeah? And how did that go?"

I shrug and try to do the weird spin thing he did in mid air with one arm on my broom and the other free to throw the ball. It misses of course. W-I-Z-A-R for me now.

"I'm going to marry her."

I throw the ball to him when I get it back and he raises an eyebrow. "Does her dog of a boyfriend know that?" he asks with a laugh in his voice.

"I'm sure he'll find out. He's not invited to the wedding, though," I joke as Gavin flies around, trying to figure out his next move.

"That girl is bad new, Cass," he says as he aims his shot.

"Why do you say that?"

"Why _don't_ I say that?" he counters back and I frown. "Tell me, has she asked you about that statue that got you into so much trouble?"

"Why?" My heart beat speeds up.

"Thought so. Tell me honestly, that statue thing… can it do bad things?" he asks seriously and I glance at him before looking up at the stars. "Can it… I don't know… is it wrong?"

"It's nothing but a statue now," I lie because I don't want to pull him into it.

He throws the ball up and whips his broom around and hits the quaffel with the tail end. It goes soaring up, and lands through the right lower ring. I'm not even going to attempt that. "You win," I say as I look down at my hands.

"Of course I win. I always win," he says smugly as I go flying to the ground. He lands right beside me and he slings his broom over his shoulder. "Cassius," he says to get my attention and I glance at him. "I just think you're too good for her."

"I don't know about that," I say softly.

"I hope you didn't tell her anything important," he says seriously. "I just hope that you don't give her too much information about…" he trails off and we both know what we're talking about. "Anyways, that whole group has been very interested in what happened to you as of late."

"Are you still a part of that?'" I ask worriedly as we begin walking back towards the Manor.

"Not really," he says softly, like he didn't really want to say. "I just know some things."

"Some things."

"Oh, look over there." He points and I stupidly look…. And then he whacks my back with his stupid broom.

"Hey!" He laughs when I push his arm as he stumbles to the side. "That was childish,'' I say and he smirks at me.

We walk in silence for a few moments before he sighs, making me look at him.

"I think I'm going to quit the company," he says, taking me totally by surprised.

"What?"

"I started working right out of school," he says as we approach the back door. "I'd like to take a break and actually figure out what I want to do."

"Are you thinking about following in my footsteps?" I ask jokingly and he looks at me like I was retard. "I saw the book you were reading," I admit with a smile. "That's more up my alley."

"I wasn't reading it for future job references," he says. We go inside and chuck off our boots as he continues talking. "I'm thinking about traveling for a while."

"Traveling?" I repeat flatly. I look down at I untie my shin guards and forearm protectors. "Gavin… Addison…" I'm not sure how to put it. "If you're going to be traveling around, is it safe to assume that the baby isn't yours?"

His eyes look dead as he stares at me. "I don't know."

"You don't know?" I ask and he looks away. "You don't know?" I repeat again and he starts walking off. "How can you not know that?"

"I don't know because she doesn't know, that's how," he snaps and then he's gone.

I feel bad for him now and I sigh loudly before throwing all of my things into the corner and letting my broom lay against the wall. Poor Gavin… I couldn't imagine…

"Master Cassius!"

I jump and nearly fall to the ground as the house-elf pops in front of me. I bring my hand up to my chest to calm my beating heart as I try to get my breathing steady again. I'm not too thrilled with House-elves if I was being honest. "Jesus Christ, do not do that to me," I tell it as she blinks it's big eyes and bends in a low bow.

"Binki is sorry, Master," I wince at the title and take the letter she hands me. "This letter just came for you, little master!"

Little Master…. Until my father dies I suspect the elves will always call me that. "Thank you," I say as she pops away and I shake my head before looking down at the envelope in my hands.

I can tell from the small, cut like script that it's Byron's. I tear it open as I walk down the hallway and I unfold it while jogging up the stairs. Byron has very small handwriting and it's hard to see in the darkness of the Manor, so I walk up to one of the candelabras on the second floor wall so I can see it better.

_We've got a problem,_ it says with out preamble and I raise my brows at the other sentences he wrote.

_Come back to the flat as soon as you can. We need to talk._

Straight to the point, he is. I rub my forehead before going to my room to change out of my riding pants and I throw on a pair of jeans quickly as I wonder about the strange little letter. He probably would have just flood here to tell me if the wards would have let him judging by the urgency in what he wrote. I go to the nearest connected network and floo to the flat, because I don't want to waist time by getting to the Apparation point outside.

When I get into the living room, it's all lit up with every light and candle lit, and Byron is standing there with his hands on his hips and his hair a mess.

"What's the problem?" I ask. I hate walking into situations where another person is in distress and I have no idea what the hell is going on.

"I stayed late the museum tonight," he says with his eyes narrowed. "I stayed late because they were preparing the viewing rooms for the new Grecian Island exhibit," he says and he moves his hand while he speaks to me. "I was trying to pay attention to the wards they were going to put around the necklace for when we had to go in there and take it, but there was a problem."

"What problem?" I ask as I watch him pace around.

"Someone beat us to it," he says and my brow creases. "It disappeared during transit."

"It disappeared," I repeat back like a moron as he runs his hands through his hair.

"No one else knew what it was, right?" he says. "You didn't tell them? I mean, Harry might have suspected, but he wouldn't have gone after the necklace… No one knows about Paige, or the Island, or what that thing can do, right?"

"Right," I nod my head, trying to think of who could have possibly taken it and why. "You don't think it was just your typical art thief?"

"No… I don't think so. One: they didn't take anything else and it was being moved with other highly valuable relics. It was the only one taken, and two: art thieves are usually opportunists, breaking in after hours or taking something when people are gone, but who ever did this knocked out the handlers who were carrying it."

"Is there a reason why they would take it now?"

"Well, it was being held in a very highly warded area. I couldn't even get to it, but when it was being moved no spells or wards would have been on it. This messes up our whole plan," he snaps and I turn around furrow my brows.

"No, no, no, no, no…" I mutter to myself.

"What is it, why are you doing that?"

"Daniella. She wants the people in Spain to move that statue, and they're going to tomorrow night. She's apart of that purist club… you don't think…"

"Did you tell her what it could do?" he asks and I shake my head. "Did you tell anyone?" I turn around and look at him. "Did you tell Gavin?"

"I didn't tell my brother," I say, but he was asking questions tonight… asking if it was wrong or bad… did he know? "Let's see, when I was on vertiserum… I might have told some people at the bar I went to, I think, and I know I told one of the healers at St. Mungo's all about it…but I didn't think anyone of them would believe me."

"What do we do?" he asks and I look down. "So we're just assuming that it's something bad, right?"

"I think that's the safest thing to do."

"So, maybe the best thing is to be in Spain tomorrow night?" he offers and I really don't know what the best solution would be. Daniella couldn't possibly…"I need to talk to, Gavin."

"Would any of them know how to activate it anyways?"

"I don't know," I say honestly I say and I feel like punching a wall. "Come on," I say as I go back to the fireplace. "Let's go talk to my brother."

"I can't," Byron says and I raise my eyebrows. "Your wards won't let me in your home."

"Right," I say as I curse inwardly. "I'll be back in a little bit," I say, intending to bring Gavin here.

When I get home, I search the whole Manor.

Gavin is no where to be found.

"Damnit," I mutter to myself before I kick a nearby chair.


	17. Chapter 17

_**Evelyn**_

I lean over the table and I start removing the heavy makeup with a wet wash cloth. Bright pink rouge and heavy eyeliner smear against my pale skin as I stare at my reflection. Bella's not there and I hope she never will be again.

"It's okay, Malfoy," the girl beside me says with a sympathetic smile. "Everybody falls."

Not in front of everyone in the world, I think dejectedly, but I smile tightly at her and nod my head before turning away. I wait until the rest of the girls are gone, and Madam is done lecturing us, before I start getting ready to leave so I can go home and wallow in my own self pity. I try not to be upset about my performance as I untie my ballet shoes. The ribbons feel soft under my fingers and I throw the slippers into my bag before standing up straight and pushing down the tutu, which falls at my feet in a fluff of pink material.

I was only on the stage for about a minute, but the world decided to hate me yet again this summer and by making me trip as soon as I got on stage. It was all horribly embarrassing and I knew important people were watching so the fact that I still fell even when I had such a minimal role really kills me. I'm glad Marsha Hotchkins didn't fall ill or something because I'm pretty sure I would have made sleeping beauty unbearable for the audience.

I sigh as I bring the strap of my leotard down. The door opens but I ignore it as I lower the other strap and pull it down past my chest. "I'll just be a second," I tell the mystery girl as I push the leotard down my legs, leaving me standing my pale pink tights. It's cold in here, so my body is responding in the most uncomfortable way and I can feel goosebumps rise on my skin.

I bring my hands up to my hair and start taking it out of the tight bun that it was in because it's starting to give me a head ache. The curl that always pops out springs free on my forehead as I let my curls twist down my back and past my shoulders. I shake out my hair and rub my scalp before bending down to grab my bra to put on, but I hear a gasp, so I figure I must have scared whatever girl came in.

"I'm just finishing up," I tell her as I hook my bra around my body and I twist it around so I can run my arms through the straps and place it on properly. I glance over my shoulder when it's in place, because I can feel eyes burning into my back, and I scream when I see Xavier there.

I grab my clothes and hold them up to my chest as I run behind one of the stand up mirrors. "What are you doing?" I yell as I clench my eyes shut and pray he wasn't actually watching me undress. "This is the girls changing room!"

"I... I..." he beings stuttering an excuse and I hastefully put on my shirt and tug on my jeans over my tights. This is just the cherry on top of a horrifically terrible day. "I was.. I was looking for you," he says uncomfortably and I sneer.

"Well, you found me!" I snap as I get dressed as quickly as possible. "You didn't... you didn't see anything did you?" I ask because I wasn't wearing any knickers under those tights, so not only did he see my bare back... be might of seen... Gah! He doesn't say anything, so I groan and shake my head, and then I remember I was undressing in front of a mirror. Oh, did he see the front too!? "What are you doing here!?" I yell in my embarrassment and I can hear him breathing heavily on the other side of the mirror I'm hiding behind. "Just go away, would you!?"

"You...I..." I peek around the mirror to glare at him. He has his back to me now and he's breathing in so deeply that his shoulders rise and fall with each breath.

"Stop stuttering, you silly french boy," I say harshly as I slip on my flip flops. "Why were you looking for me?"

"I just wanted to say, I believe you did well tonight."

I snort and sling my bag over my shoulder. "I fell."

"Barely noticed," he says softly and I finally step out to face him with my face still burning with mortification. He looks over his shoulder when he hears footsteps and he sheepishly turns around as well and looks down at his feet. "I apologize," he says softly. "I dzought you would be decent by now."

"You could have at least said something when you walked in instead of just staring at me while I undressed like a pervert," I say as I cross my arms over my chest.

"I am sorry," he apologizes again and I can tell he's blushing as deeply as I am. "I was a little stunned. You 'ave a beautiful body," he says and I blush again. I'm only fourteen! I'm not ready to be viewed like that.

"Thanks," I say quickly. "Is there anything you wanted because I need to go find my parents."

"I 'ave been asked to meet with Madam Violet's husband."

Of course, "Congratulations," Is say bitterly.

"Dzank you," he says softly and I can feel him staring at me and I entertain the thought of swinging my bag around and hitting him in the head. He'll probably see me naked every time that he looks at me now. GAH! "I..." I glance at him with my jaw clenched. "I am sorry, I can't."

"You can't what?" I snap because I want nothing more than to go home and soak in the bathtub to forget all about tonight. About how I fell on stage in front of the whole world and about how stupid Xavier saw me naked. He takes me totally by surprise as he steps closer to me and grabs my face, kissing me harshly against the lips and walking me backwards until my back hits the mirror. "What are you doing?" I ask when he pulls back and he stares at me with dark eyes.

It seems like it has been ages since the last time I saw or talked to him and I find myself simply staring at him in awe because he seems to remind me about how simple yet complicated things used to be. I watch him as he lets one of his hands drop from my face and I follow his movements as he reaches into his pocket and pulls out a small red stone. It's the one with the rune on it that I found in the garden and I look at his eyes in surprise.

"I know what dzis is," he says gently as he turns it over with his fingers. "And I also saw you slip it into my bag."

"Oh," I say quietly. "Oh," I repeat again because I can't rightly come out with anything worth while to say.

"Why did you give it to me?" he questions with an eyebrow raised but he is standing much too close to me for me to be comfortable. "I have been dzinking about you none stop," he says and I lean more against the mirror to support my wobbly knees. "Dance was my first desire," he says as he looks down at me with hazel eyes. "but you, I find it hard to sleep at night."

"I'm sorry," I tell him because it was quite a sneaky thing for me to do. Slipping that desire rock to him to see if he liked me wasn't the best way to go about things... but it was Bella's idea and now I know that wasn't the best thing to follow.

"I wish I could 'ave danced widz you tonight," he says and I almost roll my eyes.

"I fell down," I repeat again because I can't get it out of my freaking mind. "I fell down in front of everyone... You danced well, by the way..." I add because I feel like I should throw a compliment his way.

"I know I did," he says like the modest chap that he is. "And I will be in England from now on, where I can see you fall every weekend, if you would like."

I scoff. "I wouldn't be able to leave the school every weekend."

He steps back and throws the rock up in his hands and catches it again. "What would happen if I gave dzis rock to you?"he asks and I raise my brows as he hands it to me, placing it in my cold hands.

"Nothing, because you have to do the spell," I tell him honestly. I bet my parents are going ballistic about right now wondering where I am.

"Is it a... verbal spell?" he asks curiously and I nod my head. "What is the word?"

"It doesn't matter," I tell him as I try to hand the rock back, but he refuses to take it. "We better leave. I suspect people are looking for us."

"I would like to know if you desire me as much," he says softly.

Well, this sure turned around in a way I wasn't expecting. "I don't think you need the rock to know that," I whisper softly and he furrows his brows as he tilts his head to the side, studying me closely.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean... well, right now isn't the best time to be having this conversation... and you shouldn't be standing so close to me." I push him back and take a deep breath. "Now, I've had the worst past couple of weeks and then I fell when I was on stage on one of the most important nights of my life and then you see me naked and now you're kissing me. To be honest, I even forgot that I gave you that rock and I am sorry if it has been bothering you. I start school tomorrow and I'm really tired and I know I have to wake up early.... I am extremely fuddled up right now and I don't have the drive... or care, perhaps is the better word, to deal with this right now."

He steps back again and he looks a little troubled. I take a deep breath. "I am a fool again," he says before turning around and walking out. I feel worse now than I did before and I scowl at the thought of stupid boys before rushing out after him. He's so moody, and really, he has no right to be after what I've been through!

I let out a frustrated squeal as I stomp towards the door, opening it violently and chasing him down. "Hey, wait!" I yell at his back when I see his broad shoulders making his way up the stairs.

He doesn't wait, and because the Gods decided that they hate me more than anyone, I trip and go crashing down to my knees. "Ow," I say as my knees smart and my eyes water. "What the heck is happening?" I say sadly because I've never had a worst week in my life.

"Are you okay?" I hear Xavier say as I stand up and rub the top of my knee caps.

"I am not okay," I tell him as I lean against the wall, waiting for the sting to die down before I start walking again.

He walks closer to me again and then he sighs. "Are you going to dze party?" he asks as I glance over at him with a lopsided frown.

"The one at Julie Weasley's house?" I say because everyone in the production was invited and he nods his head. "I don't think so."

"Oh," he says softly.

"Xavier, I really am sorry that I'm being so short with you." It's kind of funny that I'm apologizing considering we used to go at it like cats and dogs. "I don't mean to be, it's just everything has been going so wrong lately."

I let a few tears slip, and I wipe them away quickly because I am not a crier. I don't enjoy doing it and I hate it when people witness it on the rare occasion that I actually do. He steps closer to me and I look down, pretending that I have something to fix on my bag. First, I feel his hand on my shoulder, and then it slides down to my arm. I look up, hoping he's not going to pity me or anything of that sort and he pulls me to him then. In a surprise gesture, he puts his arms around me gives me a hug. Just an innocent, warm hug, and I turn my face into his neck and bring my hands up to wrap around his waist. I didn't realize how much I needed a hug.

He starts muttering things against my ear. Things spoken in his native tongue telling me that he was sorry if he ever hurt my feelings, that everything would be okay, that he thought I was the most wonderful girl he's met. I smile against his shoulder and lift my head to look into his eyes.

"It's so strange," I tell him as he looks seriously down at me. He's always so serious. "That I used to despise you so much."

He might have flinched. "I 'ave never despised you," he says gently and I roll my eyes as I recall every mean and snarky thing he has ever said to me. "We will see each other again, yeah?" he asks, unsure, like he didn't know whether I wanted to or not.

I nod my head. "Yeah, we'll see each other."

We leave together, to join the crowd of people standing in the lobby, and I send him one furtive glance before he walks away to speak to his Dad. I meet my parents in the front hall where most of the families are waiting and I can tell they are both at a loss as what to say to me. "You looked beautiful," my mom settles on as she kisses my cheek. I sigh loudly and give them a sad smile as my father hands me a white rose and kisses the top of my head.

"I thought you did well," he says against my head and I know he's lying so I try to shrug it off.

"Let's go home," I say and my Mom tilts her head to the side.

"I thought you wanted to go to the after party?" she says and I look at her surprise. Granted, I had said I wanted to, but I figured that I wouldn't be allowed anyways. "Lavinia said she would take you," she says and I rise my eyebrows.

"Lavinia came?" I say in surprise and Dad nods his head. I look around for her and spot here coming out of the loo. I'm pleasantly surprised, until I remember that I fell, and I let that smile on my face fall as she approaches.

"Hey, Evie," she says when she gets close enough and she gives me a hug. "The show was wonderful."

Just wonderful, another person to revel in my humiliation.

When we get home I take an hour long bubble bath and I dress in my warmest fuzziest most comfortable pj's that I own. I make a cave out of my blankets and crawl inside after I extinguish all of the lights and I listen to myself breath for a few minutes, trying not to reply tonights events in my head in fear of dying from embarrassment. Although, the part with Xavier hadn't been all that terrible and I feel a warm feeling settling on my chest as my body starts to tingle. It was a good kiss, no matter how surprising it was. I nearly jump out of my skin when someone knocks on the door and I wrestle around in my covers to get free as whoever it is comes in without permission. I peek my head out of my cocoon to glare at the intruder with full force.

"Are you asleep?" I hear my sister ask as I glare at her outline in the doorway.

"I'm not now," I tell her hatefully. "What are you doing here?" I ask as I look at the red glowing clock on my bedside table. "Shouldn't you be at school?"

"I am allowed to come home some times," she tells me as she closes the door and walks over to my bed. "Do you mind if I lay down with you?"

"Why?" I ask, even as I start dismantling my cave so I can give my sister room. "Was the fall that bad that you feel the need to comfort me like this?"

"It wasn't bad at all," she says softly as she slides onto the sheets beside me. "You made it look like it was part of the show."

I snort and close my eyes as she covers herself with my once cave of solitude blanket. "This has been the worst summer of my life," I mumble against my pillow and I feel my older sister take one of my curls and twirl it with her fingers. People always seem to do that to people with curly hair.

"I have an idea," she says softly and I turn around so I can face her in the darkness. "Let's pretend this summer never happened. Let's start over new tomorrow."

I think of everything that happened this summer and I nod my head. "Yes," I say as I remember the pain of losing Cassius and the confusion of having him back. Bella wasn't good and I'm still having splitting headaches and seeing terrible things in my mind because of that potion. "Yes, I believe that is a good idea."

I will think on it no more. It's like it never happened. I won't think about how I was almost killed on some weird beach in the middle of no where. I will not think about the man Dorian Bones who saved me....

"Are you glad school is starting tomorrow?"

I focus my attention back on Lavinia and I nod my head even though she probably can't see it.

"I bet you're glad you'll be able to see Jeremiah everyday."

"Yes," I say softly. "I do miss him terribly when he's not around."

"Can I be the maid of honor in your wedding?" she asks and it takes a few moments for me to understand what she's implying.

"Oh, I'm not going to marry Jay," I tell her, like she was foolish for even thinking such a thing. "He's my best mate."

"I think you'll be surprised," she says gently. "Your husband is supposed to be your best mate. I think one day you're going to wake up and realize that you love him with all your heart."

I scoff. "No, I'm leaning more towards the french side of life, anyways."

"The French?" she asks and I like that we're talking about boys. It's girl stuff... normal for sisters to talk about.

"Do you remember the pink french man at my birthday party?"

"The extremely angry pink french man?" she asks and I nod. "You fancy him?"

"A little, I think," I say modestly because I'm not going to put it all on the table.

"Yes, that seems healthy," she says with a snort. "Does he like you?"

"I think so... he's kissed me a few times."

I can practically feel her smiling at me. "Aw..."

"Not aw..." I say as I stare at her outline. "It's been kind of crazy, actually. He saw me naked tonight."

"What?"

She doesn't sound happy about that and I sigh before I start explaining. "I was changing after the show, and I didn't realize he had walked in."

"And he didn't say anything?"

"No, he just kind of stood there actually..."

"That's a bit weird," she says and I frown. "What did he do after you noticed him?"

"Oh, the usual. I screamed, he apologized, we kissed."

"You kissed him while you were naked?"

"No!" I say and then I whisper because I realize that was loud. "I got dressed."

"I would have been mortified if a boy saw me naked at your age," she says and I agree.

"I was... am... but he said I had a beautiful body," I say optimistically.

"That was awfully bold considering you are both babies," she says hatefully and I frown as I turn on my back and start fiddling with my fingers.

"He's very mature for his age," I say, not totally sure if that makes sense, but oh well. "And I'm not a baby. I'm growing into a woman, I'll have you know." She snorts and I can picture her rolling her eyes. "I am, and just because I'm not built like you doesn't mean I'm not."

"Built like me?" she laughs and I frown. "You're lucky you're not built like me," she says as she turns on her side and props herself up with her hand. "You're so skinny... " She pinches my side and laughs when I try to roll away to avoid her. "I'm envious of your little body."

"I wish I had boobs," I say with a sigh when I'm sure she won't pinch me again.

"I wish I could wear a bikini in public."

"You could do that," I tell her.

She shakes her head and turns on her back. "I could, but half of England would go blind."

"But Byron can see very well," I say with a smirk and her head snaps to mine. "And I'm sure he's sees everything a bikini would hide."

"Evelyn," she scolds. I smile and then I let that smile falter when I remember the last time I saw Byron... at Cass' party when I told him Lavinia had cheated on him and he was being so rough with her.

"Is he... I'm sorry about telling him those things," I tell her quietly. "Did he hurt you terribly?"

"We worked it out... what things did you tell him?" She asks curiously and I figure he must not have repeated my lie. Should I even tell her? "And where did you go, Evelyn... Where did you Apparate to?"

"You know, no where important," I say with a shrug. "I just told him to get out of my way, is all..." I lie as I roll on my stomach and I prop my face up with my chin in my hands. "He was being quite harsh with you," I tell her as I send a sideways glance her way.

"Yes," she says softly like she didn't want to talk about it. "He gets very emotional sometimes."

"Do you shag him?" I ask curiously and I feel her eyes on me.

"Why would you ask me that?"

"Just wondering... how old were you when... you know..."

"When what?" she asks even though she knows perfectly well. I definitely felt something in the dressing room with Xavier. My body felt like it was on fire and I have a feeling what that leads to.

"Well..." I start uncomfortably. "When you first started fooling around with boys?"

"Fooling around with boys?"

"Yeah...."

"A lady never fools around with boys," she says and I can imagine she's tilting her chin up. "And we are ladies, are we not?"

"Oh yes, the most dignified ladies who dry hump men named Byron Flint outside on the veranda while a party for our graduation plays on inside."

I smile at the silence and then she inhales. "You saw that?"

I laugh. "You're lucky no one else did!"

She laughs a little, a light and soft laugh, before sighing loudly. "That feels like ages ago." I agree, so I don't say anything as I shift my legs under the covers. "I never fooled around with anyone before Byron," she says softly after a long moment of silence. "Of course, I kissed a few boys but that was it. I don't think that really counts."

I think it counts.

"So, you have had sex with Byron?" I ask, trying to pretend like I wasn't nervous to ask such a thing. I want to know because that's such a foreign act to me... something dangerous and mysterious that my body is just waking up to. I want to be normal again, and I will not let my bad dreams plague my mind any longer.

"Yeah," she says in a whisper. She turns on her side again to face me. "But I waited a long time because I wanted to do it with someone I knew I felt something for," she says like she was trying to convey a point. "At school they always talk about abstinence... but I don't think anyone actually listens to that." I almost laugh because of the things she's saying, but I suppose she's being honest with me and I lay my head on my forearms and tilt my face towards her's to give her my full attention. "I think you should wait until you're old enough and your mind and body are mature enough to handle it," I see her profile as she licks her lips. "You have to be sure you're doing it for yourself and not the guy... no doubts... and not chance of you ever regretting it.... oh, and you have to be smart about it. Teen pregnancy doesn't look good on anyone."

I weigh her words in my mind as I chew on the insides of my cheeks. I know I'm no where near ready for having sex, but it's good advice to hold on to. "Does it hurt?" I ask after a while. "Becky Thomas says it hurts terribly the first time."

"Who's Becky Thomas?"

"A girl in the year ahead of me. She let Willie Sims feel her up behind the green houses second year and then she let him shag her over the summer when they were at swim camp."

"Ew," Lavinia says in disgust. "That's a bit young to be doing stuff like that."

Something nudges open my door, and we both turn towards it as the light from the hallway streams in. Nero, my poor little forgotten puppy, lopes into the room and, after a loud groan of protest from my sister, he jumps on my bed.

"Good little Nero," I tell him as he curls up by my feet. I can feel Lavinia's distaste as she picks up her wand and makes the door shut with a wind spell.

"I hate your dog," she comments tightly as he goes around in circles, trying to get comfortable.

"Shh, he can hear you," I say as I sit up and rub his fur.

"He almost killed Cato," Lavinia says like it was a personal slight that her stupid old cat got in the way of a rumbustious little puppy. "Scared her half to death."

"Are you taking Cato back with you?" I ask curiously as Nero drifts off into sleep. I lay back down and turn towards her. "Are you allowed to have familiars at your school?"

"We are, but I just don't want to worry about another thing to take care of," she says quietly. "I barely take care of myself properly as it is and Byron is deathly allergic to cats," she says and I laugh before covering my mouth with my hand so I don't wake the dog. "Anyways, what were we talking about?"

"Shagging," I say casually, like I spoke about it all the time.

"Oh, yeah, you're too young for it."

"But does it hurt?"

She inhales and then exhales slowly, blowing warm air on my cheek. "A little," she replies and I scrunch up my nose... what's the point, then? "Just the first couple of times, but your body gets used to it," she says. "It's a different kind of hurt, though, nothing too unbearable and, as long as your body is prepared, it turns out fine... and I knew a few girls in school who said it didn't hurt them at all, so I guess everyone is different."

"I thought it was supposed to feel amazing," I mutter. Everyone talks about shagging... books... people on the street... plays...Gavin...

"It does, especially when it's with someone you love because you get to feel so close to them. It's called making love for a reason."

"Oh." Hmf. "You know they pee out of that thing right?" I say because the thought of having that anywhere near me makes me nauseous.

She laughs, and I feel her tug one of my curls. "You are far too young to worry about anything like that anyways... Let's go to sleep. I'm getting tired," she whispers with a yawn.

She turns away from me and tucks her hands under the pillow as I stare at the head board of my bed. "Lavinia?"

"Hmm?" she mumbles tiredly against the sheets.

I tuck under the covers and turn on my side so I'm staring at her back. "Thank you for coming to the show tonight."

"I wouldn't have missed it, you skinny minny."

I smile at the nickname and close my eyes. For the first time in weeks I sleep, but I have the strangest dream. It's one of those crazy dreams where you know you're asleep somewhere and you know that the things around you aren't real, but you can't do anything about it. In the dream, I find myself in a small dark shed, where tools hang on the walls and bikes are stored against the sides like it was a storage unit for forgotten things. I'm facing the back of a tall, thin, black haired girl who has a pink ribbon in her hair. She's humming to herself as she holds something down on the wooden work bench and whatever it is is fighting against her, making her grunt and strain her muscles as she tries to keep it down. I watch her back, unable to move, as she reaches over and picks up a hammer, all the while humming pleasantly to herself as the thing she holds down tries desperately to get away from her clutches. I try to see, but I just can't.

"Little bunny foo foo," she starts singing out loud as she raises the hammer. "Hopping through the forest." SLAM. I jump as the hammer hits something on the table and a painful noise like I've never heard before infiltrates my ears. "Scooping up the field mice," SLAM. This time it's followed by a sickening crunching noise and I scrunch my nose in disgust as she continues to sing. What is on that table? "And bopping them on the head." SLAM.

The last hit vibrates the windows and whatever is on the table stops moving. I take a step forward while the black haired girl in the pink dress hums to herself some more as she puts down the hammer.

"Bella, are you in there?" Someone knocks on the shed door and the girl looks over her shoulder. The dream suddenly turns into a nightmare when I recognize Bella from the mirror. She just looks younger here, about sixteen. "Bella?"

She quickly covers whatever lay on the workbench with a blanket and she hides the bloody hammer under the table. "What do you want?" she snaps.

The door opens and two girls step in. The taller of the two looks like she's my age and she is obviously related to Bella because they look so similar. Same hooded eyes, same sharp nose... the hair is a little different, though. The new girl has a lighter shade of brown to counter Bella's black, but they're both tall and thin, with full lower lips and intense looking eyes. The other girl, that's trailing beside the Bella look-a-like, is about five years old and she's wearing a blue baby doll dress with her hair done up in two pigtails, tied by matching ribbons. Her hair is blond, and her eyes are an iced blue color that looks so familiar to me.

"Narcissa can't find Trixter," the older of the two says as she takes the little blonde's hand. "Have you seen him?"

"No," Bella sneers as she puts her back to the table and hides her hands behind her dress. "I haven't seen her stupid little rabbit. You probably forgot to lock his cage again, didn't you, Cissa?"

The little blonde furrows her brows and shakes her head. "No, no, Bella, I know I locked it after I fed him this morning."

Bella glares at the little girl. "I'm sure you did," she sneers sarcastically, but it's lost on the little girl. The older one, however, caught it and glared.

"Will you help us find him, at least?" she asks calmly, even though I can tell that she's angry. "I'm sure if we all look for him we have a better chance of finding him sooner."

The little blonde agrees with a nod of her head, but Bella rolls her eyes. "I have better things to do than help the baby find her stupid pet, Andromeda," she says hatefully.

"Really?" The older one says. "Like what? What are you doing in here in the first place?"

"None of your business."

"I swear, Bellatrix, I will tell Mother and Father if you are in here brewing bad potions again." They stare at each other. "Don't think I won't."

There's a long bout of silence where the two older girls glare at one another until Bella sighs and she lets an easy smile come to her face. A fake smile, mind you. I can tell that. "Fine," she says as she walks over to the other girls with a sickening smile turning her lips. I look back to the table where the lump is laying under the blanket. Blood is dripping off the table from under it, pooling on the dirty ground, but no one notices. "You caught me, I've been working on someones birthday present."

The little blonde's eyes light up and she curls on the toes of her polished mary jane shoes. "Mine? You've been working on my present?"

"Who else is having a birthday in three days?" she says with a laugh as she bends down and bops the girl on the nose with her finger. "You don't turn six every day, you know."

"Is it a surprise?" The little girl can barely contain her excitement and her eyes dart to the lump under the blanket. "I do so terribly love surprises."

"Yes, it is."

Bella stands and smirks down at the little girl and then she looks to the older one. She is not amused and she stares are Bella with her eyes slightly narrowed. "Come on, Cissa," she says as she tugs on the little girl's hand. "Let's check the garden for Trixter."

They leave and Bella smirks darkly at the door before turning around and heading back to the work table. I walk over to her as she removes the blanket from the lump and I grimace when I see a banged up white bunny covered in blood. She picks up a handsaw.

"Little bunny foo foo..."

I close my eyes as she starts singing again, but when I open them I'm in a large dining hall. Dreams are never predictable, and I look around the room at the banners declaring Narcissa Black's six birthday. Balloons and steamers decorate the hall in dark purples and bright pinks with golden stars hanging from ceiling by silver ribbons. It looks like one hundred kids are seated around the long dark table and they're all dressed up. The little girls are wearing frilly dresses in an array of colors with small tiara's on their heads while all the boys are wearing little tuxes and small golden crowns made out of paper. The little blonde girl from the shed is at the head of the table, with balloons attached to the back of her seat declaring her importance at the party. She's opening presents, and is very happy about that fact, as she laughs and squeals every time a new toy is revealed to her.

"How about another present, dumpling." The tall blond woman who was watching the scene from beside the little girl's chair smiles down at her. "Which one would you like to open now?"

The little girl bites her lip as she looks at the unfinished stack before her. "Oh..."

"Open this one." Bella steps around the chair with that sickening smile again. "It's from me."

"Is this your surprise, Bellatrix?" she asks as she sits up on her knees to retrieve the little box wrapped in red. "I can't wait to see what it is."

"Me either," mumbles the other sister, who was standing so close to me that I nearly jumped when I noticed her hanging back from the rest of the party.

I watch as the little blonde unwraps the present with excited hands, balling up the red paper and throwing it on the table as she moves to open the lid. She pauses a moment, to smile at her older sister, and then she opens the box.

At first she seems confused as she looks inside and then she gives Bella a pitiful, heartbroken, look as her eyes begin to water. With a trembling lip, she hops off the chair and runs out of the room. All the little kids start whispering to each other as the tall blond woman goes to get her, after sending Bella a heated glare. The sister beside me walks towards the table and picks up the thing in the box. It's a white rabbit's foot, dangling from a golden chain. She stares at it and then her glare becomes deadly as she looks at Bella.

"You're a monster."

Bella smiles. "It's supposed to be good luck. I thought she would like it."

"I hate you," she says as she throws the rabbit's foot on the floor while the other children stare.

Bella tilts her head to the side and smiles.

Something wet touches my nose, pulling me out of my dream, and I slowly open my eyes. Nero, my little speckled Dalmatian puppy is wagging his tail and he licks my face again as I hug him to me.

"You silly little dog," I tell him as I pet his head and scratch his ears. "I barely even got to know you," I tell him sadly and I kiss his head as I lay back and close my eyes again.

I try to go back to sleep, but it's pointless. I'm back in my room, out of my dream, and it's the first day of school... I groan against my pillow before I roll out of bed, with Nero paddling along happily by my side. My sister is no longer here and I trudge to the bathroom to take a shower and brush my teeth as I think about that terrible dream. Was it real or a figment of my imagination? Hopefully the latter. I've never been more thankful to have the boring sweet Lavinia as my older sister as opposed to that monster in the dream. As I get clothed in a flower covered sun dress, I can't help but pray that this school year is going to be good for me. I do so hope it is. After tying a yellow ribbon in my hair, I go down stairs to eat breakfast and make small talk with my parents before I have to leave for my fourth year..

Hogwarts, here I come.

Daddy says he can't come to the platform to see me off, and I spend a confused second being pouty before I allow Mom to take me to the parking garage so we can drive to the muggle train station. I know how terrible Mom is at driving, so I make sure to buckle up and sit properly even before she puts the key in the ignition.

"Where did Lavinia go?" I ask. I couldn't have dreamt that she came into my room during the night.

"She had an early class today," she answers as she pulls into traffic, making the yellow car behind her honk loudly. I notice her hands tighten around the steering wheel and I hold on to the arm rest. I despise muggle contraptions like this one. "So, this is the first time you'll be in school with out another Malfoy with you," she says with a smile as her eyes flick to mine. "How does that feel?"

I tilt my head as I stare at the car in front of me. "I haven't really thought of it that way." I smile a little. "I suspect I can get away with a lot more with Lavinia gone," I tell her with a little smirk as she raises her brows. "But, of course, I would never do anything bad in the first place."

She doesn't say anything.

"Momma?"

"What, baby?" she asks like I was a small child again and I don't actually know why I called her that variation on mother anyways.

"I'm sorry about the dress... and I'm sorry that you got in a fight with that woman. Thank you for helping me." It doesn't hurt to say it again, because I know that there is still a weird rift between myself and my parents because of it.

"It's alright," she says with a sigh. "It was long over due anyways. How are you feeling?" We stop at a stop sign and she looks at me. "Are you sure you're okay?"

I smile. "I am fine. I had the weirdest dream last night..." I say as I look off in front of me. "It was so real..." I lick my lips as she starts driving again and I stare down at my lap. "Mom, did Dad not come today because he's angry with me?"

"He's not angry with you, honey," she says softly. "He just has to work."

"He's been working a lot lately."

"I know, but it happens."

I nod and cross my arms as I look out the window. "Oh, drat," I say to the storm clouds closing in. "I do believe it's going to rain."

By the time we get to the platform it's pouring and I frown unhappily as Mom helps me put all of my things on the baggage carrier. What an ugly way to begin the school year. Daddy usually does all this heavy lifting stuff, but now my poor mother and I are stuck in the rain doing it. How unfair.

"Alright, I think we're ready to go," Mom says as she takes out her wand and fashions a couple umbrellas out of some old twigs she found on the ground. She is good at transfiguration, my mom. She hands one of the black ones to me and smiles. "You ready?"

I nod my head and place my umbrella against my shoulder as I push my carrier through the crowd of people. Once on the platform, I say a quick goodbye to my mom because the rain is starting to make me chilly and it's getting my feet wet.

"Make sure to take care of Nero for me," I tell her with a hug. "It's not fair at all that dogs aren't allowed to come to Hogwarts. "

"I will, sweetheart," she says and I wave her off after she kisses my cheek. I hand off my things to the burly loading men as I stand in the long line to get on the train. I guess no one wants to stand out here in the rain, waiting to get on. I sigh as I wait behind a group of nervous looking first years who keep sending amazed glances at me. Yes, I want to say to them, Malfoy children go to this school too, so stop staring. I move forward a little bit and I feel a hand on my wrist, slowly traveling up my arm. I turn in surprise and when I see Xavier there, I can't help but laugh in disbelief.

"What are you doing?" I ask as I pull him to me so he can get under my unbrella. He's just wearing a black t-shirt that V necks downward, revealing his smooth chest and a torn up pair of jeans. He's soaking wet, but he doesn't look it, and on his head is a black fedora that has water droplets dripping off the tip in beads. "You didn't all of a sudden transfer here, did you?" I tease as he takes my hand and walks me away from the line after sending a harsh glare to the first years.

We find shelter under one of the archways along the train building and I fold up the umbrella as he looks at me and holds up his hand, showing me the single daisy that he's holding.

"Is that for me?" I ask with a smile, trying to forget the embarrassing thing that happened yesterday. This is the day for new beginnings and I will not have it ruined!

"It got a little damp," he says as I take twirl it with my fingers so the flower's pedals dance in a circle.

" I love daisies," I say softly as I smile down at it. "They are my favorite flower."

"I thought you would like it," he says softly and I finally look him in the eyes.

"Why are you here?"

"I got the spot with the company," he says and I feel happy for him, I really do, so I hug him around the neck, pressing my body into his.

"Congratulations," I say against his ear as I close my eyes. "We all knew you would get it." He tightens his hold on me, and even though I know I want to forget all this summer, there is one thing I don't want to let go of just yet.

I slowly allow myself to pull back and I look at his lips. They curve the perfect way... I wander if it's a french thing. I slowly lean up to kiss him, because who knows when I'll be able to again, and he responds to my show of affection like only a passionate Frenchman can. He does amazing curling things with his tongue and he taste like wine and strawberries. I feel dizzy, wondering how this could possibly be the same boy who used to be so mean to me at the beginning of the summer. I continue to snog him silly until I come to my senses and realize we're making quite a scene to anyone who would be watching. "I have to get on the train," I say sadly after pushing him back, because I would so love to just stand here and snog him the rest of the day.

"Oui," he says and he steps back, letting my hands fall from my body. "Can I owl you?"

"Oui," I say with a smile and a little grin tilts the corner of his lips. "I really must go now," I tell him as I reach up and kiss his cheek. "They're doing last call and I can't be left behind."

I smile again as I pick up the umbrella and let it expand as I run to the train so the darned thing doesn't take off with out me. I look back once and wave at Xavier with a happy feeling coursing through my chest as I step onto the train. Is he my boyfriend now? I've never actually had a real live boyfriend before. New year, new beginnings. I hope things will be better for me. I shake off the rain as I walk down the hallways to find a place to sit. Seeing old friends and classmates I haven't seen in months really brings me back to reality and it really makes me see that all I went through this summer has really changed me in some weird and new way. I'm on a mission to find, Jeremiah, though, to tell him everything and to let him know about my new beginning plan to a healthier and better me. With the daisy still in my hand, I find him.... sitting in one of the front compartments with Kendra sitting beside him... sucking his face off.

I stop and stare through the glass window as they snog the daylights out of each other and I feel a stinging pain in my chest at the sight. Then I feel anger, and I want to go in and pull her away by the hair, but I look down at the daisy again and decide that that's not actually fair of me to do so I turn around. The irritation and anger is still settling on my heart as I walk away and find a place to sit by myself, but I try to ignore it because if I can kiss rude french boys, he can kiss former best dance partner friends of mine. I slide over to the window and rest my head against it as the train starts moving towards the school after I findmyself an empty compartment and I really try not to be upset. Rain starts splashing against the window and I close my eyes as my nose fogs up the little bit of glass by my face.

Things will get better.

They just have to.

_**Cassius**_

"Who are you?" I ask the little blond girl sitting at Joel's desk.

She finishes eating the cookie she was chomping on and glances up to me while wiping off her mouth. "Hi," she squeaks. She looks young. Maybe nineteen. "I'm Mr. Malfoy's new secretary," she says and I look down as her breasts jut out of her scoop neck sweater. She wipes her hands on her skirt and stands up, offering me her small hand to shake. That skirt is way too short to be decent and I raise my eyebrows at it. "My name's Holly."

I shake her hand, utterly confused. "Where's Joel?" I ask. Did my father finally kill his gay assistant?

"Oh, he got promoted," she says with a dimpled smile and I feel my lip curl back in disgust. I don't really like being around floozy girls. "Can I help you with anything?"

"Yeah," I say as I narrow my eyes at her and glance down at her desk to see what she's been working on. It's just a bunch of doodles of hearts and teddy bears. "Yeah, I'm here to see your boss," I tell her jokingly and she shuffles around papers and furrows her brows.

"I'm sorry he's expecting an important client right now."

I raise my eyebrow. "Really?"

She nods her head and looks up to me. "You could take a seat there and wait, if you'd like."

"Are you kidding me?" I ask because I have never once been made to wait when I've come to see my father. She seems to flinch at my hard tone and I feel guilty, so I sigh. "Listen, Holly," I say and she blinks her big blue eyes at me. "I'm sorry, but I'm just going to go in," I tell as I walk past her desk to open the office door. She runs in front of me like a mad woman and plants herself along the door. I look down at her in surprise and step back. "What are you doing?"

"Mr. Malfoy made it very clear that he doesn't want anyone bothering him unless they have an appointment."

I try to smile nicely. Like a person would to a slow child. "I'm sure he won't mind." I go to walk past her again, but she puts her hands on each side of the door frame and sets her jaw. I would laugh at her if I wasn't so annoyed. "Listen," I snap. "I'm his son. He's not going to mind if I go in."

"He said _no one_ was allowed in," she says. "He was very clear. I'm sorry, but you'll just have to wait."

I glare at her. "Tell him that I'm here, at least."

She bites her lower lip, painted red with lip stick and gloss. "He said I shouldn't bother him any more today. Just please, take a seat."

I give her one more scathing look before sitting down on the waiting couch, crossing my arms and tapping my foot impatiently against the floor. I flick angry glances at the stupid blonde at the desk as she files her nails and rearranges her bra. What the hell is my father thinking hiring her, even if she is fit? After half an hour, my father's door opens and he steps out, with his tie over his shoulder and his white dress shirt rolled up to his elbows.

"When taking notes, please refrain from dotting your i's with hearts," he says as he sets something down on her desk. She pushes her arms together to create more cleavage as she bats her eyes at him. I feel disgusted. "I don't want to feel like I'm reading something a third grader wrote."

"Yes, Mr. Malfoy," she says in a weird soft voice like she was trying to sound sexy. She brings up her hand and puts it on top of his as he sets the paper down. I cough loudly and they both look to me.

"Cass?" he looks suprised as he stands up straight and furrows his brows. "How long have you been here?"

I stand up as well and stuff my hands in my pockets. "I've been waiting out here for half an hour," I tell him and he sends a heated glare to the idiot at the desk. She smiles at him and bites the corner of her lip. "I had no choice, after all, you were waiting on someone important to show up."

"This is my son, Miss Kemper," he says, like he was restraining himself from yelling.

"Oh, she knows," I say just to get her in trouble because I have decided that I don't like her. "I told her."

"Did it occur to you that my important meeting might have been with my oldest child?" he asks and she blushes.

"I'm sorry, sir," she whispers, playing the little girl routine again. "I thought you meant a business meeting. You might have to punish me."

What. The. Hell.

He sneers at her and then he nods his head to me. "Come on in then," he says and I follow him inside after sending one more irritated look to his new secretary.

"Where did you find that?" I ask as the door closes behind us.

He walks over to his desk and takes a seat, taking off his glasses and cleaning them off with his tie. "She's the daughter of one of the partners. After Joel left I didn't care who came."

"At least Joel could read," I say as I take a seat across from him and cross my legs.

"Well, you can't win them all," he says tiredly. "Now, why did you want to see me?"

"Do you have to be personally invited to be allowed into Hogwarts?" I ask and he raises his brows as he looks at me.

"What?"

"Well, I'm thinking I want to go to Hogwarts, just for a little visit."

"A visit?"

"Uh huh," I say, not looking at his eyes because for some reason he always finds a way to tell that I'm lying.

"You just want to go visit Hogwarts?"

"That's what I said," I tell him. "I mean, I know it's open for families during Quidditch games, but you have to have a special pass and then another visitors pass to get into the castle. Is there a way around that?"

"What are you really playing at, Cassius?"

I start messing with my hair. "Just curious."

"I have no idea what you're doing, but I'm sure it's not good." I sigh and slouch my shoulders in defeat as he studies my face. "Why don't you ask the Headmaster if he can give you a pass?"

"Would he say yes?"

"No, but you could always try."

Hm. That does not help me at all. "Do you want to go out to lunch?" I ask because I don't want it to seem like I only came here to ask him that one little question... when I actually did.

"Not today. I have a lot of work to do, and as you can see," he makes a motion to the coffee and cookies that I saw Holly eating in the lobby. "I have my healthy lunch ready for me."

"Oh, well, then..."

I stay for another twenty minutes, talking about his work, about my plans for the future work wise, and about how much I hate St. Mungo's, before I leave. On my way out, I make sure to give a look to Holly so she knows I don't appreciate her flirting with my father but she just waves and prances off into my father's office as I leave the lobby. Tonight Byron and I are going to Spain to watch them move the statue head, if anything goes wrong, we might be able to help or at least find out where the necklace is. Of course, I could care less about Paige but there are other people there, other people who need to be helped. With Lavinia and Evelyn at school and Gavin doing gods know what, I'm left in the Manor with my mother, who seems quite depressed as of late, so she's not exactly a joy to be around. We eat dinner together in the dining hall and I stare at her as she picks at her fork.

"Is Dad not coming home again?" I ask, having noticed that he's been working more and more lately.

She shakes her head and takes a light sip from her wine glass. "He has to work."

"He's been working a lot lately," I point out, watching as her brow creases the slightest bit, unable to hide her worried thoughts.

"Yeah, but sometimes that happens," she says, trying to smile optimistically at me even though I can see the underlining trouble in her eyes. "So, you went his office today?"

I nod my head.

"And you met his new secretary?"

I nod my head and roll my eyes. "She's a character."

"She's very pretty, though, isn't she?" she says softly with a weird tight voice. She looks down again and bites her lip.

"She's an idiot," I tell her and she smiles her first genuine smile at me. "So what are you going to do tonight?" I ask to make conversation as our forks clank against our plates.

"Me?" she says like it was ridiculous thing to ask.

"Yes you," I tell her with a smile. "It's Friday night. Do you have any plans?"

"Oh, no," she says and she laughs a little like what I was saying was silly. "Friday doesn't mean a thing to me anymore."

"You should make Dad take you out," I tell her because I feel bad that she's stuck here in this big old house by herself now with everyone gone.

"Why don't you tell your father that," she says as a little smile curves her lips. "What about you? What are you doing tonight?"

"Nothing much," I lie with a shrug of my shoulder.

"Do you have a date?" she asks with her eyebrows tilted up.

"No, I do not have a date."

"You should, you know," she says in her teasing voice. "You need to get out there and find yourself a girl, Cass."

"Girls are overrated," I tell her before I chomp down on a carrot.

"A boy then?" she asks softly and I nearly choke. "Oh, Cassius," she gets up from her chair and runs around to my side of the table, trying to help me from choking to death on the orange vegetable. "Cass, it's okay if you like boys."

"I don't..." I cough and spit out my foot, breathing hard with my face flushed because I nearly died. "I don't like boys, Mom. Why would you say that?"

"Well," she settles in the chair by mine once she's sure I'm okay. "Well, you just haven't really had a girlfriend in a long time."

"So?" I whine as I look at her with wide eyes. "People are allowed to be single."

"I know. Don't be angry with me. It's just that you've been hanging out with Byron for years..."

"He's dating Lavinia," I say slowly. I can't believe I'm having this conversation. "Do I come across as gay?" I ask worriedly.

"No, no you don't," she says to reassure me as I bring a hand up to my face. You know it's bad when your mother is questioning your sexuality. "You're just a good looking boy and I'm surprised you don't have a girlfriend is all."

"Mom," I whine as I rub my forehead. "I am not gay."

"Okay," she says as she puts a hand up and touches my hair. "I didn't think you were... I just though I'd ask."

"Great," I mutter under my breath. I wonder how many other people think that about me. "Oh, god, Mom, now I'm going to have a complex."

"I'm sorry," she says even though I know she's trying not to laugh at me. I stand up and sigh down at my meal. "Where are you going?" she asks as I start walking out of the room.

"I have to go do something manly," I tell her before racing up to my room.

Something manly.

I change into some athletic clothes and I head downstairs to the first floor again. I see Mom by the door, putting on her cloak. "Where are you going?" I ask. In her hands is a Tupperware container and she has a bottle of water under one arm.

She smiles up at me. "Well, I thought I'd bring your father dinner at the office since he can't make it home," she tells me and I wish her luck before heading down the dark hallway to the left.

I end up in the exercise room because lifting weights is manly and I last about a hour before I decide that it's not worth it to sweat this much. I go to leave, to take a shower and clean my body, but I find Mom sitting on the stairs with a fork in one hand as she eats chicken and rice from the Tupperware container I saw her leaving with earlier.

"What are you doing?" I ask, trying to sound casual as I sit beside her on the stairs. She looks depressed right now and as she offers me some of the food on her fork. I take a bite.

"Waiting on your father," she says softly as she continues to eat the meal she had saved for him. She glances at me. "Where did you go?"

"I was exercising," I say I take another bite that she offers me. I know I'm being fed like a baby, but it's just her and me and no one is here to make fun of me for it.

"You do smell bad," she says and I laugh, but she doesn't. "Did you have fun?"

"No," I say honestly as she hands me the water bottle she had saved for Dad. I unscrew the lid and take a large gulp.

She sighs and puts the fork in the bowl as she lets her shoulders sag. "Me either." She looks at me and then a smile tilts her lips. "You have rice on your chin," she says gently and she takes it upon herself to flick it off. She sighs as she looks over my face while holding my chin in her hands and I tilt my head to the side in question. "I want you to be honest with me, Cass."

"Okay?"

"What really happened to you?" She asks and I tense up as she lets her hand drop from my chin. "I was so young when I had you," she says as she looks away. "We grew up together and the situation we were in... Anyways, my point is, I know you, Cassius. And I know that something is not quite right with you."

"Mom..." I trail off, but we both look to the door when the knob turns.

When the door opens, she stands up quickly, placing the bowl on my lap as Dad walks in, glancing up at us with a raised brow. "What are you two doing there?" he asks as he takes off his cloak and folds it over his arm.

"Where have you been?" Mom asks and I look in between them as Mom puts her hands on her hips.

"I've been at work," he says casually as a house-elf comes up to claim his cloak and briefcase. "I told you I was working late tonight, darling."

"Were you at your office?" she asks carefully and he smiles at her.

"Of course, where else would I be?"

"You tell me," she says and he lets his smile fall. "I went to your office tonight, Draco, you weren't there."

"Why did you do that?" he asks, trying to get the heat off of him and I stand up so I can leave them to this.

"I came to bring you dinner," she says as she motions to the food and silverware I'm holding, officially implicating me in their fight. "But you weren't there and I ran into Joel. He said you left work early with that stupid secretary of yours. Were did you go and what have you been doing this whole time?"

"I didn't leave with her," he says as he walks closer to her. She takes a step back and I start walking up the stairs. "I walked her out of the building."

"And then where did you go?"

He rubs his mouth and then looks her in the eyes. "I had to meet a client."

"You're lying to me," she says softly. "Why are you lying to me?"

"Sweetheart, I'm not lying."

She laughs, a low, hollowm and humorous laugh. "You're unbelievable," she says and then she turns around and walks up to me on the stairs so she can grab the food. "Goodnight, Draco. Don't bother coming to bed."

I watch her walk all the way up and the I look at my Dad. He glances at me and I shrug. "Bad luck, mate," I tell him before awkwardly walking off, trying to hide my discomfort at witnessing that.

I take a shower then, and then I get dressed in dark clothes and black cloak before I head towards the museum where Byron works so we can complete operation don't fuck this up. We named it that because we always fuck everything up anyways, so we might as well aim low. My last name gets me in the door, but it's my archeology degree that gets me to Byron's office. I guess the whole department has been working overtime trying to find the stolen necklace and Byron has been assigned the job to make sure nothing else goes missing under their watch. Maybe it's because he's as good at putting curses on objects as he is at breaking them...

I knock on the door with Byron's name on it, along with two other blokes, and I hear a woman's voice. "Come in."

I open the door and stop when I see a tall girl with dark red hair. "Eva?" I say, remembering her from college.

She stands up straight and smiles, buttoning up the first few buttons of her shirt. "Cassius, it's good to see you again."

"Yeah, you too," I say as I look around the office at the three messy desks. "Where's Byron?"

"Oh," she smiles again. I've never particularly liked Eva. Not because she wasn't nice, but because she's one of those women who knows she's good looking and thinks it gives her a pass to treat certain people a certain way. Plus, she shagged Byron a few times when we were in the dorms and she always left her skimpy knickers around my bedroom. "He's making the rounds, making sure everything is in order."

"What are you doing here?" I ask as I shift my cloak and lean against one of the desks that apparently belongs to Mr. Horton.

"I work here," she says. I know she was an art history major, so it's not so far fetched that she'd be here.

"No, I mean, what are you doing here," I say, as I look around the office. "In this office."

She smiles again... I actually don't think she's ever liked me either, if I was being honest with myself. "Just visiting," she tells me as she hops on the desk and crosses her legs. She's one of those rare breeds of redhead where she has no freckles on her body, and she is actually quite tan.

"Do you like working here?" I ask as I look at the clock. What the hell is Byron doing?

"Yes, I do. I especially like the people," she says like it was a point that I was supposed to get, but it goes over my head. Eva Bones is one of those girls that thinks everything she says is important.

"That's good."

"Do you have a job?"

"Nope," I say as I cross my arms and stare at my feet. "But then, I've had a rough summer." I say with a sardonic little smirk and I hear her laugh.

"You sure did."

The door opens and I'm saved from talking to her anymore when Byron enters the room, tucking in his shirt. I raise my brows and he glances at me and then at Eva. "Hey."

Byron's always been good with words.

"Hey," I repeat back as I send a glance to Eva, my least favorite of Byron's fuck buddies. "Are you almost ready?"

"Where are you boys going?" Eva asks curiously and I flick an irritated glance to her as she puts a hand on her knee.

"Yeah, I just have to finish up some paper work," he says and I roll my eyes. Operation don't fuck this up is starting off great, isn't it?

"Hurry, mate," I tell him. "We got to go."

He nods and moves to his desk, shuffling papers around as he tries to find a quill to do whatever the hell it is he's doing. Eva is not taking the hint. She's still sitting on his desk, looking down at her finger nails like they were important and could cure cancer if given the chance. Byron looks around for a few moment's before glancing at Eva's back and making a face.

"Er, Eva," he says and she looks over her shoulder to him with a little smile. "You're sitting on the paper that I need."

"Oh, sorry," she says with a laugh as she hops off his desk and smooths out her skirt. "I have to be going," she says. "I'll see you guys later."

"Toodles," I say as she walks past me, sashaying her hips in a way that I , begrudgingly, notice.

"What was she doing in here?" Byron asks as he writes something down on the paper that she was sitting on.

"Really?" I say and he glances at me. "She was in here visiting you."

He frowns and then goes back to his quill as I tap my foot impatiently and look around the room. I notice a little frilly red thing by his desk so I take out my wand and walk over to it, picking it up with my wand so it dangles off. They're knickers, little red frilly knickers. I glare at them and then I glare at Byron.

"Am I going to have to hit you again?" I ask and he looks at me and then does a double take to the knickers hanging off my wand.

"Those aren't mine," he says and I almost laugh, but I school myself.

"Yeah, I figured that out on my own, but there was a girl just in here," I tell him as I let the knickers fall on his desk. "If you're cheating on my sister with that slag I'll murder you."

"I'm not cheating on her," he says quietly as he looks down in disgust at the red things on his desk. "I don't know how those got there."

"Well, I'm guessing that someone took them off a girl and then left them there by your desk. I wonder who that was."

"It wasn't me, Cassius," he's says seriously. "I would never cheat on Lavinia." I stare him down, but he doesn't turn away. "I'm telling the truth."

"That's awfully suspicious."

"I could never cheat on your sister," he says narrowly. "She is the best thing that's ever happened to me." I don't say anything so he clenches his jaw. "She makes me relevant, Cass."

I process his words, and then I finally understand.

For as long as I've known him, Byron never thought anyone would ever love him because of who he was and what had happened to him. I know he believes that his mother only loved him out of obligation because she thought she should and that everyone else around him only tolerated his presence because he didn't think or feel the same way everyone else did. For a man who was as shy and withdrawn as he was, he thought his past would cloud over anyone getting close to him and I know it made him feel isolated. Even though he was the closest and most loyal friend I had ever had, I always knew that it never particularly mattered to him if he died because he was over life already. Traveling around with him was fun and exciting, but even I could tell that his excitement never matched my own. Everything felt the same to him, living life with varying shades of gray with nothing colorful to look forward to.

So I could understand now, what he found in my sister, and even though I loved him like a brother, it wasn't the same kind of love that she could give him. Lavinia validated his existence by loving him, she made him real when he thought he was invisible and not worthy of anything. She has seen his scars, emotionally and physically, and she still thought he was the greatest thing in the world and I think for the first time in his life he felt something intense back. He saw color. I can understand that now. Although I get it, I still worry about Lavinia, because that's a lot for one person to handle.

I eye him for a few moments. "I believe you," I tell him with a sigh because I honestly do. Even though a part of me wants to be mad none the less and I don't think I'll ever get over that little bit of disgust that I have with their relationship. "Anyways, are you going to marry her?" I feel like I should ask, honestly, if he's going to be shagging her on a regular basis.

I see the corners of his mouth tilt up the slightest as he moves things around on his desk. "She wouldn't say yes."

"She's a smart girl, then," I tell him. "Hurry up, will you. They're moving the statue at nine."

He finally starts moving to leave, packing his satchel and cleaning up his mess.

"Do you think I act gay?" Is the first thing that comes out of my mouth and he looks up to me with a very confused, and maybe even slightly amused look, on his face.

"What?" he asks as he stands up and grabs his cloak.

"Do you think I act gay? Like if you didn't know me and saw me on the street would you think I preferred men?"

He laughs.

I glare.

"It's not funny."

"Why are you asking me that?" He asks as he clasps his dark cloak around his neck.

"Just answer the damn question."

He looks to make sure I'm serious and the he laughs again. "Come on, you said they're moving it at nine, right?" I scowl at him as we walks out and then he stops dead in his tracks halfway down the hallway. "What day is it?" he asks, sounding like he's dreading my answer.

"It's Friday," I tell him and he makes a weird sound in the back of his throat as he drops his head. "The twenty third."

"I'm an idiot," he says softly to himself and he turns around. "I'm a fucking idiot."

"Yeah, and?"

"We have to do this tonight?"

I give him a disbelieving look. "Of course we have to do this tonight. We don't have time to stand here and dick around. Let's go."

He breathes out heavily and then he pushes past me, going back into his office, the wrong way from where we need to go. "Where are you going?"

"She's going to kill me," is all I hear him say as he disappears.

"Seriously?" I say out loud as I lean against the wall and cross my arms. I almost go in and find him to see what the hell he's doing, but he reappears a few seconds later, with his head and shoulders covered in soot. "Who did you floo?" I ask as he takes out his wand and cleans himself off.

"Let's go."

He pushes past me again, this time going the right way, and I frown before following him. I don't have time to analyze his messed up actions, so I ignore it as we find a public line to leave through. Spain is too far too Apparate and public floo lines only allow in comings from other public floos, so we find one of those in the near by wizarding village and head to the University. It's dark and the campus is dead, all but the student admissions building, where the Statue was being held in the basement. Lights shine from inside, it's the only building ablaze with life.

"Are you upset that Daniella has something to do with this?" Byron asks as we walk past the statue of the academic wizard. "You seemed troubled."

"Well, aren't you? I don't like knowing people that we know do bad things."

"And Gavin told you nothing?" he says softly and I shake my head.

"No, he pretended like he didn't know what I was talking about. He really bothers me sometimes." We reach the building and I grip my wand. "Why did you never like her?"

"Who?"

"Daniella, you never liked her, why is that?"

"Besides the obvious," he states flatly and I glance at him. "She was always fake. So superficial," he says in disgust and I look down. "I don't like it when people pretend to be something they're not... but people can change, you know. She wasn't so bad after you guys quite dating... or when she quite stalking you, I guess, is the better way to put that."

"Obviously not," I mutter as I throw up my hood before sneaking around back.

Wizards who belong to the museum are standing at the back loading entrance as the garage door lifts open to reveal a large wooden box with the words Fragile, and this side up, stamped all over it. I know that it's in here, and Byron and I duck behind one of the dumpsters as they start unloading. Everything seems to be going smoothly, and nothing happens for the longest time as they secure the statue onto the object Apparation point a few feet away from the garage, located in the center of a bright blue circle painted on the concrete.

I give Byron a look, and he gives me the same one back. One of relief and one of the smallest tinge of disappointment.

And then the popping noises happen.

Twelve people in black cloaks Apparate around the carton. My breath catches and I can hear Byron cuss under his breath. Even though we were here, we didn't actually think this was going to happen. They stun the handlers and go to work dismantling the box as I grip my wand and try to make out faces to see if I know any of the people. They're wearing masks and I feel a trickle of dread run down my spine because I can recall one other group who used to wear masks around when they did their dirty work. I wonder if my brother is a part of that group.

"Should we go now?" I hear Byron ask. "There are so many of them," he says as the wooden box creaks open, revealing the statue head inside.

"Start throwing curses," I tell him as one of the cloaked figures goes to the statue head and puts his wand against the rune etched earring. A spell shoots from his wand, reflecting off his mask. They must be made out of silver, and I know that when my father was a death eater the masks they used to hide their faces were plain white and featureless. This is a neo-death eater, I suspect. "Throw curses and hope we don't get killed," I say.

"Good plan," he mumbled and we both stood. I almost felt bad for saying it.

I stunned the first two death eaters and Byron got three others before they all turned on us. The statue head had been cracked in half as they tried to remove the earring from it's lodged in place and the robed figure closest to it turned around and pointed his wand at me. It was a crazy duel with the seven that were left. Curses that were never meant to be used legally were flicked at us like it was a Sunday afternoon brunch and Byron and I retaliated the best we could. It was strange, really, this thing that was happening and I found myself on auto-pilot, not even thinking about it as I dodged hexes and threw curses. Out of the corner of my eye, I can see one of the taller looking cloaked figures approach Byron with steady steps. His mask reflects my friends face and I can see Byron narrowing his eyes, like he might recognize the eyes behind the mask.

"Byron Flint." It's a man's voice, and it sounds familiar to me to, so I take my eyes off the person I'm dueling with to look their way. "You have something that I would so desperately like to own."

"You can't kill him," someone says, but I don't get to do anything else because the sloppiness of my actions let one of the figures hit me with a curse directly in the chest and sends me back wards, landing against the dumpsters with a crack of my back.

I black out for a few moments as the air gets knocked out of my lungs, and then I feel a hand on my shoulder and I look up at one of the silver masked figures, staring into olive green eyes. "Go home." I know that voice, and Daniella presses a small object into my hands. "Go home, Cassius."

It glows blue, and I don't even have time to get a word out before I'm pulled away from the scene. I land in the middle of a large empty field and I look around me in a panic as I drop the stone she portkeyed me here with. I have no idea where the fuck I am, but I'm just going to sit here and wait, so I lift my wand and pray I'm not too far away from the university as I Apparate right back to where I left her. The night is cool and I run to the back of the student admissions building with my heart hammering because Byron was left behind.

Everyone is gone and the scene is quiet as I approach with my wand gripped in my hand and even the fallen figures that I managed to stun had been pulled away, like they were never here in the first place. A large heap of destroyed rock stands in a disarrayed pile by the garage door. It's the statue and the earring is missing. The history lover in me aches to see such an ancient and important artifact destroyed like it was nothing.

"Damnit," I say as I rub my face. When I hear a shuffling by the dumpster, I lift my wand and walk towards the noise, only to see a pale hand fall from behind it. I pocket my wand and rush around the back to find Byron face up on the concrete with blood dribbling from his mouth. My eyes widen and I fall to my knees beside him. "Byron?" I whisper as I turn his face towards me.

He groans, so I know he's still alive.

"Jesus Christ, what did they do to you?"

"I'm not like Marcus," he mumbles as he starts to flutter his eyes open. "I'm not like Marcus, I'm not like Marcus, I'm not like Marcus, I'm not like Marcus..."

He keeps on repeating that one sentence and I have no idea what to do with him. Do I take him to St. Mungo's?

Byron clenches his jaw shut after a few moments and then his eyes become clear as he starts to sit up and, with my help, he leans against the dumpster. After putting his head on his knees, he spits blood out of his mouth so it smacks against the concrete between his legs. "I need to see Harry," is all he says and I nod my head.

"Is that a good idea?"

He nods his head.

"Alright." I trust his judgment and I help him stand up. "Did you see anything?" I ask quietly as I help him limp to one of the public floo lines.

"My Grandmother," he mutters before going to one of the empty grates and taking some floo powder after I pay the small fee to the very troubled looking worker. "I need to go alone," he says quietly. "I'll owl you later."

He leaves, and I'm at a total loss with what to do with my self, so I finally decide that going home and wait for news would be my best option. When I finally get home, all exhausted and emotionally warn from the strange night, I try to figure out why Daniella gave me that stupid portkey in the first place. Was it to get me out of harms way, or to just get me out of _their _way so they could steal the earring. It upsets me that I don't know. I walk the long way towards the Manor doors as I knit my brows together in deep thought. Going to the Aurors is not an option, because there has been a silent take over of the ministry since Harry and the Weasley's were pushed out and what about Daniella... why did she help me? I make it to the door, and open it up with a heavy feeling settling on my chest, only to see my Father walking down the stairs with a luggage bag slung over his shoulder.

"Where are you going?" I ask because it's so late in the evening now and I'm too shook up by tonights events to hold my tongue.

He stops and looks at me in surprise, like he didn't expect to see me. "I'm going to the villa," her answers after his shock is over and I frown, remembering the fight Mom had had with him earlier. "Did she kick you out?"

Dad reaches the marble floor and he sighs. "No, not yet, but I'm beating her to the punch."

I remember the floozy secretary that was flirting with him at his office and I remember Mom's suspicions as I narrow my eyes at him. "You're turning into an old rich man cliche," I tell him angrily.

"What are you talking about?"

"Shagging the young secretary," I say in disgust as I think about my mother's hurt feelings.

"I'm not cheating on your mother," He says tiredly and I send a glare to his suit case.

"Then why are you leaving?"

"There are other reasons, Cassius, reasons that she'll never forgive me for."

I scowl and ignore him as I head to my room.

_**Lavinia**_

"I want these worksheets completed and turned in by Friday," the professor says as one of the T.A.'s passes out the sheets of paper to everyone in the lecture hall. "If you don't put your name on it, then I will throw it away and you will not get a grade. Now, enjoy the rest of your evening folks."

We're dismissed, so I wait to get the worksheet before I gather up all of my things and put them in my book bag, along with my quills and ink well. As I'm walking back to the dorms, Jessica finds me and follows me all the way to my room. Yammering on and on about her classes and some cute boy who sits behind her in her English Lit class.

"Are you going out with Byron tonight?" she asks as she falls down onto my bed. I go to my wooden wardrobe and open the doors. "Are you two going out to eat?"

I nod my head. "I'm meeting him at the Bistro," I tell her as I take out a yellow dress and hold it up to my body before shaking my head and putting it back.

She whistles as she flips through a magazine that she brought with her. "That's a pretty ritzy place," she says and I ignore her. "What are you going to wear?"

"I have no idea," I mutter honestly as I scan the clothes I have hanging.

"Can I help?" she asks hopefully and I look at her as she sits up straight and blinks her eyes at me.

"Sure," I say as she jumps up and claps her hands as she comes over to me and starts shuffling through the hangers.

"What time is your date?"

"I'm leaving at seven," I say as she purses her lips and shakes her head at one of my polka-dot skirts.

"Seven," she repeats and she turns to me with a large smile on her face. "Let's go shopping then."

"I have plenty of clothes," I say softly as look at my wardrobe that's organized by color, function, and season.

"Come on, get your purse," she says as she grabs her bag and slings it over her shoulder. "I've been dying to check out the shopping down on High Street. I hear there are a bunch of cool vintage places down there!"

It took a while to walk to the main shopping drag in the city and I kept periodically checking my watch to make sure I still had time to get something to wear and to get back and get ready before I had to leave. The first store that we went to as a full service shoe store and Jessica ended up buying three pairs of heels, all to match clothes that she claimed she had and the second store she bought a studded belt for when she was feeling punkie. We didn't actually start looking for clothes for me until we reached a little mod boutique that was littered with large jewelry and colorful scarves. One of a kind clothes were hanging on wooden hangers around the store and I sighed when I looked at one of the price tags. It will definitely put a dent in my bank account if I buy something here... and I know that I have a lot of money to my name.. but I don't like to spend it carelessly. Especially when I can buy the same thing somewhere else for half the cost.

There's a little set up of silver necklaces with weird designs on them and I gravitate towards them while the sales girl comes up to me. "Can I help you with anything, miss?" The girl asks in a scottish accent and I nod down to the necklaces.

"Is there a meaning to any of these?" I ask because some of them are boys necklaces and since this date was my idea I thought I would buy him a gift too. I kind of feel like a boy, taking my boyfriend out to an expensive dinner and buying him jewelry... but I want to have that normal date that all couples have so I invited him to come with me tonight to the restaurant so we could sit face to face and actually talk. I liked just talking to Conrad at the pub. There was no crazy talk about the wild things that were happening, just a conversation about everything and I wanted that with Byron.

"Ah, well, they're based on the basic principals of magic," she says with a smile as she points to the different symbols. "Earth, Air, Fire and Water," she says and I pick up one with a silver chain that has a triangle with a dot in the center dangling from it.. "Ancient Greek Philosophers believed everything in the world was made up of those four things."

She's trying to make the sale and I glance at her. "Ancient Greek?" Byron really likes that part of history, heck, it was practically his major.

She nods her head. "Are you looking for someone or are you shopping for yourself?" she asks as I put it down and bite my lip.

"Both, I guess," I tell her as I run my fingers over the other strange medallions. "Some of these are for men, right?" She nods. "Do they have any charms or anything on them?" You must always ask that at a magical store... sometimes they throw a few tricks in that you didn't know about.

"Is there something in particular that you're looking for?"

I shake my head. "Nothing really... just wondering."

"If you get the right one that fits you, then they are supposed to help you find your inner strength."

"The right one?" I ask as Jessica scurries around and pulls clothes from the hangers.

"What's your sign?" she asks and I frown for a few skeptical moments before answering her.

"Capricorn."

"Ah, see you're an earth sign," she says as she holds up one of the necklaces. She goes on telling me about the property of earth born signs, which I drown out because I don't care, but when she stops I ask her another question.

"What about a person who was born at the middle of October?" I say, thinking about Byron. "The 13th?"

"Libra," she says as she picks up one of the necklaces that has a silver triangle with a line through it that has a hook at the end. "Air sign."

It's simple and it's clean looking, plus I like the whole inner strength idea. Sometimes I think Byron could use it. "I'll take that one. Do you have a box for it?"

She smiles and holds it at the register for me while I go try to find my friend.

"Try this on," Jessica says as she throws a bright pink flowing dress at my chest. "We're not shopping for ugly jewelry."

"I don't know if this is the style that I'm going for," I tell her as she pushes me towards the dressing rooms. One of the sales girls unlocks the door for me and Jessica pushes me in and shuts the door in my face.

"I think it will look beautiful."

I frown before I peal off my cloths and once I'm down to my knickers I try to stuff myself into the dress which is way too tight around the bust area. My breasts spill out of the top and there's a long slit from the bottom all the way up to my hip. "Absolutely not," I say out loud so Jessica can hear me on the other side of the door. "This is ridiculous."

"Let me see."

"No."

"Come on then, let's see it!" she insists and I shake my head as I look at the mirror. "It can't be that bad."

"No." I repeat again and the I hear the door handle jiggle.

"Then let me in." She uses her wand to unlock the door and when she enters the small dressing room, I put my hands on my hips and glare at her. "Oh, hello, ladies," she says as she looks down at my chest and I can't help but laugh.

"This is terrible," I tell her as I try to pull up the dress to cover some of my cleavage. "I think it's the wrong size."

"I think it's hot," she says as she looks in the mirror while I try to fix the dress. "If I had boobs like yours I would show them off all the time," she says and I frown."Stop looking like I just murdered a puppy, will you? Anyways, I brought you a few more things I'd like to see you in."

She throws a pile of clothes at me and smiles as I stagger back. "I want to see every outfit, so don't even bother saying no. Have fun!"

She leaves and closes the door as I throw the heavy clothes down on the chair in the corner. I put my hands on my hips as I stare at what she brought and then I put my hair back in a pony tail before I get to work. It would be nice to have a new outfit to go out with... something Byron had never seen me in and we are going out to a nice restaurant like a regular adult couple. I find myself smiling as I take off the pink dress and tug on a dark blue silky number from the bottom of the pile. It took a few hours to actually find a dress I was comfortable in and I settled on a form fitting dress that cuts just above my knees. The top half is powder blue silk, with thick straps that fall off one shoulder and under neath my breast is a thick leather belt with a delicate silver buckle. The rest is a black pencil skirt with blue stitching details barely visible among the seems. I look at myself in the mirror and smile. Its something that I can dress up or dress down and I think it fits perfectly.

"Oh, that makes you look like you're twenty five!" I hear Jessica say from behind me as she tries on one of the knit hats on the shelf. "I think that's the one."

I run my hands over my hips and smirk as I turn around to see how it looks from behind. "Yes, I agree," I say with a smile and then she gasps.

"Oh, damn," she says and I look at her with my eyebrows raised. "It's a quarter till. We've got to get moving!"

I panic and grab my clothes and purse and I pay for the dress with out even taking it off , tucking the necklace case in my bag as we leave. We start running back towards the school because we're in a hurry and we're too stupid to bother to find an Apparation point. I really don't want to be late! I ran up the stairs with Jessica giggling behind me and when we got to my dorm, I start to do my make up and hair while Jessica rampaged through my room trying to find the proper shoes for me to wear.

"I'm going to be all sweaty," I complain as I glance at the clock while I tug a brush through my hair.

"Maybe you'll have that good flush to your cheeks, though. Guys like that, you know. It reminds them of shagging."

I sigh as I twist my hair into an up do and hold it there with a few clips and bobby pins, letting my bangs fall around my face.

"You know what, I have the perfect shoes in my room. What size do you wear then?"

"Seven and a half," I tell her as I start applying eyeshadow.

"Well, I wear an eight. I'm sure it will work. Here," she throws something at my back as I apply eyeliner. "Put these on and hurry up. It's nearly seven."

"Thanks," I mutter as she skips out the room with my key in her hands. When I'm done doing my make up, I look at the floor to see what she threw at me. They are my black stockings that go up to mid thigh. I stop a moment to catch my breath before I pick them up and I put one foot on the bed as I roll up the black hose stockings.

I think Byron will like them and I know he's worried about his family, so I want to make tonight extra special for him.

I find myself smiling again as I hike up my skirt to pull them up my thigh and I look at the door when Jessica comes in with a pair of black leather pumps that look like a health hazard because of how dangerously high the heels are.

"I won't be able to walk in those," I tell her honestly as she sets them down on the ground so I can slip into them.

"Hopefully you won't be walking too much. You have two minutes to get there, so hurry up, would you."

I heel into the shoes as Jessica sprays me with perfume and fixes my hair with hair spray. When the shoes are on, I take a deep breath, and turn around to look at her. "Do I look alright?" I ask as I hold my hands out so she can see the whole outfit.

She looks me over seriously and then she smiles. "You look perfect," she says and then she hands me a little black clutch with my money, Id, and wand inside. "Get going now."

I smile as I take my room key and the little black box with the necklace in it as she follows me out to go to her room. I check my watch before walking towards the Apparation point. It's seven right now and I hope the he's not already there waiting. The Bistro is a nice Italian restaurant in London and the outside is an old roman style building with large corinthian collums and white molding around the windows. The inside is lovely as well, with large candles lighting the maroon table cloths and mosaics of cut glass make patterns on the wall. My stomach does a nervous flip flop as I walk in by myself and I tug on my earring nervously before going to the host.

"May I help you with something, miss?" He looks up from the book on his podium and I smile.

"Yes, I actually have a reservation for two at seven o'clock," I tell him as my feet start to ache from the heels. "Lavinia Malfoy," I tell him as he looks through the book in front of him.

"Ah, yes, reservations for Malfoy at seven," he takes out his quill and marks something down. "Your guest is not here yet, but we could seat you know, if you'd like."

"Yes, I would like that," I tell him because my feet are throbbing.

I follow the waitress to the table and I seat myself, letting my feet slip out of uncomfortable shoes with a relieved sigh. "Is there anything I can get you drink?" The waitress asks and I look up at her.

"Oh, um, well I guess I'll just go with water for right now," I tell her and she smiles as she disappears among the tables.

I put my hand on my neck and rest my elbow on the table as I look around the room. It's beautiful in here, with murals of Rome painted on the ceilings and green plants hanging from iron holders on the wall that offset the chandeliers made of the clearest cyrstals. There are a bunch of older couples here tonight, smiling and laughing as they eat pasta and clank their wine glasses together, and I place the necklace on the tabl, running my fingers over the smooth velvet. I hope he likes it. It is uncommon to get a boy a necklace, but he's worn one before, and I think it suits him. With a sigh I sit back and I smile as I watch an old couple at the table a few feet from mine as the man gives his wife a bracelet made of diamonds. She starts crying as she kisses him and he looks pleasantly surprised. How romantic this whole thing is.

I smile a little again as I think about last week, when I woke up spooned against Byron with a tiny headache from the night before at the pub. Byron had been the perfect gentlemen to me even though I stumbled into his flat like a crazy person and bombarded while he was doing something other than waiting around for my drunk ass to try to rape him. He was patient and he was sweet to me. I glanced over my shoulder to look at him that morning with sleep hazed eyes. Jesus, he was handsome. He was sleeping, or pretending to, at least, and his hair was falling over his forehead and nose. It was then that I noticed how long it had gotten since the beginning of the summer and I gently turned in his arms so I could stare at him properly, loving every little thing that made him who he was. I brought my hand up to smooth some of the black strands away so I could see his face clearly. He shifted his shoulders in his sleep and exhaled slowly, making his warm breath ruffle my hair.

I looked at my hand against his cheek and smirked. I had more of a pink tint to my skin, with areas of creamy white and ginger freckles, while Byron was perfectly pale, so white and so fair that I could see the tiny veins webbing under his skin, like someone had dipped a fine tipped quill in blue ink and traced a map over his body. He shifted again, and I knew he was going to wake up. I figured I looked a mess, so I gently stole myself away from him and climbed off the bed to take a shower and scrub the heavy make up off my face. I was right, as soon as I looked in the mirror, I cringed at the mascara and eyeliner smeared under my eyes and down my cheeks from rubbing against the pillow. I didn't want Byron to wake up next to that, so I took a long shower to deaden the pain of being awake after drinking so much alcohol and I finger brushed my teeth, using the toothpaste that was in the cabinet.

There was something wholly unhealthy about putting on dirty knickers after you've taken a shower, so I wrapped the towel around my body and tiptoed back into Byron's room so I wouldn't wake him if, by some miracle, he'd actually managed to fall asleep. He was awake when I came back, though, laying on his stomach with his chin propped up on a pillow as he read a book. The scene was kind of strange to see, but when he didn't say anything to me, I pulled one of his shirts out of the closet and tugged it on before going to the foot of the bed and crawling back into my spot beside him. I was still incredibly tired from the night before, so I closed my eyes and snuggled up against him as my wet hair dampened the pillow under my head. The shirt smelled like him, and I had used his soap and shampoo in the shower so everything around me smelled so strongly of him that I found myself smiling against the pillow.

"Do you need a hangover relief potion?" he whispered to me as he turned the page in his book and I cracked an eye open to stare at his profile. I didn't answer him, instead I leaned up and kissed his shoulder and, noticing it was bare, I pulled the covers down to reveal his unclothed back... with the black thread still standing out violently against his skin. "Lavinia?" he said when I didn't answer him and he turned his eyes to mine as I looked at his back, gently running my fingers over all of his scars, even the ugly and painful looking ones.

"No, I'm fine," I said adding another kiss to his shoulder as I turned to my body to face his, pressing my front against his side. "Thank you," I told him as I added another kiss, lower this time, right on his shoulder blade. "Thanks for letting me sleep over."

"You can always sleep over," he said gently as I put my face against his arm. "You don't have to thank me." He turned the page in his book as my fingers skimmed over the planes and grooves of his back. We didn't say anything for a long time, and then I felt him tense when my fingers traced one of the more sever looking scars slashed across his side."Do they disgust you?"

My fingers stopped and I furrowed my brows. "Does what disgust me?"

"My scars," he whispered, like it was embarrassing for him to say. "I saw the way you looked at me at St. Mungo's, Lavinia."

"They don't," I had told him gently and to prove that point I bent down and kissed the one that was on his arm.

"Sometimes I can't even look at myself in the mirror," he had said, looking steadily down at his book. "It repulses me, the way I look."

It never occurred to me that boys could have body issues as well, but I guess Byron always kind of did. Wearing long sleeve shirts even on the hottest days and slouching his shoulders when he was around a lot of people... I also remembered the first time that we had sex. He didn't want to take his shirt off because he didn't want me to see his chest.

"I love everything about your body." I brought a hand up to his his hair and ran my fingers through it. "Scars included." He doesn't say anything so I kiss him, just below his ear. "We all have scars, Byron," I whispered in his ear and I felt his body give a little shake. "Yours are just more visible."

He tilted his head to mine and he glanced at my lips before giving me a languid kiss with his head turned so he could reach me properly. "You're beautiful," he had said and I smiled against his lips because when Byron said it, I knew he wasn't just referring to the way I looked. He thought all of me was beautiful, everything, not just what was on the surface.

"Scars included?" I whispered as I leaned in to press another kiss against his lips.

"Scars included," he whispered before pulling back and smiling at me. Then he looked back down at his book, resting his chin on the pillow again.

"What are you reading?" I asked as I tilted my head up and placed my chin on his shoulder.

"Edgar Shelby," he answered quietly and I smiled against his neck. I loved that he was reading a real book, not some magazine or sports article like most guys I knew. He was a man, not a boy.

"I like that one," I told him as I looked at the page to see where he was at in the story. "Have you read it before?"

"Yeah," he says with a sigh. "A few times actually."

"I just love how differently it translates today, as opposed to when it was first written," I had said and he shifted, turning on his back so I was partially laying on his chest. I wondered then, if it hurt him, but he didn't wince or show his discomfort, so I figured he was feeling better. "Like his first wife, Rebecca, she's a modern woman and she's villianized for it."

"Yeah?" he said to get me to keep talking as he stared at my lips.

"I mean, she's the bad guy in the book, but if you think about it, why is that? Because she's socially and economically independent from her husband? Because she took a lover when he took a mistress? And she refused to have his children because she was too busy building her self a life. The book even makes it seem like it was bad that she was smart."

"She was kind of mean, though," Byron added as he smiled down at me. "She made Edger fall in love with her, and then told him on their wedding night that she only married him for his money and she was going to do what she liked with it."

"Well, being a smart woman in those days, I'm sure that was the only way she could actually accomplish something," I said and I was so pleased that we were having a talk about a book. Like normal people. "She wouldn't have been able to do anything without a husband and being rich gave her freedoms she couldn't have gotten with a poorer man. And then he kills her, and the way the book is written, you don't even feel bad about it. But if you really think about it, she didn't do anything a man wouldn't have done. The new wife is such a push over as well, sitting at his feet and apologizing to him after he throws temper tantrums." I shook my head and rolled my eyes as he stared at me with a little smile on his face. I couldn't help it, though, I've always gotten deeply involved into the books that I read and I find myself very opinionated about them. "And she was supposed to be 'the good' wife that made him feel justified in murdering Rebecca because Rebecca didn't behave the way she should have."

"Didn't Rebecca's character win in the end, though?" he said as he brought a hand down to play with one of my wet strands of hair that was starting to wave and curl as it air dried.

"What do you mean?" I asked as he laid the book on his desk.

"She wanted to die, remember?" he had said as he rolled me so I was laying on top of him completely. I have never been a small girl, so I loved that Byron made me feel little. "She told Edger she was pregnant with her lover's baby so he would kill her, but she really had cancer and what he did haunted him for years."

"Yeah, I guess you're right," I told him softly. "It's still kind of funny, if that book was written today feminists would be pissed."

He laughed and it vibrated his chest. "It's like a bloody drama play, I don't know why I keep reading it." We fell into silence after that and I laid my head on his chest, listening to his heart beat. "What kind of wife do you think you'd be, I wonder?" he said and I furrowed my brows. "You know, Rebecca and the second wife were two polar opposites, I was just wondering how you would be?"

"Well, if you and I were married, I would start working and you would stay home with the babies," I had told him jokingly and I even laughed at it. "I exspect my dinner by seven and if it's a moment late, you had better watch out. I have a mean right hook."

"So you'd be charmingly abusive," he had said and I smiled and looked up at him again, pausing a moment to lean in to kiss him. I could picture myself being married to Byron when I was older, it wasn't hard to imagine. Even with his mood swings and the confusing way he did things... I would still want to be with him forever.

"What about you?" I had asked and even then I knew it was a silly conversation because neither of us could possibly know what kind of wife or husband we would be. I think the undertone of the talk was to unveil if we had the same goal for our future... the same set of principals that we wanted to follow when that time came.

"I think I'd be a good wife." I pinched his stomach and he rolled us while I giggled, so I was laying on the bed and he was hovering above me. His face, that had a teasing smile on it, slowly became serious and his eyes looked into mine, like he was trying to read my expression but not totally sure how. "I would be terribly devoted to you," he said deeply and the smile I had on my face slowly drifted away as well. "I would do everything in my power to keep you safe and happy."

Safe?

"But I couldn't bring myself to give you my last name." I thought that meant he wouldn't marry me, and he must have noticed the change in my expression because he put his hand on my face. "I would never give you or our children my father's last name. It's too tainted."

I understood then, what he meant, and I looked at his chest. "But it's who you are. You can't hide that and I think I would be proud to be a Flint," even though I hated the way it sounded, "because it's your name. You own it. It doesn't have to have anything to do with that man Marcus and the other relatives in your family. I think you should be proud too," I had told him and he let his hands fall to my sides. "Because you can say my father was an evil man, but I survived it and I'm a great person now. What a smack to Marcus' face, right?"

"I love you," he said quickly, even before I got the last sentance out and he kissed my jaw. "I love you." We started kissing and touching each others bodies, until he sighed and layed his head on the pillow beside my own, with his arm under my neck as the other roamed my skin, from my chest to my stomach.

"Are you worried about your family?" I asked softly, thinking about Chloe and how scared she must be.

"Yes, but I know Harry will protect them."

"And you, what about you?" I gave him a sideways glance as he ran his fingers down my nose, tracing the line of my profile.

"I'm in no danger," he said softly and he kissed my cheek. He told me he loved me again and I bit my lip as I played with the top of the covers.

"Why do you love me?" I had asked. I knew it was an annoying question to ask, but I wanted to know.

"I think you know by now," he told me seriously, before leaning and giving me a slow lingering kiss on the lips. "I tell you constantly. Why do you love me?" he countered back and I sighed as he pulled back, running my fingers through his already messy hair.

"Because you're handsome."

I smiled when he laughed. "Shallow."

I stared at his throat after that, something I always did when I couldn't bring myself to look into his eyes. "You make me feel like I matter," I told him honestly and I could feel his curious look from above me as he removed his arm from under me and propped himself up with his elbow.

"You do matter," he said softly. "To many people."

"I know," I shook my head so I could get my words straight. "I mean, I know I matter to people like my mom and Dad... and my other family members and friends, but what I mean is... you make me feel like I'm the only one that matters sometimes and I think a girl just needs to feel that from time to time. I couldn't picture myself being with anyone but you."

There was another long bout of silence as he stared at me until I finally glanced up from memorizing the lines on his throat. "Do you want to take another shower?"

"I just took one," I told him.

"I am aware." He stood up, making the blanket fall back and he stood at the edge of the bed with his hand stretched out towards mine. "Come on, take one with me. I want you beside me."

I want you beside me.

"Miss, would you like some bread to nibble on while you wait?" I shake my head to rid it of the memory and I turn to the waitress. How long had I been daydreaming? "What does your bloke look like?" she asks softly as I glance at my watch. "Maybe I can spot him coming in."

"He's tall with black hair and he has really blue eyes," I say gently as I look towards the lobby room where the entrance is. "He's very handsome."

"I'll keep an eye out."

She winks at me, and I take another small sip of my water as she leaves. Time ticks by and I find myself becoming all too aware of my loneliness at this table the longer I sit here, and the longer I sit here, the more stares I'm getting. The waitress comes by twice to see if I'm ready to order and I wave her off both times as my face starts to burn.

"Do I have any messages?" I ask as the waitress comes back to the third time. The girl looks sympathetic as she shakes her head."Perhaps he got his days messed up," she says encouragingly as I glance at my watch. It's been over an hour. I hope he's okay. "My beau is always getting things like that confused like the git that he is," she says with a little laugh and I furrow my brows as I look down at my empty plate. "I'm sure he'll show up," she says as she leaves to make her rounds.

I kind of feel like crying. Of course, I hope nothing is wrong with him... but mostly I'm finding this deep boiling irritation and anger twisting my insides and when most of the people that were in here when I came in get up to leave, and new people come in to take their seats, I find my eyes watering in embarrassment. Maybe he had an apparating accident and was splinched some where... he had better be splinched somewhere, I think to myself, as I grip my glass of water and take a large gulp. It is humiliating to be kept waiting without a word and I can tell people are starting to feel bad for me as I fiddle with my silverware and glare at my watch every other second.

Another hour flies by and the host finds his way to my table. "Lavinia Malfoy?" he asks and I nod my head as I tap my fork against my plate while my other hand holds my chin up. My feet tapping impaitently against the floor as I count every stone in the mosiac on one of the walls. "You just received a floo message from Byron Flint," he says and I snap my head to his and I sit up straight.

"Is he alright?" I ask as my heart beats in my chest.

He nods his head. "Yes, miss, he said to let you know that he's sorry he can't make it tonight."

"He can't make it?" I snap with my eyes narrowing.

"Yes, miss... sorry, miss," he adds and I face forward with my arms crossed.

"I've been sitting here by myself for over two hours and he just now floos to tell me he isn't coming?" I hiss and the group at the table next to me all glance my way. "Did he say anything else?"

"No, miss."

I shake my head and stand up. "I better be going now, then," I say, trying to keep my voice steady as I put money on the table for the waitress and I pick up the gift that I bought him. "Have a good night," I tell him and I try to keep my chin up to save my pride as I leave the restaurant. I feel terrible now... like some unwanted orphan, and I was so looking forward to this night.

As soon as I walk into the dorm buildings, the RA that mans the doors calls me over. "What is it?" I ask softly as I reach the front desk. The tall RA with braided hair hands me a piece of parchment.

"You got a floo call," he says as I glance at the folded paper.

"Who is it from?" I ask as I pick it up. If it was Byron, I was just going to throw it right back into the flames. He doesn''t answer as I turn around and unfold the parchment to see the filled out form with scrappy handwriting.

**To: **_Lavinia Malfoy_

**From: **_Conrad Foxworth_

**Message:**

_I'm sorry I missed you and hopefully this message will get to you by the time the night is over. _

_A few friends and I are going to the Viper Room, a club off of Diagon Alley, and I was wondering _

_if you might want to come and meet up with us there. I promise there are no Quidditch games _

_playing on the walls and no drunken frat boys, either. It's going to be fun. _

_We're all leaving around ten, hopefully we'll see you there._

**Message taken by:** _RODNEY_

I make to my room as I reread the letter, with Byron's present weighing heavily on the mattress beside my leg. I bite my lip as I fold the letter back up and I tap it against my palm for a few moments before making my decision. I'm already dressed up anyways and I'd rather go out then sit in my room and stew over how angry I am. I bang on Jessica's door after I reach her floor and she answers with an eyebrow raised.

"What are you doing back so soon?" she asks as she looks over my angry face.

"He didn't show," I say flatly and she frowns.

"What a dick."

"Do you want to go out tonight?" I ask as I step into her dorm room. "That healer from that pub invited us out. Do you want to go with me?"

"The cute blond one?" she asks with light in her eyes. "Do you know who else is going to be there?"

I shrug. "I think it will be fun," I say, thinking about the letter.

She smiles. "Revenge fun is always the best. Just give me a moment to get dressed."

She reappears in a sparkling silver number that shows off her long legs. I'm envious of her body and I frown down at my own before deciding that, no, I will not feel bad about myself right now. Not after waiting for almost two hours by myself at a restaurant like a loser. I look fine. The Viper Room is a three story dance club with dance cages and floating orbs of light hovering around the green leather booths and ceiling to add mood lighting to the dancing couples and frolicking people around the floor. Jessica and I got in with no trouble, short skirts and my last name will do that for you. As soon as we step inside I scan the crowd, trying to find Conrad, but it's difficult to distinguish anyone in this sea of people. I nearly yell when I feel hands on my waist, gripping me way too tightly to be a stranger and I tilt my head to the side when I feel lips against my ear because I'm actually afraid at the contact.

"You got my message," he whispers and I spin around and smile at Conrad as he smirks down at me. I put my hand on my heart to show my fear and sigh out loud. "I didn't think Rodney would be able to handle it."

"I got it," I tell him. He's wearing a black dress shirt with a thin blood red tie and black slacks. I stare at him for a while as he checks me out and I hear Jessica cough to get my attention. "Oh," I say, blushing and pulling Jess to me. "You remember my friend Jessica, right?"

He smiles and takes her hand, kissing her knuckles. A weird surge of anger courses through me at that, but it's not justified, so I stomp it down and smile when he turns back to me. "Come on, then, lets get you ladies a drink." He walks us to one of the dark booths on the second floor where there is a group of people sitting around, smoking and drinking and laughing. "This is kind of a celebration tonight," he says as he walks us over to the table. "This is Chance," he motions to some burly guy with side burns, "This is Daniella." Her I know, and she gives me a strange look before going back to her drink. "And Lucy, Dorian, Scott, Geena... and so on, the other ones don't really matter," he says to a chorus of boos as he smirks. "This is Lavinia and her friend Jessica, now scoot over you brute."

The tall slim one with red hair, who I think is named Dorian, scoots as Jess and I slide into the booth. Conrad looks at me. "What do you want to drink?"

"Oh..." I look at Jessica and raise my eyebrows. "What do you think?"

"I'll have a rum and coke," she says as I dig money out of my clutch.

"Yeah, that sounds fine," I say as I take out a few coins that should cover our drinks and I stand up to hand it to him. "I'll have the same."

"Now," he says with his head tilted to the side. "You are much too pretty to drink a rum and coke," he says as he closes my fingers and gives my hand back, not accepting my money. "Let me surprise you."

I smile and nod my head as he disappears into the club. I sit down and raise my brows to Jessika as she nudges me and winks. "You're Cassius' little sister," I look up as the Daniella girl leans across the table. I remember her from school... when she dated both of my brothers.

"Yes," I say as she furrows her brows.

"How do you know Conrad?" she asks over the blare of the music and I lean forward to hear her better.

"I met him once when I was at St. Mungo's," I answer, trying to figure out why she looks so troubled to see me. Does she know I'm dating Byron?

"Are you two..." she trails off and I shake my head.

"No, we're just friends."

She sits back again to talk to the big guy by her side and I lean back in my seat as I listen to Jessica try to hit on the slim redhead by our side. "So, your last name is Bones?" she asks loudly and I glance at him as he nods his head and faces forward. "That's pretty cool."

"Yeah," he mutters. I cross my arms and look down at the table until Conrad comes back, holding a rum and coke and some other bright orange concoction in a martini glass that he hands to me.

"What is this?" I ask as he hands Jessica her drink and I sniff mine to try to figure out what it is. Mango maybe...

"Just a drink," he says with a dark smile that actually makes him look better. "I'm sure you'll like it. I left my card up there, I'll be right back."

He leaves again and I glance up as Daniella leans across the table again. "Why don't we trade," she says as she holds out her appletini glass. "I want to try that."

"Dani," the brute by her side pulls her back. "He brought that for her. Stop it."

She narrows her eyes, but sits back anyways as she eyes my drink and I look down at it once more before taking a small sip. It tastes delicious, like some tropical fruit punch, and I take a large gulp, ignoring the way that weird Dani girl is staring at me. When Conrad comes back, he slides into the seat beside my own, pushing up right against me so he doesn't fall off and he smiles when I face him.

"Do you like it?" he asks, nodding to my drink as I take another large gulp.

"Yes, this tastes very good," I tell him as I wipe off my mouth with the back of my hand. "Thank you."

He smirks and looks over my body once again. "So, did you dress this way for me?" he jokes and I shake my head.

"She got stood up tonight," Jessica decides to chime in and she looks over me to face Conrad. "He left her sitting at a restaurant for two hours before he told her he couldn't show up. Byron Flint is a dick, isn't he?"

"I'm sure there was a reason," I mutter because I feel the need to defend him even though I want to kill him.

"I would never stand you up," Conrad says as he puts his arm along the back of the booth. "Especially if you were dressed like that."

"We went shopping for that outfit and she even bought him a gift and..."

"Okay Jessica," I snap so she'll shut up. "We get it. My boyfriend hates me. Let's move on." I finish off my drink and slam it down as a few people at the table raise their eyebrows. "So what are you guys celebrating tonight?" I ask as I feel Conrad's leg against my own.

"Just a small victory," he says against my neck and it doesn't even bother me that he's so close because my body is starting to tingle.

"Do they all work with you?" I ask as I look around me. Are they all St. Mungo employs?

"Something like that," he says and I look at him as he looks at my lips. "Do you want another drink?" I nod my head and he takes my hand as he stands up. "Let's go."

I raise my eyebrows and I send a look to Jessica before allowing myself to be dragged away by the handsome blond guy who is looking more and more attractive the longer I look at him. When we reach the base floor, my fingers find their way to his back because I feel the need to touch him and when he turns around I smile, letting my hands run up his chest to lock around his neck with my purse tucked under my arm. I have no idea why I'm doing this, my body is just telling me to, and it really feels amazing to touch him, so I take a step closer and let my body press against his.

"Do you want to dance?" he asks as he looks over my face.

Now, I hate dancing, but for some reason I just really wanted to dance with him, so I nodded my head. "Yes, of course."

I pull him to the dance floor and the bass from the music pounds in my ears as I pull him close to me and I start dancing against him. I almost feel drunk, but a weird kind of hazy drunk, and I know that one drink couldn't possibly get me wasted after one glass. I feel my cheeks flush when Conrad pulls me closer to him with his hands on my hips. I glance up at him in the darkness of the club and I study his face as he looks down at me. Why is he so good looking all of a sudden? Of course, I always found him attractive... it's just that now I even find him better looking than Byron and I didn't think I'd find anyone better looking than him.

"What are you staring at?" he asks with a smile and I shake my head and look away.

"Nothing," I say quietly and he probably couldn't hear it because of the music.

"I can't believe you are only eighteen," he says and I feel his hands slide up and down my body as I close my eyes and listen to the music. "You have the body of a woman."

"I am a woman," I tell him and I feel his lips against my neck.

"No doubt about that."

He bites my shoulder and I roll my hips against his. When my body starts to hum, I realize I'm doing something stupid, so I back up and look away. "About that drink," I say with an uncomfortable laugh as I cross my arms, pressing my clutch into my chest to make even more distance between us. What the hell was that?

"Stay here," he says as he disappears into the crowd to reach the bar. A few guys try to get me to dance with them but I remain frigidly stubborn as I try to picture what Conrad would be like it bed. Why am I thinking about that? I know I told Byron I could ever want him, so why is it that I find my body wanting to take Conrad to bed? I don't know, and I don't actually care. I did get stood up tonight. Conrad comes back with another amazing tasting orange drink and he watches me down the whole thing in one large gulp. "You are so sexy," he says and I feel sexy, which doesn't make any sense because, well, it's me.

I look at him, the lights from the club are making the sharpness of his jaw and the bridge of his nose glow and I decide that he's the best looking thing I've ever seen and I want to kiss him. In fact, I'm going to. I drop the glass and I grab the front of his shirt, pulling him to me so I can press my lips against his. He seems surprised at first, and then he gains control and pulls back, looking down at me with darkened eyes as I stare up at him.

"I knew it," he whispers before taking my hand and dragging me out of the back entrance of the club.

I barely even think about the friend I'm here with tonight... or my boyfriend... as I get pushed up against the brick building. His kisses are different than Byron's. Where Byron's kisses are confident, but still searching, I find Conrad kisses like a man on a mission, claiming my mouth and dominating my body as he brings his hands up to my waist to keep me pinned to the wall. He smells different then Byron too.. he kind of smells like the sea.... Why am I not feeling bad about this?

"Let's go to my place," he says and my head is spinning as he pulls back. "You want to go to my place."

It wasn't a question, but I found that I did indeed want that go back to his place, so I nodded my head and let him apparate me to his flat.

When we go inside, he presses himself behind me and starts kissing my neck as I look around his place. It was the biggest studio flat I had ever seen, with brick walls and pillars that held up the ceiling. There was a small island and kitchen to the right and a small cluster of leather couches were stationed in the middle of the room, across from a blank wall where memories and magiced Quidditch games could play. The hardwood floors were shinned to perfection and black framed black and white pictures of famous people were hanging on the walls. The whole thing is open and there;s a small staircase at the end of the room, leading up to an open loft where I assume his bed is.

"Where is the zipper on this?" he says against my neck as he tries to take off my dress.

"Maybe," I say as I tilt my head and stare up at the loft. There's a weird feeling at the pit of my stomach that's becoming more urgent the longer I stand here. "Maybe this isn't such a good idea," I say softly and he stops kissing me.

"No, this is such a good idea," he says deeply and his breath tickles my ear. "How about some music?"

Everything he's saying just sounds so good so I heel out of the uncomfortable shoes as he goes over the record player and pulls the needle off a disk. I watch his back as he does this to check him out without him noticing. He's thicker than Byron, more muscular and a few inches taller, but they both have that wonderful V shape where their back meets there hips. His hair is blond, but not the same white-blond that is typical to my family... it's more of a honey color. My body is responding and I walk over to his small kitchen so I'll stop staring at him.

"Can I have something to drink?" I ask as he goes through records, trying to find the perfect one.

"Yeah, there's liquor in the cabinet above the sink and beer in the fridge."

"Do you want anything?" I ask as I open up the cabinet. I've never actually had fire whisky before so I pull the bottle out and find a couple of glasses. There's something inside of me that's telling me to make a run for it. That I should dash out of this flat as soon as I can and get away from the blond by the record player... but I just can't.

"You're drinking firewhisky?" He asks and I glance up at him. He's smiling a lopsided smile, like I was a puppy doing something adorable. "That's 90 proof."

"Is that a lot?" I ask stupidly as I pour some into a glass. He laughs and shakes his head. "What? Why are you laughing at me?"

"That's going to burn on the way down." he says as he picks a record and pulls it out of the sleeve. "Just be careful."

"What was in that drink you got me at the club?" I ask because that tasted great.

He looks at me as he puts the record on the player. "Do want to put some in the firewhisky?" he asks as he puts the needle down and turns the volume up. Music starts playing, some kind of hipster rock band, and he walks towards me with his hands in his pockets.

"Wouldn't that taste terrible?" I ask as I pour him a glass.

"No." He shakes his head and leans against the other side of the island. "It would actually make it taste really good."

I take a small sip from my glass and nearly gag at the burning sensation as it ripples down my throat. "Yeah, let's use that." He takes a small vial out of his pocket and takes my glass, letting his fingers linger against mine before smirking. "What is that?" I ask as he removes the stopper from the little blue vial and lets a few droplets fall into my glass.

"Just a potion for drinks," he says casually and the firewhisky turns a dark burnt orange color as the potion swirls around inside.

"You brought that to the club with you?" I ask as I take a drink.

"It was made especially for me," he says with a wink as he takes his glass and takes the whole thing in one gulp. I crinkle my nose in disgust.

"Didn't you want some of that stuff?" I ask as I sip mine.

"I'm not a girl," he says as he leans over the island to kiss my cheek. I notice his eyebrows are significantly darker than his hair and he has long eyelashes that frame his warm looking eyes. "But you are."

"Yes, hopefully I am a girl," I giggle at my own cleverness and then I swig the rest of the drink.

He stands up straight and looks into my eyes. I feel my body tingling and my face heating up as he stares at me.

"Show me your body."

"W-What?" I'm sure I didn't hear him right.

"Show me yours, and I'll show you mine," he says with a smirk, and then something changed, something in his face turned serious and hungry. I felt a shiver run down my spine as he stepped away from the island. "Show me your body," he repeated again, and this time my mind agreed with him.

Show me your body.

It was the weirdest demand I have ever received but the serious way he was looking at me and the huskiness in his voice when he said it, sent a shiver down my spine. I put my glass down and stepped away from the counter. I have never wanted anyone more in my entire life and I smile as I step back and find the zipper that runs down the side of my dress. I pull it down while he watches until I'm left standing in my strapless bra, black knickers, and thigh highs. I have no idea where this confidence came from but I can't stop myself as I wait for him to make the next move. I am standing in my knickers after all... I think I've done enough. Why am I standing my knickers?

His eyes darken as he takes me in and then he sets his glass down and walks around the island that's separating us. Right towards me. "You were hiding this under that dress," he says deeply as he stands right in front of me, putting his hands on my hips and letting his fingers run up and down the curve of my body. It makes me shiver and I look at his chest. He dips down and catches my lips with his own. "What a pleasant surprise."

I laugh as he lifts me up and he puts me on the counter top with my legs falling on each side of his body as I pull him to me for a kiss. His skin isn't as smooth as Byron's, it's rougher and his lips aren't as full, but I could care less about that because I have this blind passion right now just to have him. With that one ambition in mind, I can feel my knickers getting wet as he moves against me and I smile against his lips as he pulls back to kiss my neck. He bites and sucks hard at my skin, but I don't even register the pain because it feels so nice to have him pressed up against me like he is.

"Let's go to bed," he says in a deep voice against my throat. I nod my head and let him help me off the counter.

It turns into a weird tug of war as we make our way to the stairs. He pulls me closer to him and I push him away, only to grab his tie and yank him back by the neck. My body is totally humming as we make it up to the loft and he throws me on his bed, which I find to be very soft and comfortable. I watch him as he removes his tie, throwing it to the side and then he starts to unbutton his shirt as he looks down at me with lust filled eyes. Underneath his clothes there are no scars, no burn marks, no self inflicted wounds. No hurtful looking marks that I was so used to seeing on Byron mar his skin and I get up on my knees so I can kiss his smooth chest when he's close enough. What the hell am I doing? I have no idea, I just know that it feels right and I unbuckle his belt as he rubs his hands down my back and unclasps my bra. I pause a second and close my eyes as he bends down to kiss my lips. Something about this isn't right.

"I have a boyfriend," I say out loud so maybe it will sink in and make me stop what I'm doing as he pushes me down on the bed so I'm laying on my back.

"You don't want him," Conrad says as he turns off the lights and crawls on top of my body, throwing my bra behind him as he parts my legs. "You want me."

One of the large windows is letting the moonlight in, falling across his chest and body in a pale blue light as he kisses his way down my chest and stomach. His hands find their way to the top of my thigh high stockings and I lay back against the pillows as he sits on his knees and starts gently rolling them down my legs.

"I do want you," I say honestly even though I know I shouldn't. What's wrong with me? My brain feels thick and heavy, but my body is on fire.

He kisses my ankle and throws the stocking to the side before going to the other one. "You are fucking sexy." he says. I blush and cover my face as he puts my leg on his shoulder so he can kiss the inside of my thighs while he rolls down the remaining stocking. The stockings I wore for Byron. This isn't right.

He slowly slides my knickers down my body and I lift my hips to help him along. After throwing the little bit of covering that I had left over his shoulder, he stops moving all together and just stares at me, laying underneath him with my chest rising and falling from breathing so heavily and my legs parted open. As his eyes dance across my body, I become all too aware of myself, and I go to close my legs but he stops me with his hands on my knees.

"No," is all he says before he bends down and kisses me. "You smell amazing," he says with his nose against my neck. "Like vanilla and sugar." I feel him smirk. "Sugar and spice and everything nice."

I know that rhyme too. Does that mean he's made up of snakes and snails and puppy dog tails?

He masterfully removes his boxers as he lays on top of me and I can feel his arousal pressing into my own and I begin shaking. I'm not sure why. The weird music with the deep bass and beautiful piano solo plays in the background as he uses his hands and tongue to explore my body. It feels so weird letting another person touch me when Byron's the only boy I ever see me....or feel me this way. Something inside of me is screaming, saying this isn't right, that my body isn't Conrad's to touch and that I should reject his advances... but I just can't.

"Can you imagine," he says as he kisses my neck and rests his weight on top of mine. I run my fingers through his hair noticing it's thicker than Byron's as well and coarser to the touch. "How things would be if it was like it was during our grandparents time."

"What are you talking about?" I ask as I wrap my legs around his waist. He pulls back and rests on his forearms so he can look down at me.

"When pureblood society was at it's peak," he says and I raise my eyebrows as I bring my hands down to his arms, feeling the defined muscles there. "All the parties and power... Only a handful of families were able to keep their status and fortune since the war, but It would be great if it was like that again, wouldn't it? Selective, and perfect...A Utopian society for wizards and witches and everything that makes us great."

"I don't know about that," I say as he brings one hand down to touch _that_ spot. I suck in a breath and lift my hips when I feel his fingers down there, heightening my already painful arousal.

"We would be the perfect power couple," he says as he works his fingers and watches my face as I try to ignore that he's talking because I just want him to touch me. "I could give you everything," he says as he bends down and sucks on my earlobe.

"I already have everything."

I feel his lips curve into a smile against my cheek. "You would be a good girl for me, wouldn't you?" I lift my hips again and bite my lip as he fingers me. I don't even know what he's talking about and I don't care. "You would be my good little girl."

"Conrad," I say and he pulls back to look at me. "Shut up."

He smiles and then he removes his fingers once he decides that my body is ready for him and he braces his hands on both sides of my body. Alarms are going off in my head. That this is wrong, that I will regret this tomorrow.... but I bat those thoughts away as he slides inside of me.

Byron was the only lover that I have ever had and Conrad's body feels different than his... it takes a couple of seconds for my body to get used to his size before I let myself breath. It actually feels amazing when he starts moving, though, considering I thought I'd never want anyone else but Byron Flint. The way that he's moving his hips and the way he sucks on my lower lip before pressing into me hard and fast is sending electric waves through my whole body. I try to turn us so I can be on top, but he holds me down and shakes his head, drilling into me with his hands holding down my forearms. When I feel my body ready to climax, I start breathing heavier, pushing my hips against his as I lean up to kiss him again.

"Say that you want me," he demands as I hook on of my knees in the crook of his elbow and he starts slamming into me so hard that I know I'll be sore tomorrow. He lets go of my arms to brace himself because he's going so fast and rough.

"I want you," I mutter softly as I turn my head to the side and grab the railing on the head board to keep me in place. He starts grunting and I arch my back, feeling my hair get loose from the clips and pins that were holding it in place. "I want you... I..." I moan. "Byron." He stops moving and I open hazy eyes as he glares down at me. He lets my leg drop to the mattress and I feel myself panting. "What's wrong?"

I gasp when one of his hands fist in my hair and he tugs so hard that my head snaps back against the pillow. It hurts and I whimper as he tightens his jaw and start moving inside me roughly again. "You don't want him," he says through gritted teeth as he pulls my hair and slams into my body. "You want me. Say my name."

"You're hurting me," I say softly as he bends down and bites my lip until I taste blood. I know that the violence shouldn't turn me on, but I can't help my traitorous body as it starts bursting and tightening around him. I bite his lip back just to stop myself from yelling out and I tug with my teeth before letting him go.

"Say my name," he orders again as I let my mouth fall open as waves of pleasure shudder over my body. He hasn't shaved in a couple of days because the stubble from his face is burning my skin every time he runs it against me. It's like sandpaper against my sheek as he licks the shell of my ear. "Say my name. Now."

I whisper his name on my way down and I guess it satisfied him because he let go of my hair started to roll his hips more softly against me. He makes love roughly. During the course of the night I get thrown and twisted into all theses crazy positions I've never heard of before as he bites my skin and pulls at my hair, but I can't complain because everything felt so good and intense. The man has the most stamina I have ever seen and he knows what he's doing and he knows how to manipulate my body in the most pleasurable way. He left me an exhausted sweaty mess by the time dawn broke through the window and I collapsed against his chest after he loosened his tight grip on my hips.

"Good girl," I hear him mutter as I try to catch my breath. Good girl, indeed. Even when I was on top, he controlled my movements with his strong hands on my hips. Pulling me down and controlling how fast or slow I was going with his dominating fingers.

I roll off of him and turn away after we finish. I was so tired that I closed my eyes and tried to ignore him as his fingers played over my hip and the curve of my spine because I couldn't go another round... I would probably die and I told him that much.

He laughs. "You are perfect for me," he says and I try to fall asleep, ignoring the uncomfortable, and the more that I think about it, disgusting, wetness between my legs. "We would be amazing together."

"I'm tired," I tell him so he'll shut up, but he doesn't, instead he presses himself against my back and kisses my shoulder.

"Can you see it?" he asks against my skin. "All of the society balls and clubs would be brought back... and men and women would act as they are supposed to again."

"What do you mean?" I ask tiredly against the pillow. I don't even know this bloke that well. Why is he still talking?

"Women would respect and love their husbands again... and men would honor and keep their wives." I feel him smile against my skin. "I'll be the charming healer and you will be my doting wife."

"I have no idea what you're talking about," I say with yawn and I shift my legs, only to wince when my lady parts protest from all the exercise and use it went through. This is also the first time in my life I want to tell a guy that I'm too young for him. Doting wife? I'm only eighteen.

What he was talking about right now should have been warning enough for me to get up and leave... but my brain still felt heavy and my body was still aching for his.

"You would give me beautiful children," he says and I furrow my brows as he brings his hand up to my breast and squeezes. I groan in annoyance. "And we would raise them right and they would know that they are superior because of their blood lines and the power that that gives."

"Stop being a creeper," I tell him softly as I bring my knees up to my chest. "I just want to sleep."

"And I want to fuck you again," he says as he pushes me on my back and he pulls my legs apart with his hands hooked under my knees. He's not natural. No one can possibly go this long. I crack my eyes open so I can glare at him when he pulls me down the bed, but I stop myself from saying anything. His blond hair is all tussled and his cheeks are flushed. He's smiling at me with red kissed lips and I think he looks kind of like a boy on Christmas morning.

"Can we take a nap first?" I say pleadingly because I'm not sure my body can handle another go. He touches me again, to make me ready for him, and my body jumps at the contact. "Please, I'm sore right now."

"Shh..." he says as he gives me a gentle kiss on my abused lips. "I'll go softly, baby."

Baby... I would scoff if I wasn't so tired. I think I've shagged Conrad more in the past few hours than I ever did when I was with Byron... with Byron... aren't I still with Byron?

"You're a good girl, aren't you?" he asks breathlessly as he takes me again. I don't know what his obsession is with me being a good girl. "You're mine now, right?"

"Yes, just stop talking, please."

After he's finished, he finally lets me sleep and I fall hard and heavy into dream land with my body aching and burning. I barely register him kissing me and getting off the bed as I tuck myself under his covers and drift off with my eyes slammed shut against the sun coming in. It's a dead sleep. I don't dream and I don't move until hours later, when the worst headache I've ever had slams into my head and makes me wince as I open my eyes. The first thing that I notice is that I'm naked... the second thing... I'm in a strange bed... the third... Oh, no.

I sit up straight and flinch when my head screams in protest. I feel like crying as I remember what happened last night... or this morning... How could I do that? I stand up quickly and wrap myself in a blanket as I look around for my clothes so I can leave. I just cheated on Byron. I just cheated on Byron and I didn't even care at the time. What the hell is wrong with me? I only find one stocking and my knickers, so I slide them on and grab the black button down shirt that's lying on the floor. I think I left the dress in the kitchen... After I took it off. I am such a whore. I am such a cheating whore. I feel tears stinging my eyes as I start to run down the stairs from the loft. I need my dress, shoes, purse, and wand and then I need to go home and bathe my shame away. How could I do this? I love Byron more than anything, how could I cheat on him?

Whats gotten into me?

"Good morning, beautiful." I jump and turn around with my hand on my heart, only to face Conrad in his green healer scrubs, reading the newspaper with his feet propped up on his coffee table. "Did you sleep well?" he asks, never once looking up from the paper.

"Um," I start like an idiot. What do I say to him? It's my fault I let myself do this, no matter how weird it is... I can't blame him, can I? "Um... I need to go home," I tell him. "Do you need to go to work?" I ask as I take in his clothes.

"I already did," he says casually and he finally flicks his eyes to mine, smiling warmly when he sees that I'm wearing his shirt. "You slept for a good twelve hours, lovely."

"No, don't call me that," I say with a head shake. "I need to... this was a mistake. I have a boyfriend."

"I imagine you won't have one for very long," he says as he turns the page and looks back down at what he's reading as he takes a sip from his glass.

I let my mouth fall open and then I close it with a snap. "Anyways, thanks for letting me sleep in your bed..." I mutter as I scurry over to the open kitchen to find my dress and purse.

"And for making you cum?" he says as I bend down to pick up my dress that was left on the wooden floor. I look over to him in surprise. "Many, many times," he says with a smirk and I blush red as I try to avoid his eyes. "Are you going to thank me for that?"

I pretend like he didn't say that as I slide the dress back on, under the shirt. I give him a quick look before turning around and pulling the dress over my chest, zipping it up the side and putting the straps into place before taking off his shirt. It feels weird with out a bra, but I won't let myself go back up stairs to the sex bed I let myself cheat in.

"Why don't you stay?" he says as I look around for a my purse. My body aches with each movement and I try not to limp from it. "We could have another fun night in."

I scowl as I get down on my knees to check under the table. "No... I have class tomorrow."

"Tomorrow's Sunday," he says with a laugh and I hear him shuffle the paper some more. "What are you looking for?"

"My purse," I say as I stand up and scan the flat for it.

"This purse?" I've been trying to avoid the little sitting area he's in and I reluctantly look at him as he holds up my black little clutch with a smug look on his face.

"Yes... that purse," I say and I hesitate before walking towards him to retrieve the one thing I need to leave. When I stand beside his chair, I go to grab it, but he grips my wrists and makes me sit on his lap. I try to stand up but he puts his hand over my lap in a death grip to keep me in place.

"Please... I appreciate..." What do I appreciate? I have no idea, but I want to get out of here. "I have to go home."

"You should take a shower," he says as he takes my chin and tilts it towards him. "You're looking a little rough," he says as he runs his thumb over my lower lip. It hurts so I pull away.

I feel tears stinging my eyes again and I close them to try to get away from the situation I so stupidly put myself in. "He's never going to forgive me," I say out loud as I think of Byron.

"You don't need his forgiveness," he says softly and I feel him wipe my tears away as I feel the guilt consume me. Drowning me. I'm a cheating slag. "You wanted it," he says and I turn away again to escape the truth of those words. "You wanted me... it wouldn't have worked if you didn't want it."

"What wouldn't have worked?" I ask softly. I open my eyes and glance at him as he searches my face with an eyebrows raised. He smiles and tucks some hair behind my ear.

"Stay," is all he says and I bite my lower lip as I look at my purse that he set on the table beside him. "Let me help you forget again." He brings his face closer to mine and he kisses my cheek as I cringe. "After all that hard work, you still smell delicious."

"I love my boyfriend," I say solidly. "This... I'm sorry. I did have a good time, I-I just... this wasn't right. I need to go home." I try to get up again, only to have him pull me back down. I try not to panic as my heart beat speeds up.

"Stop stuttering," he says as he puts his hand on my knee and starts pushing apart my legs. With that, I do really panic and I fall off his lap, landing on the hard wood floor with a loud thud that shakes the glass tables. "That was dramatic," he says as he stands up and towers over me as I try to pull myself together. "Come on, baby." Again he calls me baby and it makes my skin crawl. Byron doesn't even call me that. "Let's take a shower."

"No, I need to go home," I say as I quickly get to my feet so he doesn't have the standing advantage.

He bites the inside of his cheek and then he sighs as he hands me my clutch. "If you insist," he says, sounding disappointed like he thought I would do as he said.

"Thank you," I tell him as I look steadily at his throat. "I... well, goodbye then."

After I find my shoes, I book it to the door to take my walk of shame home, but I stop when I feel a hand on my shoulder. "I'll see you later," he says against my ear and it sends chills down my spine. "I'm fully confident you're going to come back to me."

He's awfully arrogant and I sneer at the thought as I leave his flat. I run down the steps and try not to trip as I scurry to the Apparation point. When I make my way to my dorm, I start breaking down. I did something unforgivable and I know Byron will never look at me the same way again after I tell him. I don't even close the door to my room as I fall down onto my bed and attempt to suffocate myself with my pillow as I cry and feel dirty. How could I do such a thing? What possessed me to think that was a good idea? Why did I do it? I wasn't even drunk, even though I felt like it.

"Are you alright?" I hear Kim ask from my doorway as I sob into my pillow. "You seem upset."

"Is it that obvious?" I sniff and then I feel her presence beside me on the bed. I'm waiting for her to say something hateful, or something cruel to add salt to my already gaping wound of my own making, but she doesn't, instead I feel her rub my back a few times.

"Is this about your boyfriend?" she asks, sounding uncomfortable with having to comfort me but I'm thankful she's trying none the less.

"I just ruined my life," I tell her with a tight throat and I hear her snort.

"Did you break a nail?" she says and I peak my head up from my suffocation to glare at her and her eyes soften. She's not wearing any of that terrible goth make up right now and she looks almost normal. "Sorry... what happened?"

"You don't care," I tell her softly. I wish I had my mood manipulator to calm me down... where is my mood manipulator? "You can go back to your room. Don't feel obligated."

I feel my heart twist when she stands up and I sigh when she leaves the room. I don't know why I thought she'd stay. My body hurts and my mind hurts and I turn around on my back so I can stare up at the ceiling, trying to figure out what I'm going to do. I'm in that position when Kim comes back with a thick brown blanket in her hands. "Whoa," she says and she stops dead in her tracks as she looks at my face. "Jesus... did some guy..."

"What?" I ask as she walks into the room and closes my door behind her.

"Did somebody rape you?" she asks and I scoff.

"Why would you say that?" I ask as she gives me the blanket and I give her a questioning look. "What's this?"

"It's a soothing blanket," she says as she sits at my desk chair. "My Mom got it for a my birthday last year." I unfold it and put it over my body, letting the warm tingle of the blanket sooth my aching body and ease my mind. "So, what happened to you? Why do you look all beat up?" she ask and I frown.

"I look beat up?"

She picks up the mirror from my desk and hands it to me so I can see my face. I gasp when I look at my reflection and nearly drop the mirror in surprise. My make up is smeared and my bottom lip is split by a violent red line with smeared blood on my chin. I tilt the mirror to look at my neck. Painful bites and hickeys are there and there's a bruise on my jaw along with small red dots that burn from the scruff on his face.

"Jesus Christ," I say and I'm too nervous to look anywhere else on my body. "This is terrible."

"Did your boyfriend do that?" she asks and I flick a troubled glance to her and shake my head. "Oh."

Oh.

Oh, I'm the worst person in the world.

_**Gavin**_

There are ducks every where and I glare at the different figurines and pictures as I try to make sense of it. How therapeutic are ducks?

"Why don't you tell me a little bit about yourself, Gavin."

I glance at the therapist, with her pinched little face and camel colored slacks. She is not good looking at all and I suspect that my time on this leather couch is going to be pretty unbearable. "What would you like to know?" I reply as I cross my legs and tap my fingers impatiently against my knee.

"Well, let's start with your family." I look at her and she smiles, making the wrinkles around her mouth and eyes even deeper. "Tell me about them."

This is utterly pointless. "Well, I have a mom and a dad, one older brother and two younger sisters," I answer flatly and she raises her eyebrows as she writes something down on the parchment in front of her. I have the itching need to peek my head up and see what she just wrote. "What did you just write?" I can't help but ask and she readjusts her glasses before glancing at me. "Was it bad?"

"Do you think I wrote something bad about you?"

"Did you?" I ask with a brow raised and that weird annoying smile graces her lips again.

"Do you automatically assume I would write something bad?"

"No," I state. "You were the one that brought it up. Never mind," I snap as I sit back and rub my forehead. "This is pointless. I can't believe my father made me come," I mutter angrily to myself as she observes me through muddy eyes. "This is kind of a sad profession, wouldn't you say? I mean, people pay you to be their friend... that's kind of sad." I look at one of the wooden ducks sitting on the table in front of me and I pick it up. "I take it you collect these."

"Why did your father think you would benefit from therapy?" she asks and I'm annoyed already.

I might as well play along considering I'm paying this old bird a fortune a minute. "He thinks that I'm weak," I say and even though he said other wise... why else would he make me see a shrink after that night? "He thinks I'm a child," I say as I place the stupid duck back on the table beside me

"And that makes you angry?"

I shake my head. "No, not angry," I answer softly. "Not at him, anyways."

"Then anger at yourself?" She asks. This is stupid. "Because you think your father thinks you're weak?"

"Anger at myself because I am."

"Why do you think you're weak?"

"Why do you ask so many questions?"

She pauses a moment and then inhales deeply before smiling again. "This is the getting to know you period. The more I know about you, the faster we can get to the root of your troubles."

"How do you know I'm troubled?"

"Well, you're here aren't you? Even though your father made you come, you didn't have to, now did you?"

"I feel this is going to be a one sided relationship," I tell her with a smirk.

"Do you have many of those?" she asks and I glance at her quill as it skits across the paper. "Unrequited relationships?" I laugh a little and start tapping my leg up and down because I'm bored already."I notice that you seem a little agitated. Do you feel like your company isn't being returned fully in the relationships you have with other people?"

I don't answer.

"Let's talk about your father."

"What about him?"

"Many people know him. They know his life story, his sordid past. How does that make you feel?"

"I don't know," I answer with a shrug. "I have nothing else to compare it to."

"Would you say that your life has been normal?"

I snort. "Are you serious?"

"What?"

"No, my life has been anything but normal."

"Why do you say that?"

"Well, for starters, my Dad was a death eater who kidnapped my Mom and then forced her to have his children," I tell her with a straight face. "So, here I am, and then he almost gets sent to Azkaban, Harry Potter almost killed him, and then he ran for political office all before the time I was five." She writes more things down with her quill and I become enraged because of the noise. "By some miracle my mother falls in love my with my father, he gives up his dark ways, and we turn into a pretty normal family, albeit rich and high profile, but normal none the less... family dinners, birthday parties, and Christmas presents... all that kind of stuff... and then my Dad becomes Minister of Magic. Suddenly every media outlet writes about us and follows us around.. and this is during my Hogwarts years, might I add," I say as she glances at me behind her stupid glasses. "Luckily, I never went through an ugly stage like most politician's kids or the whole thing would have been horrible for me."

"That's a lot..."

"I'm not done," I cut her off with a sharp voice and she shuts her mouth. "My wonderful Aunt, Hermione Weasley, writes a book about my family and all of a sudden there's this huge backlash against him, Potter starts teaching at my school... only to get information out of my siblings and I so he can get my Dad out of office and overall ruin everything he's worked for or built, including his marriage with my mom. At the time my older brother was going through some crazy teenage angst thing where he hated everything my Father was doing or ever did so that made things a little dull around the house. Someone almost murders my Dad and it turns out to be a man that claims my father tortured him when he was practically a slave at our home. Dad resigns, skip forward a few years later and I've impregnated my girlfriend, my flat gets burned down, my sister breaks her back, I join a purist group only to find out they're actually neo-death eaters from hell, and my brother dies... only to come back a few months later like nothing happened. Now he has brown hair, my sister is shagging a lunatic, I've scared a trashy emo kid into servitude, my pregnant fiancee cheated on me with one of my mates, I've witnessed terrible things that have made my stomach turn... and most of it is being well documented in every gossip page in England."

She stares at me, like she was trying to find the right thing to say.

"Oh," I say as I uncross my legs. "And some old bitch named Pansy gave me the clap." I stand up and smile at her. "There. I think we've reached a breakthrough now. I have Daddy issues. Have a good day."

I walk out of her office then because I can't stand her blank stare or the way that fucking quill scraps against the paper. I don't know how Dad finds anything good about going through that grilling process and I Apparate outside of Dr. Landwear's healers office with the bad taste of annoying therapy in my mouth. What a joke. I look at the building, knowing Addison is inside, and I take a seat on the bench across from the building as I try to imagine what she's doing, what she's learning about the baby, and if she was wishing I was inside with her.

"Gavin?"

I look over my shoulder and nod to the seat next to mine as Kelvin Marcello approaches. He looks different to me now, different from the annoying emo kid I remember who used to vandalize brick walls in the back allies of Knockturn. He seems older and more twisted. I guess the things I'm making him do have done that to him and a part of me does feel bad that I'm breaking another human being along with myself. But I'm already going to hell, I might as well make it a group effort.

"How was it?" I ask as he takes a seat beside me and hands me an envelope.

"Unpleasant."

"Do you want me to erase your memories?" I offer, in a rare moment of kindness for him.

He shakes his head. "No."

"You can go home now," I tell him as I tap the envelope with the information in it against my knee. "You'll never see me again after this."

He nods his head and stands up. I watch as he walks a few paces away, before stopping and turning around. "I'm sorry."

"What for?" I ask as I look up at him, narrowing my eyes because the sun is hitting me just right.

"Everything, I guess. Just so you know, I think she deserved it too."

"Goodbye, Kelvin," I tell him flatly and he jerks his head up and down again before walking away.

I look back to the healer's office. Who am I kidding anyways? I'm no where near fit enough to be a father. I'd probably just ruin everything and raise a fucked up kid who hates me. I stand up with a sigh and with one last look to the doctors office, I leave. I purchased a temporary town house in the city so I could finally move out of my parents house. It gives me privacy and I don't have to run into my father anymore because I'm taking an extended absence from work. I think he understands too, but it's not because of what I saw him do... It's because he had to do it for me. I hate feeling weak, and I hate that he witnessed it.

When I enter my living room, I sit on the leather couch and I open up the envelope with a tear of my fingers. Inside is a parchment where Kelvin Marcello wrote down everything that he found out for me... everything that I needed to know about the purist party and their intentions... and more importantly... where their home base is. The name Lestrange is nothing new to me, I know that was the last name of my father's crazy Aunt and his brute of an uncle who spent years going mad in Azkaban because of their blood lust and the pleasure they got out of torturing others. I just wasn't aware that their family home was still around. Lestrage Hill had been handed over to the state after their imprisonment, but when the Dark Lord took over again, Bellatrix Lestrange claimed her home once more, only to murder her husband by slitting his throat one morning in their bed. After she died it fell into disarray and became an abandoned building because no one wanted to go to the place where the crazy Bellatrix Lestrange used to live.

When the Dark Lord died and Potter and the Order took over the ministry there was an investigation at Lestrange hill where skeletons of missing people, muggles and wizards alike, started piling up from different places all around the house. It was set to be torn down, but the ministry, for some reason, held off. I guess now I know why. Darron Greengrass, my father's old friend, and the running Minister of Magic recently repealed the life sentences of many old Death Eaters that roamed and terrorized England when the Dark Lord reigned, claiming that they were held under insufficient evidence, and with the whole of the wizarding world turning sour against the muggles because of the Moor Murders, I have a feeling things are about to get ugly. I know a little about their plan to hijack the ancient artifacts from the muesums, I just have no idea what they're going to do with them.

I wait until the dead of night to act, and I grab my invisibility cloak, letting the silvery material run over my fingers as I clasp it around my neck. I haven't got much use out this thing and with a scowl I remember that I won it from Terrance in a bet. Terrance. Another person I feel the need to get revenge on. I Apparate to Lestrange hill which is fittingly located at the top of a large hill, glaring down at the village beneath it like it was angry god, ready to crumble and kill everyone under it in a minute. There are wards up, of course, but they're pureblood wards and I shake my head as I walk through them because the little group I used to belong to is predigest enough to only let those of purist blood inside. The house isn't as large as Malfoy Manor, and the trees that surround it look menacing and dead with twisted branches and thick angry looking trunks. I wouldn't be surprised if one of them tried to kill me like the whopping willow at Hogwarts.

"I know Dani," I hear footsteps behind me and I jump to the side. I forgot that I had the cloak on, and I sigh in relief as the tall slim bloke with red hair walks right past me with out a second glance. He's my in, I realize, because I'm sure I wouldn't be able to get into the house any other way. He's walking fast and I have to jog to keep up with him as he talks to the watch on his wrist. When it answers back I realize it's like the ones my father and sister share. "But this is a crucial time and no one can find out."

There's a muffled response from the watch that I can't hear because I'm too far away.

"They'll kill us even if they have the slightest suspicion. You can't tell him."

He puts his arm down, indicating the end of the conversation, and when he reaches the front door of the dilapidated building, he takes out a knife and slices his palm. I despise blood and I crinkle my nose as he places his hand on the door. It creaks open with the blood offering and I slide in behind him before the door shuts. Once sufficiently inside I look around. The floor is wood, a black and dark red swirling pattern that runs all around the main hallway. The stairs are not to be trusted, I see, because some of the wood is rotted in some places, making big gaping holes that would kill you if you fell through and the ceiling is home to a large chandelier that's covered in years worth of cobwebs. The place looks menacing, with portraits of sneering men and women hanging on the walls all crooked and caked with dust. I thought Malfoy Manor was a creepy old house, but even we don't have dead animal heads placed on the walls for decorations.

The tall bloke takes out his wand and lights the tip in a lumos spell. A few mice scurry across the floor in fright and I look at the man to see if I recognize him. I don't. He has dark red hair and a gaunt looking face set in a grim frown. I follow him when he starts walking, trying to match my footsteps with his so he doesn't notice that he's not alone and I can hear people talking at the end of the hall we're walking down as a bit of light cuts through the hallway from a crack under one of the doors. He goes straight to it, and I follow him in. There's a group of people hanging around the room that looks cleaner and more put together than any other place in the house. I know most of the people in here and I plant myself against the wall, right in front of a large painting of a man and his dog to spy on them and decide my next move.

"Has anyone heard from Pansy yet?" Jade asks as she crosses her arms and walks to one of the windows that has a thick red curtain pulled over it. I don't like Jade. She was always too condescending for me to find her worthy company and for some reason she seems to blame my parents for her first husbands death. She peeks out the window, before letting the curtain fall together again. "She's been missing for a week now."

"Perhaps Draco killed her," Theo says lazily and none of them seem to be bothered with the allegation. My body stiffens at the mention of my father's name and I look at Theo. He's sitting in front of the large fire place with serpent head ends reading the paper on a rough looking red leather chair. "He doesn't like it when people mess with his things and he's always been very protective of his family. In any case, if she doesn't show up in the next couple of weeks we'll find a body and say the muggles did it."

"How did the girl end up on the beach anyway?" The tall bloke with dark red hair asks as he settles himself on the chair across from him and Theo shrugs his shoulders.

They talk about it for a few moments as I study the people in the room. A few of them I know from the meetings and some of them I have never seen before. Theo is sitting on a high backed chair by the fireplace, reading the paper with his legs crossed. Jade Zabini is looking studiously out the window in a red dress that barely covers the rolls on her body. I suspect at one time she was thin and beautiful, but not anymore and she's trying desperately to hold onto the image because of the dresses she likes to wear. There's a younger looking blond guy sitting on the pool table, playing with the balls, throwing them against the side and letting them hit back as he listens to the conversations flowing on around him with a crystal glass in his hands, while a very old woman with wild eyes watches him as she leans against the couch. The rest of the little group are in the opposite corner of the room, sitting around a small table, playing poker.

"Have you had a chance to use the potion you requested?" The old woman in the last century clothes asks with a raspy voice that sounds rusted with misuse.

The blond looks up from his place on the pool table and I recognize him from when I went to the meeting house to get that antidote for Cass. He smiles. "It worked very well. She couldn't deny the fact that she wanted me and we had a nice evening because of it," He smirks down at the green top of the felt table like he was remembering something pleasant. "Her body responded to mine like it was made for me. Although, she did run away in horror in the morning."

"Isn't she a little young for you?" Theo asks, not taking his eyes off the paper.

The blond smiles again. "I like my things to be gently used," he says. "Besides, nine years will be nothing when we get older. The gap gets smaller."

"You are being awfully bull headed about this, Conrad," Jade says with the bitterness turning her voice ugly. "I have never understood why men want women who obviously don't want them back."

"She wants me," he says solidly, his tone sounds sharp, like the statement angered him. With a look of cool disdain, he eyes her critically, but she doesn't back down. Instead she matches his glare with a heated narrow of her lids.

"If you ask me, I think the marriage and reproduction thing is overrated," Theo adds as he swirls his wine glass in his hands. "What is everyone's fascination with procreating some little crying spawn of themselves?"

"Purebloods are a rare breed now," the old woman says with a raspy cough as she stands and walks over to the fireplace. Her long black skirt swishes with the movement and I have a feeling if I was to peek under the dress I would see cobwebs as well. Maybe she came with the house. "I would start forcing young purebloods to have at least five to give us the advantage over the halfbreeds, mudbloods, and muggles in the future."

The blond boy laughs. "That's unlikly. I think there is something romantic about being a dying breed," he says as he throws another ball against the green siding. "Although, I do find myself wanting to add more blood to our side as of late."

"From an unwilling girl," Jade adds, earning her a glare from the young blond. "That's always been the young pureblood way, after all. Find a girl, part her legs whether she likes it or not, and live happily ever after."

"Charming," Theo adds sarcastaically as the Conrad bloke stares at Jade's back.

"You seem to be harboring bitter resentment," he comments with his head tilted to the side. "It makes me question how happy you were with your first marriage."

"I loved Blaise," she says and Theo looks up. "I did, he was a great man."

Someone snorts... I'm not sure who.

"He never forced me to do anything I didn't want to do," she says as she turns away from the window to look at the others. "There have never been a shortening of willing partners for handsome young pure men, but have you noticed how some of them feel the need to just take whatever they feel like taking whenever they feel like taking it? Hell, Theodore, half our friends ended up married that way."

"Privilege and misplaced power will do that to you." Theo looks at Jade as he says that and raises his brows. "We're not all rapists, so get off your high horse."

"No girls get to choose their husbands like that. No matter how favored they may be," she says spitefully as she sends a harsh glance to Conrad. "It's not like one of my daughters can spot a guy that she likes and then force him into matrimony after our leader says she can. It's not fair really, how sexist things can be."

"I don't feel the need to force anyone," Conrad enters the conversation again as he and Jade stare each other down. "I'm fully confident in my abilities to win her. I just have a small hurdle I must jump before that."

Jade snorts as the old woman looks to him. "My grandson?" she asks and the blond nods his head, throwing a red striped ball against the solid black eight ball, making them clank. "They both deserve the rot in hell for all I care. That little bitch stunned me and then they stole from me," she sneers and I frown at her language. She's too ancient to be cussing like that. "Stupid blood traitors the lot of them."

"Lovely, as always," the young man replies with an eye roll. "She's not a blood traitor. Her father practically wrote the book on being a Death Eater and I do not want her to be in pain," the blond guy says as he takes a drink from his glass. It looks like firewhisky. "I just want her to realize she should be with me, besides, I think I taught him his lesson the other night."

"Taught him his lesson indeed," one of the men playing poker looks over his shoulder at Conrad. "That bloke doesn't even know it was you who crucio'd him."

Conrad shrugs, "She will leave him soon,"

"I'm sure her father would love that," Theo says dryly, still reading his paper. "Be careful, Conrad. It's hard to see now, but he can be terribly cruel. He has very little to no mercy."

The blond named Conrad smirks. "No need, it's only a matter of time before she comes to me and I don't think I'll need to give her a love potion," he says. "Perhaps, Agnes, you could use this to temp your grandson to your side," he offers and the old woman snaps him a cold glare. "You do think he can be saved, don't you?"

"He is weak. A whining little miserable baby," she sneers but then she lets out a long sigh. It's almost comical how dramatic she speaks. "Although, it would be such a waste with all that good blood running through his veins. There is a darkness in him that could be beneficial."

"If she does end up leaving him, which I am confident she will," he adds arrogantly. "You can always promise him that he could get her back."

"Why would I promise him something already promised to you?" she says darkly and Conrad laughs as he stands from the pool table.

"He doesn't have to know that."

The woman narrows her eyes and then turns away in thought as Conrad walks over to the fireplace and puts his hand on the mantle. "There are plenty of other pure blooded girls out there, Conrad," Jade Zabini says at the window. "Why, my Lucy is quite fond of you as it is."

"But I do not want your Lucy," he says as he looks into the fire, ignoring the scowl of Jade Zabini's annoyed face. "She comes from the oldest and most noble pure-blooded families," he says as Theo watches his back.

"And richest," Jade adds hatefully, but Conrad shakes his head.

"That does not matter, I have my own money, but I will admit it doesn't hurt that she's rich. Anyways, she is smart and beautiful as well, so I know she will be a perfect mate for me. If we can get most of the younger pure bloods to fall back into only marrying inside their blood circle then it will catch on. To put society back like it used to in the glory days."

"Well, my youngest is engaged to a boy from the Goyle family," Jade says and Conrad nods.

"That's a step in the right direction."

"You'll have to tame her, Conrad," the old woman says with a hateful sneer on her face. Who the fuck are they talking about? "She won't be complaisant to you."

"I look forward to the challenge."

"Speaking of young pureblood matches," Theo says as he folds up the paper and puts it on the table. "What do we have to say about her older brothers?"

"We need the oldest one to help with the activation," the old woman says and Theo nods. "And he seems rather fond of our Daniella... perhaps we could use that to our advantage."

"And the other?" The tall redhead asks. I forgot he was in the room he has being so quiet.

Theo snorts and stands up. "I have to admit I am highly disappointed in Gavin." My heart stops and I narrow my eyes. They were talking about me.. they were talking about my brother... I narrow my eyes at the blond named Conrad because that means he was talking about my sister. I'm going to rip out his throat. "I thought he had more strength than that."

"Instead he let Daddy do the dirty work while he went home and cried with his tail between his legs," Jade says and I clench my wand with angry fingers. That stupid bitch.

"Now, I don't think we should write him off so quickly," Conrad says as I think of the best way to kill all of them. "I think he has potential and to be fair, Theo, he didn't know what he was getting into when you brought him."

"You are being awfully forgiving," Theo says with a smirk as Conrad turns around and shrugs his shoulders.

"Yes, I suppose I am," he says as he finishes off his drink and sets the glass on the fireplace mantle. "But he will soon be my brother-in-law, after all."

I'm to kill them, all of them. I start to lift my wand, and the invisibility cloak starts to slip backwards as I raise my hand, but I retract quickly when someone opens the door. "The meeting room is ready," some teenager with acne says nervously and everyone stands up.

"We're already in here," Conrad responds as they all start walking towards the door. "Why can't this be the meeting room?"

No one answers as they walk out, but Theo pauses and looks my way and I let my eyes narrow. He looks around the room once before shaking his head and closing the door behind him. I look down at the ground as I lean against the painting behind me as I decide what I should do next, but the painting moves, and I fall through it. I literally fall through a bloody painting and my hood falls back as I land in a dark hallway behind the large painting of the old man with his stupid dog. I stand up quickly to save my pride and I glare at the back of the painting that I just fell through. I push it with my fingers and watch it move the other way as well. Great. A secret passage. Now, there are a few of these at the Manor, little ones that cut down time from getting to one place to another and secret rooms behind bookshelves, but, I as I turn to the hallway and lift my wand with a lumos, I realize that this secret passage leads somewhere far away, and somewhere with a lot of stairs.

The curiosity wins, and I wonder if this passage leads to something beneficial, so I start walking down the dark damp hallway, running down the stairs each time I reach a new landing. The longer I walk, the mustier the air gets and when I hear water I know I'm fucked and way too far in it to go back. "Damn," Is say to myself and I nearly kiss the iron door when I see it after miles of walking. I gently push it open and walk inside... and when I walk onto the stone slabs, I can tell I'm in a catacomb. Limestone walls with open holes for caskets and bodies line the tall walls and I sneer. Who builds a secret passageway to a catacomb?

"...All for the sake of academic curiosity," I hear a voice say from inside and I furrow my brows as I throw up my hood and start walking down the stairs. I hear a hissing noise and the other voice laughs. "Indeed."

When I turn the corner of the catacomb's stairway, I see a small set up in the middle of the large room as torches surround them, lighting them up. Surrounded by walls of dead people, two people are sitting in the center of the room on wooden chairs with a small rickety table set up between them. The one on the left is wearing a long black cloak with the hood pulled down so far that their face is hidden. The one on the right is a little old man, and when I say little, I mean little. His feet aren't touching the ground and they dangle off the chair like a small child's would. I take another step down as a large fireplace roars behind them, reflecting the light off of the old man's large glasses. They're playing chess with ivory and ebony pieces and I take another step down, feeling bold with my cloak on.

"It won't be too long now," the old man grins as he moves his pawn and then the hooded figure hisses again.

Then they both turn and look at me.

I gulp, thinking they can't possibly see me under my cloak, but I was wrong because the old man breaks another smile across his old face. "Hello, there," he says and I've never heard a creepier greeting. The fact that we're in a catacomb doesn't help much either. "Take off that silly cloak and come sit down. No one likes a spy.

Seriously? This is seriously happening? I grip my wand and swallow the lump in my throat as I slowly lower my hood. When the man sees my face he smiles even wider as I take off the rest of the cloak and drape it over my arm.

"Well, come sit down right here," he says pointing to the empty chair against the table.

"Who are you?" I ask as I send a glance to the hooded figure. The figure turns forward again and claims the old mans pawn with it's knight. It's hand is chalky white, boarding on a gray color and the nails are yellow and filthy with dirt.

It hisses again and I can feel my heart hammering in my chest. The old man looks at the cloaked figure and then back to me. "You're family, Gavin, and she doesn't hurt family."

"How do you know my name?" I ask as my stomach twists in painful knots. I can't find it in my to move, so I stay glued to my spot with my cloak and wand in hand.

"Everyone knows your name," he says, giving me a warm smile. "Now, sit."

He makes another motion towards the chair and I take a tentative step towards it and carefully sit down on the old rickety chair. It smells terrible in here, I guess dead bodies have a habit of smelling rank, but right here, at this particular spot, it smells like decay. The thing beside me hisses again and I look at it from the corners of my eyes. I still can't see it's face and I'm thankful for that because I'm not totally sure I want to know what it looks like.

"Yes, I agree, but I think the oldest looks more like him." I look at the old man as he moves his Queen. He has so many deeply etched wrinkles on his face that he looks like a road map, and he has sparse white hair horseshoed around his head. He notices my stare and he gives me a sideways glance. "Oh, she said you look just like your father, but I believe Cassius more closely resembles Draco."

"You know my brother?" I say, trying not to sound tight in this strange little get together I've found myself in. "On a first name basis?" I add with my eyebrows furrowed.

"Yes, yes," he says with a nod of his head. "He was one of my best students." Students? I grip my wand a little tighter as the silence carries on and then the hissing starts again. "She says you seem to have a lot of anger in you," the old man says. It is a she, that's just wonderful.

"Everybody has anger in them," I snap and he nods.

She/it moves another chess piece and the old man lets out a breath of disappointment because he's cornered. "It looks like I'm losing again," he says and then he grins at me. He smiles an awful lot and his glasses magnify his eyes to a ridiculous extent, so he looks like a bloody bug. "What do you desire most in the world?" he surprises me by asking and I furrow my brows.

"Nothing I can't get on my own," I tell him, remembering that talk I had with my father when he admitted things from his painful past to get me away from these people.

"Good answer."

The thing to my left hisses and I hold my wand a little tighter. Then, quick like lightening, the thing grabs my arm and pulls it on the table. Nails dig into my skin and the surprise of it makes me loosen my fingers, causing my wand to to roll out of my hand and hit against a few of the chess pieces piled on the board. I take a quick intake a breath and try to pull my arm back, but the thing is stronger than I would have imagined and I send a panicked look to the old man who's still grinning at me like a fool.

"She's not going to hurt you," the old man says. "Calm down."

"Who is she?" I ask as I look down at the hand gripping my arm as she turns it so that my wrist is bare. Her gray skin looks almost yellow in parts, with sores that are shrinking away from her skin.

"Don't worry, this is only temporary," he says and I have no idea what he means but I'm too busy watching the lady with the dead hands trace the veins on my wrist with one dirty finger, following the blue lines on my skin like they were the most fascinating thing in the world.

Her hooded head turns and the cloak falls apart a little bit to show a bright pink fluffy dress underneath that's soiled and dirty. What the Fuck?

"She likes you," the old man muses and I try to get my arm back again. This time the monster in the pink dress lets go and I scoot my chair back to get away from it. It starts hissing as I think of how I'm going to get out of here. "We have a job for you, young Mr. Malfoy."

"No," I state with out even bothering to know what it is. I stand up and snatch my wand from the table. Neither of them move to stop me.

"It's simple, really. You just have to retrieve a dress for us." I give the man a disbelieving look. "It's at your family home and it is so very special to her."

"A dress?" I repeat and he nods his head.

"Just a dress."

"And if I don't?" I ask because I know that there's a catch to this. They are playing chess in a bloody catacomb after all. If that doesn't scream crazy sociopath, I don't know what does.

"Then we kill your mother," he says in such a bland and matter of fact way that it chills my bones. He moves one of his pieces and smiles like he just didn't threaten my family.. "Oh, look, check mate."

I swallow that lump in my throat again and try not to look at the creature to my left as the old man tells me about this stupid dress I need to retrieve.

"What do I get," I asked after he's done telling me about the stupid wedding dress they want me to find for them. Slytherin tactics kick in as I stare at him. You never do something for nothing. It's the Slytherin way, after all.

"The world." The creature in the pink dress decides to speak and my head snaps to hers because her voice sounds raw and harsh, like she had swallowed sand paper and it tore up her throat. I kind of wish she was still speaking in tongues because to hear her speak normally is frightening. "You get the world."

I don't want the world.

I have never wanted the world.

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_A/N: Hey guys! Well, congratulations if you made it through that mammoth of a chapter. I think it's the longest one I've ever written, so I know it was a bear! It's been one of those annoying and long days, so I just have one request from those of you who are still reading this. I really am trying to weave a mildly interesting and entertaining story, and I would really appreciate it if you left me an equally interesting and entertaining review in return. _

_It would really make my day, and I promise this is the first and only time I will ever ask!_

_Let me know that all my typing is not in vain! _


	18. Chapter 18

_**Cassius**_

_**Ministry Releases Former Death Eaters from Azkaban.**_

I look over the pictures of the twelve sneering people on the front page of the Daily Prophet.

_Izador Rookwood, 65, Vincent Crabbe, 44, Alicia Foxworth, 58, Rabastan LeStrange, 70, Octavian Mulciber, 91, Jezabel Goyle, 43, Peter Pettigrew, 66, Oden Flint, 52, Lyle Worthington, 47, Severes Snape, 67, January Parkinson, 55, Dominick Valentine, 39._

I sigh before placing the paper on the table, and I rub my eyes as I listen to the wireless radio set up beside me.

".....It's been speculated that muggle terrorist groups are responsible for the bombings of the Muggle Magical Relations building that killed ten wizards and two muggles early Sunday morning. Minister Greengrass has said, in his weekly public address, that the relationship between our government and theirs has been depleting rapidly for the past two years, since we refused to take apart in their attacks on Afghanistan."

"_The Non-magical people who know of our existence_, Minister Greengrass said last Friday, _have started to question our commitment to humanity." _

_"Non-magic people in the government and the parents and families of muggle borns have started to question our motives and our existence in the world. They wonder why we hide, why we have not helped them with their wars or famines, they question if we are the ones who have caused most of their tragedies. They have promised retaliation if it turns out that our ignoring of their world is for a much higher cost." _I recognize Darren Greengrass' voice immediately and I close my eyes and rest my head in my hands. "_We believe these attacks are apart of a bigger rebellion against our kind from people in the know."_

"How many more attacks will we be forced to endure before the government puts a stop to this wizarding hate?" The commentator announces as bitterness pools in my stomach. "How many more lives have to be lost? How much blood must be shed by the crude and primitive machinery our muggle neighbors hold so dear? Minister Greengrass and former Minister Draconis Malfoy are set to host a press conference later in the evening to address the pressing matters that are starting to plague our society...."

I turn off the radio and stare at the speakers for a few moments. I wonder what my father would have to say on the matter, and if that's why he left the house so late that night. With those neo death eaters running around, I doubt the muggles have anything to do with the bombings and violence. Especially since our intelligence agencies are some of the best in the world. With that thought, I narrow my eyes and stand up, grabbing my wand and cloak as I leave the flat. I Apparate outside of a small gathering of white washed building complexes and I take a piece of paper from my pocket, memorizing the numbers and the address before finding the door with the golden 3 tacked onto it. I bang on it with my fist until it shakes and rattles and I pause a second to listen for movement on the other side. Nothing happens, so I turn my hand and knock again, three raps against my knuckles. This time I hear footsteps and I rest my hands on the door frame as I hear locks being slid around and bolts being unbolted. The door handle twists and I narrow my eyes.

"Cassius?" Daniella looks confused as she cracks open the door. I don't move, I just glare at her. "What are you doing here?"

"You lied to me," I tell her harshly as she opens up the door to reveal her living room to me.

"What are you talking about?" she asks and she steps to the side when I decide to walk in.

"You lied to me," I repeat slowly as I walk into the center of her living room. It's painted a lavender color, with white leather couches and paintings of flowers hanging on the walls. It's so impossibly feminine that I hesitate a moment before turning to her again. "You are a liar."

"What are you talking about?" she snaps as she shuts her door, angry that I would just waltz in here and call her such a thing, but she is a liar and I intend for her to know it.

I look around again, wondering where her burly boyfriend is before I turn back to her. "You told me that you wouldn't use that statue for anything bad."

"I never promised anything of the sort," she says and my tempter flares as she crosses her arms.

"I trusted you," I tell her and I realize that was my own stupidity, but it doesn't change the fact that I'm angry with her. "But you are just like the rest of those nasty Neo-Death Eaters, trying to revive a life style that has been dead for years."

"You don't know what you're talking about," she scoffs. Beside me is a small end table and on it is a pastel colored vase that's home to a bundle of fake flowers. I have the urge to pick it up and break it, crashing it against the floor until all the pastel pieces scatter in a million different parts. That's how angry I am.

"I know exactly what I'm talking about," I state angrily. "You have no idea what those things can do, do you?" I yell harshly, wanting to hit something to make me feel better. "Do you have any idea what it's capable of?"

"Stop yelling at me, Cassius," she bites back and I clench my fists because of the patronizing way she's speaking to me. Just the tone of her voice is pissing me off and I close my eyes to collect myself. I've always had my father's temper and I try to calm myself down by taking deep breaths, but it doesn't work "If you came here just to yell at me, then you can leave."

"Why did you give me that portkey?" I snap to change the subject, she scowls. "Why did you send me away?"

"Because they would have hurt you, you big stupid fool!" she yells back and I raise my eyebrows at her words. "You were too busy watching your boyfriend to realize someone was throwing a curse right at your chest!"

"I would have rather stayed," I tell her harshly. "They tortured Byron," I tell her and she looks away. "Of course, you probably know that, don't you? They crucio'd him and you gave me a bloody port key. What about him? Why didn't you help him?"

"Because I couldn't help him!" She yells as she walks closer to me, like she was preparing for an attack "Now, leave my flat, you ungrateful sod!"

"You're the ungrateful one. I helped you out," I tell her, trying to get her to understand why I'm so upset. A part of me hopes that she'll cry and beg for forgiveness but girls never seem to do the things that I want them to. "I helped you out just so you could hurt millions of people!"

She pushes me. "You don't understand anything, you spoiled brat."

"Spoiled brat?" I bark back disbelievingly.

"You try to act like you're not, but you are. You have no idea how the real world works, Cassius. Your Mom and Dad have kept you so sheltered from everything."

I laugh at that.

"You're a stupid slag," I tell her because I'm angry and she smacks me across the face in retaliation. A part of me knows I deserved it, but I still don't think it's fair, really. Girls are allowed to smack boys and boys just have to lay back and take it. "That's not fair," I tell her as I narrow my eyes. The look must frighten her because she closes her mouth and backs up into the wall when I advance on her. "Hit me again," I taunt her once I have her cornered.

"Leave my bloody flat. Right now." she demands with a tight jaw.

"Make me," I tell her childishly as my cheek smarts and stings. "You are nothing but a death eater wannabe. You were shallow when we were in school and your insecurities are even more obvious now that you're an adult," I tell her coldly and she gives me a hateful glare.

"You don't even know me. Now get out of my flat, you jackass."

"Tell me why."

"Why what, you lunatic?" she snaps. "You can't just come in here and harass me like this. Leave!"

"I'm going to tell the Aurors what you've been doing. I'm going to tell them everything," I threaten and she laughs.

"Try it," she says with an eye roll. "It's not like it would help. The ministry just released twelve of the most prolific Death Eaters on trumped up charges. I doubt they're going to care about this. Not with the Minister and your father backing those actions. By the way, are you going to call your Dad a shallow insecure slag as well?"

I tighten my jaw as I glare down at her.

"Didn't think so. Get out of my fucking living room."

I stare at her. Her olive eyes are fierce her eyebrows are forced together in anger. She smells really good, and from this angle I can see right down her shirt. Well, you can't win them all. I bend down, ignoring her yells of me to get out as I press my lips against hers. My actions surprised myself as much as it surprised her, but I was going to go with it. It seems to shut her up as well and her whole body freezes as I press my hips into hers. It's been way too long, I've decided, because my body is going crazy right now. I almost loose it when she moans and brings her hands up to grasp at my shoulders.

I grip her waist and I spin us around until her knees knock against the back of the leather couch and she falls down with her back smacking against the cushions. I follow two seconds later because my body is on fire and I have one goal in mind right now. I guess sometimes fighting can lead to a good end

"Let's get out of the living room," I hear her mutter as I kiss her neck. Right now I don't care if she's a Neo Death Eater because I'm not thinking straight.

"Stop telling me to leave," I hiss and she laughs. It sounds so strange considering we were fighting and I pull back to see her face.

"No," she says as she shakes her head. "No, I meant let's go into the bedroom. This is a leather coach and I would rather not get it messy."

I smile. "Oh, that makes sense."

I watch her as she stands up and takes my hand. Is this strange, to change so quickly like this so soon after a fight? I look down at my body as we make our way towards her bedroom. Of course, he doesn't care. She pulls me to her when we reach her flowery smelling room and I smirk against her lips as her fingers thread through my hair.

"I think I liked the blond better," she says as she kisses my cheek and tugs on the bottom of my shirt. Once that's off I lay her down on the bed and cover my body with hers.

She's developed more since the last time I touched her like this... granted, that was years ago and it never went anywhere, but it still counts. Now her muscles are tighter, like she works out regularly and her chest is fuller. Once she's free of her clothes, she rolls me onto my back and she straddles my waist.

"Are you sure your boyfriend won't mind?" I can't resist adding another jab as she unbuckles my belt and she gives me an irritated look before working on the button.

"He's not my boyfriend. We're just dating."

"What's the difference?" I ask as she unzips my zipper. Her fingers flitter around down there and I clench my teeth together before closing my eyes to get a hold of my self. No one likes a pre-mature ejaculator.

Although, with the summer I have had, I think it could be forgiven.

"Well, I could stop, if you think there isn't one."

"Never mind," I say quickly and she laughs. I find it one of the most appealing sounds I've ever heard.

"That's what I thought," she says smugly as I bring my hands up to touch her body.

I'm actually pretty proud of myself. Considering it had been a while since I shagged a real live girl, I held up pretty well under the circumstances. Most of the women that I've slept with have been hesitant to do much, and they pretended they didn't have much experience in the bedroom, but Daniella.... whew. I was a sweaty well satisfied mess by the end of it and I fell down onto the pillows, a heavily breathing heap. She landed beside me, with her leg thrown over mine and her dark hair, that I had loved so much at one time, a messy heap along her shoulders.

I glanced at her as she swiped hair out of her eyes and I looked away quickly. This happened so fast… I just needed to feel connected to someone. Someone that I have known, someone that for one reason or another felt safe. I have no idea why that person is Daniella.

"I've been waiting years for that," she says with a pleased little smile as she kisses my shoulder. "I've never shagged a dead fellow, either."

I smile at the joke and turn my eyes to hers. "You can scratch that off your list now. Necrophiliac." She hits my chest and I grab her hand before it makes impact and I kiss her wrist. "Why do you believe in that stuff?" I ask quietly as I give her hand back.

She rolls on her stomach and rests on her forearms. "What do you mean?" she asks softly and I turn on my side and prop myself up on my elbow so I can see her.

"You know what."

She knits her brows together again as I look at her hair. She has wonderful sex hair going on right now and I want to run my hands through the mass she has rolling down her back, but I refrain. She licks her lips before she looks at me.

"Do you trust me?" She surprises me by asking.

"No," I state honestly.

She looks at her hands. "Nothing bad is going to happen," she whispers. "We won't let it get that far."

"Who's we?" I ask softly and she glances at me before looking away again.

"Dorian and I," she says and I frown at the name. I don't know who that is and a part of me is uneasy that it's a boy. "Sometimes you have to kill it from the inside."

"What does that mean?" I ask with a curious tilt of my head as she sits up and pulls the sheet with her.

"Nothing," she says softly, like she let herself say too much and she scoots towards the wall with her knees drawn up to her chest. "There's a guy," she says gently as I turn on my back and place my hand behind my head. "His name is Conrad; he's a healer at St. Mungo's."

"Okay?"

She purses her lips like she was trying to find the right words before she continues. "He's odd," she says and I raise my brows. "He's very intelligent and when you first meet him he comes across as a really nice person."

"Why are you telling me this?" I ask and she looks at me.

"For some reason he really likes your sister," she says and I sit up straight. "The older one... Lavinia, I think?" she says and I nod my head to show she got her name right. "He's been kind of obsessing over her for a while."

"Does he even know her?" I ask and she nods her head.

"Yeah, the other night she met up with him at the club we were all at." I frown because that doesn't sound like my sister at all. She doesn't meet up with boys at clubs….and she's with Byron. "She went home with him," she says and I shake my head because that can't possibly be true. "He..." She trails off. "He's dangerous. I think you should warn her to stay away from him if she can."

"If she can?" I repeat back flatly. To be honest, the fact that she's being so weird and vague is starting to upset me again.

An owl taps at the bedroom window before she can respond and she hops out of the bed to let the bird in. I stand up as well and I start pulling on my pants. I'm buckling my belt as she takes the letter. Her eyes scan the page while I throw on my shirt and begin with the buttons. I hear her sigh loudly and she gives me a look that I really can't decipher.

"I have to go," she says before disappearing into her loo to get dressed. I suppose that's my cue to leave and I start gathering up my things so I can get out of here. Was this a bad thing to do? On a scale of one to ten, I'm right at I don't give a hell. Maybe later I'll feel differently.

"So, you're more of the love them and leave them type?" I say sarcastically and she flicks me a glare from the doorway. "What if I told your friends about the portkey you gave me?" I ask curiously. "Do they know you did that for me?"

She glares again. I ignore it and go into the living room to put on my shoes. As I'm tying them up, Daniella comes into the room, fully dressed and putting in a pair of earrings.

"Right, okay, so..." She trails off awkwardly as I stand to face her. We stare at each other for a while, and I see a blush staining her cheeks. I wonder if she's thinking about what we just did. "I'm going to tell you this and I know I shouldn't, but I have a feeling you're probably going to ruin everything that I've worked for if I don't."

"Really?" I say as I raise an eyebrow.

She takes a seat on the couch and folds her arms across her chest. "Sit."

I obey and stare intently at her as she fiddles with her fingers. "You have to promise me on your life that you will never tell another soul," she says seriously as she looks into my eyes. "Please, I'm serious."

"I won't tell anyone," I tell her genuinely as my interest sparks. I scoot closer to her as she faces me and squares her shoulders.

"Will you make a vow?" she asks worriedly. "Will you make a vow not to tell anyone?"

"It's that serious?" I state and she nods her head. "Fine," I take out my wand and do the simple spell that most wizards use when signing contracts. I take her hand and wave my wand over our joined fingers as my wand tip glows, binding us together for this one little confession until she breaks the spell. "Tell me, then." I say impatiently.

She inhales deeply before looking me in the eyes.

"I'm an Auror."

I would laugh if she wasn't so serious.

"I'm an Auror and so is my partner, Dorian Bones. We were chosen to infiltrate the group. We were cadets when they approached us and our mission is to find out who's running things."

"You're not joking?" I say and she shakes her head. "I thought you said earlier that the Ministry was corrupt so wouldn't being an Auror mean nothing?"

"When the Order of the Phoenix had control of the ministry, they made a branch of the Auror department independent from the government just in case something like this happened again. I graduated from the cadets two years ago and they paired me up with Dorian. We were chosen to go undercover because we're so young and no one really knew of our involvement with the Auror's yet. Dorian's getting closer than I am and one of the reasons why I'm dating Chance is to gain trust. You can't tell anyone, Cassius, and will you please stop trying to handle things on your own, because there are people who are trying to help."

"You're telling me all of this rather easily," I tell her suspiciously as I tilt my head.

"Because I know you're a good guy," she says and I'm kind of flattered that she thinks so... kind of flattered and kind of insulted. "I know you have good intentions. I wouldn't have slept with you if..." she trails off and I see a blush on her cheeks again. "Anyways, I wanted you to know so you wouldn't show up in some random place anymore, with your wand drawn like an idiot."

"How do I know you're telling the truth?" I ask, she could be lying just so I would stay out of her business.

"You don't." she stands up and I follow suit. "I really have to go, now. Alright?"

"I'm still upset with you," I tell her honestly and she smiles. I don't, but that doesn't seem to bother her as she steps up to me and kisses the corner of my mouth.

"I'll see you around," she says like it wasn't an irritating reply.

I scoff and clasp my cloak. "We'll see," I tell her and I go to walk away, but I stop myself. I can still taste her on my lips and I go back to her one more time. I pull her close to me so I can plant a hard kiss on her red lips. "Goodbye."

"Bye," she whispers breathlessly and I smirk before leaving her flat.

Well, that did not go the way I was expecting it to.

Before I go home, I stop by the store to pick up a few things and I head straight towards the bathroom as soon as I enter the flat. I'll admit there's a little bounce to my step and I look at the mirror with a smirk. My hair's all disheveled and it's still a dark chestnut brown color. It falls down past my eyes now and it's starting to tickle my neck, so I open the mirror cabinet and take out a pair of scissors so I can cut most of it off.

I feel a little rejuvenated now and I realize it's sad that one good shag with a neo Death Eater will do that, but you do what you can, right? I comb my hair until it all lays flat in front of my face and I bring the scissors up and start cutting until my bangs are resting along my eyebrows, and then I start trimming the sides and the long hairs by my neck. By the time I'm finished, the sink is littered with hair and I'm now sporting a rather punky looking hair style because a lot of my cuts were uneven and chopped.

I decide I like it.

I smile at my reflection and I turn on the sink. I start humming to myself as I take off my shirt and throw it in on the floor beside me. I close my eyes and hold my breath before sticking my head under the flowing water. I let it drench my hair and neck as I run my fingers through my new shorter and choppier locks and I pull back out to take a deep breath before sorting through the things that I had bought at the store. I pull out a potion bottle and I read the directions carefully. If I wash it into my hair, it brings my natural color back out. I look at the mirror once more. Goodbye brown.

I uncork the lid and I squeeze a generous mouth onto my palm before rubbing it into my scalp. It starts to burn as I massage it in and I wince as I continue to work the potion around my head. After half an hour of waiting, I put my head back under the sink and I watch as the brown dye goes down the drain.

I scrub through my hair few more times before reaching for a towel and pulling my head away from the water. I tug the towel roughly through my hair and then I let it fall so I can look back at the reflection. My blond hair is back, the hair that singles me out as a Malfoy is finally there again, and I find a smile tilting my lips. Then there's a knock on the door and I throw the towel around my shoulders as I go to open it. No one knocks on our door here, so I'm kind of surprised to hear the banging.

"Just a minute," I say as I towel dry my hair some more before I unlock the door and let it open. On the other side of the threshold is a large bald man with a thick handle bar mustache. I raise my eyebrows when I see him as he studies my face with crazy dark eyes.

"You Lucius Malfoy's boy?" he asks in a gruff voice and I give him a weird look for the question.

"Um, no," I answers and I bring my hand down to my pocket where my wand is.

"You look just like him," he says as he looks at me through narrowed eyes like he thought I was lying.

"Well, he was my grandfather," I answer honestly. "Draco is my father," I tell him and he nods his head like a crazy person. "What are you doing here and who are you?"

"I'm looking for my nephew," he says seriously.

"Okay..." I trail off. He looks demented, and his skin looks sallow, like a man who hasn't seen daylight in years. "Who is your nephew?"

"Byron Flint," he says with glittering dark eyes and I frown. "Is he in there?" he asks as he looks over my shoulder.

I eye him up and down. I know Byron's father had a brother who was in Azkaban... and if this is he, then he just got released from jail. Oh, joy. "I don't know anyone named Byron," I lie with a straight face and he snaps his eyes to mine. I go to shut the door, but he stops it with his hand.

"I think you might be lying to me, boy."

Boy. Right.

"I think you need to get your hand off of my door," I tell him. I'm feeling a little bit bolder as well. I guess a good shag can give you super powers.

"Do you have any idea who I am?" he snaps like I would care and I channel my inner Gavin as I raise an eyebrow.

"Yeah, you're some old bloke standing in my door way. So I suggest you leave." I go to shut the door again, but he reaches for his wand. I beat him to him to it and point mine right at his chest. "Really?" I say sarcastically. "I told you my grandfather was Lucius Malfoy and my Father was Draco, yet you still draw your wand on me."

"I'm just looking for my nephew." he growls in frustration and I roll my eyes.

"I told you I don't know anyone named Byron," I repeat my lie with my wand still held steadily at his chest.

"Your landlord seems to think he lives here."

"Well, he was wrong."

The man cracks his neck and closes his eyes before looking back to me. "I know you're lying to me, but I'll let it slide this time because I admire your grandfather." Well, that basically shows you the kind of person this is, doesn't it? "Tell Byron I stopped by, and I will find him and we will talk."

I nod my head and I watch him walk away before I close the door and lock it. Byron and I might have to move soon. As soon as I turn to leave another knock sounds and I grip my wand a little tighter and glare at the wood.

"I told you Byron Flint doesn't live here," I snap.

"Cass, it's me. Let me in."

I didn't expect to hear my little brother and I unlock the door in confusion to see Gavin outside holding a large stone pensive. "What are you doing here?" I ask as he takes it upon himself to step inside.

"I need your help," is all he says as he takes a seat on the couch and he places the pensive on the table. He gives me a double take. "You changed your hair back," he says as he looks at my blond locks. "Thank god." I watch as he takes out his wand and points it to his temple before sending me an irritated glance. "Well, sit down then."

"Okay," I mutter lightly as I shut the door and walk over to him as he pulls the silvery mist from his head. "Why do you need my help?"

"We need to find a dress," he says as he places the memory in the bowl. "I already checked everywhere in the Manor, and I even asked the House-elves."

"What are you going to do with that dress?" I ask curiously because Gavin looking for a dress seems rather strange.

"Just watch this," he says as he slides the pensive towards me. I give him a look before he sighs. "Just do it, Cass. I can't explain it. You have to see it for yourself."

"Well, this isn't weird at all," I tell him before I dip my head into the pensive. I land with a thump in the middle of an old looking sitting room and I look around for Gavin. I don't see him anywhere.

"I'm under the invisibility cloak," Gavin lands beside me and points to an old painting of an old man with his golden retriever. "That's where I am."

"Who are all these people?" I ask. There's a blond bloke sitting on a pool table. A group of darkly dressed men are in the corner playing cards, and there are a few other scattered people through out the large room talking and reading and staring out into space.

"Just watch," Gavin says as he walks over to the blond guy who's messing with the pool balls. "Pay close attention to this bloke."

"Who is he?" I ask as they start talking to each other about some woman named Pansy.

"His name is Conrad." That name strikes a bell, and, in fact, he looks familiar to me. Where have I seen him before? "And I'm going to kill him."

I listen as the blond speaks to the old woman in the room and I tilt my head to the side as Gavin glares at him. "They're talking about Lavinia," he says as the Conrad guy talks about a girl who was made for him, like some crazy person. "And I assume that old bat is talking about Flint."

"Did he give her a potion?" I ask as I try to understand the conversation they're having. The old lady did say something about a potion, didn't she?

"I don't know," Gavin says as he starts pacing around the room while I listen and try to understand why this has anything to do with me. "Pay attention," he says and I rest against the wall as the memory plays. When they start talking about me, I stand up straight and narrow my eyes as Gavin watches me.

"I remember him now," I say as the door opens to announce the meeting room is ready. "I know that Conrad bloke; he was one of the healers I worked with at St. Mungo's."

"He's a fucking creep," Gavin states as they start filing out of the room.

"Yeah..." I say as I think about the day I was at St. Mungos... under the influence of truth serum.... talking to him...."Jesus Christ," I say and Gavin snaps a look to me as the painting swings open, showing feet underneath the indivisibility cloak. "I know that guy too. I told him..."

"You told him what?" he asks as we follow the other Gavin through the hidden portrait hole.

"Nothing, never mind," I mutter to my self as we go down the musty hallway.

"This part is fucked up," he says. "I need your advice on it."

When we enter the weird catacomb room, I stop dead in my tracks when I see the two people at the center of the room playing chess. "It's only a memory, Cass," Gavin says gently, like he thought I was afraid and I scoff at him before turning back to the people.

"I know that man," I tell him as we walks down the stairs. "He was one of my professors in college. Dr. Bailey."

"Really? Well, he's a lunatic. Just watch what happens next."

I get closer to my former teacher, the teacher who got me on that boat that put me by that stupid statue in the first place. "This is all wrong," I say as Bailey speaks to my brother. The hissing thing to the left grips my brother's arm, making her cloak fall open to reveal and very pink and very puffy dress. I swallow the lump in my throat. "This isn't a joke, is it?" I ask as Gavin chews on his knuckles.

"Why would I joke about this?" He snaps at me and I look at him. "Do you see that a rotting corpse is touching me, tracing my veins like it wants to slice it open and drink what's inside? Do you think I would lie about that?"

"I know her too," I say softly and I can feel Gavin's eyes on the side of my head as I watch the memory. "I think I do, anyways. But that doesn't make sense. She wanted to stay there."

"Stay where?" he asks irritation clear in his voice.

I look at him before walking over to the table and kneeling beside the hissing creature in the black cloak. It can't possibly be Paige. Why would she come back and I glance at Dr. Bailey, wondering what the hell he has to do with all of this. How much did he know? I feel very betrayed right now and horribly angry.

"It's almost over," Gavin says.

The memory ends with 'find the dress or we kill you Mom'. A pleasant thing to go out on, I'd say. I get pulled out of the memory, and I find myself back in my living room, sitting next to my little brother.

"What do you think I should do?" he asks carefully and I glance at him.

"I'm surprised you don't already have a plan."

He sighs and sits back. "My plans seem to be falling apart as of late," he answers honestly. "I obviously shouldn't give anything to these freaks, but, I don't know. Dad wouldn't let them do anything to Mom. Not while they're at the Manor, and Mom barely ever goes anywhere with out him."

"Dad left." I state bluntly and that earns a curious look from Gavin. "He left the other night. I saw him go."

"Why did he leave?" he asks and I shrug, thinking of his stupid floozy of a secretary.

"I don't know. Shouldn't we just tell them," I say as he stands up and starts pacing. "That way they won't be surprised if someone tries to kill her."

"No..." he says gently and I give him an incredulous look. "No, Dad has already bailed me out once, and I can't have him do it again."

"Well, sometimes, Gavin, you just have to admit you're in way over your head."

"I came to you, didn't I?" he snaps as he turns to face me. "Will you please help me find that dress? We'll figure out what to do from there but I'll have a real peace of mind if I know where it is."

I sigh. "And you're sure you checked everywhere in the Manor?" I say and he nods his head.

"I think I did. I mean, the elves helped, and I doubt they missed any spot."

"Then I have no idea where to look," I tell him honestly and he runs his hand through his hair.

"After you went away," he starts and I look at my knees. After you went away is code for after we thought you died and we buried you in a tomb. "Mom and Dad moved a lot of things around in between the properties," he says, looking out the window as he thinks to himself. "We barely went back to the Manor."

I almost feel guilty, but I don't want to, so I ignore it. "So where do we need to check then? The beach house, the villa... the estates in France, or Greece... there's a lot of territory to cover."

"We should check the beach house first," he says with a thoughtful look on his hard face. "We were there often."

"What kind of dress are we looking for exactly?" I ask because the memory stopped before there was any kind of description. Gavin digs into his pocket and takes out an old black and white photo.

"They gave me this," he says as he hands it to me.

I look down. The picture is of a young couple on their wedding day. The man in the photo is a rather large fellow with dark hair and a pretty impressive mustache, while the woman beside him is tall and thin, with black hair and a serpentine smile. She is quite pretty, despite the wicked look on her face. "Who are these people?" I ask as I turn the photo over to see if there is writing on the back.

"That is our great Aunt," he says as he points to the woman in the lacy white wedding dress. "And that is her husband."

"Did he just get released from prison?" I say as I grab the paper from the table. No, it's someone different, but they look an awful lot alike. "How many bloody criminals do we have in the family?"

"I think our Weasley side has a limited amount," Gavin says nonchalantly and I look at him because he's never actually admitted that we were related to anyone from our mother's side. "And we have yet to be convicted of a felony."

"Yet." I mutter, as I send him a look because in all honesty, we probably should have been thrown in jail a few times over. Especially Gavin, who I think takes the illegal way most of the time.

"Get your cloak," he says as he walks towards the door. "I think it might start raining."

"I thought we were going to American," I tell him as I stand as well.

"You never know," he says and then he flicks a look down my body. "And put on a shirt."

"Okay, Mom," I joke as I go into Byron's room and I grab one of his black t-shirts. I don't have much here, and we're about the same size. I also doubt he'll notice, he doesn't wear many shirts that show off his bare arms.

The beach house isn't as big as the Manor, thankfully, and there were only so many places a lacy old dress could hide. We found none of them. While Gavin tried looking in the small boat house by the shore, I went to the attic that has served as my Mom's art studio for the past ten years. I felt kind of weird going up there with out permission, like I was trespassing on something private because Mom usually doesn't let anyone see her work unless she's just starting or just finishing with a piece. It smells like turpentine and oil paint up here, and I flick the lights on with my wand as I open the door. She always keeps her things so meticulously tidy, which is kind of funny because she's not actually that kind of person. I think it must be because it's the only thing that is actually solely hers.

I feel guilty again as I take a step further into the room. I open up one cabinet to look for the dress, even though a part of me knows it's not up here, and I sigh when I see jugs of Acrylic paint all shelved in order. Extra paintbrushes, disposable pallets, water glasses, paint aprons, and everything artistic under the sun is organized in this little room. There's an easel in the middle of the room that's supporting a large canvas, covered in a paint splattered sheet. I send little glasses to it as I look through the canvas frames and I down right stare at it as I open up one of the cloak closets. Curiosity gets the best of me and I go over to it. I hesitate one second before I pull the sheet down to reveal the painting to reveal what's underneath.

Mom is an amazing artist. The past couple of years she's really blossomed as a painter and this painting right here is nearly perfect. And it's of me. I take a step closer to it so I can see the details up close. I remember this day quite well because it's one of those odd memories that stick out in your mind for no good reason at all. It was lonely growing up as a child of Draco Malfoy, and I think my mother was lonely too because my brother and I were the only friends she had for a long time. When we would go outside, she would always bring her sketch book with her and I remember her drawing me as I rolled up my jeans and walked out into the lake to look at the fish. I was about seven, and my shirt was tucked in my back pocket. The painting looks even better than the memory... it looks untouched and perfect somehow.

"Have you found anything?" I jump when I hear Gavin's voice and I spin around to see him in the doorway. "Is that you?" he asks as he glances behind me at the painting.

I look over my shoulder at the blond boy I once was. "Obviously, I'd say," I say as I face him again.

"Hm," he says as he takes a step closer and he eyes the picture critically. "You were an ugly child."

I scoff at him as the corners of his lips turn up. "Do you notice that you're not in the picture?" I say as I step beside him. "That's because your little freckled face was so unattractive, Mom didn't want to blind people who looked upon it."

"Yes, because your pasty skin is that much better," he looks at the painting again. "Oh, look," he says as he nods towards my face. "She gave you skin pigment. Artistic license does wonders."

"Shut up," I say with an eye roll as I walk away. "The dress isn't here."

"Mom is really good, isn't she?" Gavin says as he continues to stare at the painting. I raise my eyebrow at his back.

"Yes, she is," I say, thinking he's talking about her art work.

He nods his head. "I love her very much."

He whispered that very quietly. I almost didn't catch it. "Gavin?"

He looks at me over his shoulder. He's dead serious now. "I won't let anything bad happen to her," he says solidly. "I won't let those people hurt her."

I nod my head to show that I agree.

He looks back at the painting, with his hands behind his back. "Everyone always talks about Dad," he says darkly. "What he's doing, what he's done, how's he's changed, how's he's the same. No one ever talks about Mom." He pauses a second and I tilt my head down as I watch him. "She gave up everything for us... for him," he says and then he turns around. "She's made the most sacrifices and no one even bothers to acknowledge it." He looks back to the painting. "I don't even acknowledge it."

"Baby brother," I say gently to get his attention and he looks at me again. I haven't called him that since we were little and I always said it to annoy him because he isn't much younger than me. He hated it when I pointed it out... even in another language, but here I meant it affectionately. "It will be okay. Let's try another place."

"I hate it when you call me that."

I smile. "Come on, let's go," I tell him as I walk towards the door and I make a motion with my head so he'll follow me. "We still have a few more places we can check. God knows where a freaking old wedding dress is with all the things we own."

"It does seem kind of impossible right now."

I smile at him. "Nothing is impossible," I tell him as I open the door. "I'm here, aren't I?"

"Yes," he says as he looks me over. "You are."

_**Gavin**_

"So, Italy next?" Cassius says when we reach the front hallway of the beach house. I nod my head.

"I left that pensive at your flat," I say as I take out my wand. "I'm going to get it first. I don't want random people seeing it."

"Here, switch me wands so you can unlock my door." He hands me his wand and I hand him mine. "I'll meet you at the Villa."

He takes off and I look around the beach house once more, remembering every summer vacation and everything that happened in this particular house of ours. I wish I was a boy again. With that thought, I apparate to Cass' flat and I open the door with his wand. I see the pensive I swiped from Mom and Dad sitting right where I left it, with my memory of that strange encounter still swirling around on the inside. I go to grab it, but I stop when I hear a loud thumping noise. I look towards the small little hallway that leads to the bedrooms, and when I hear it again, I take Cass' wand out and grip it in my fingers.

"Who's there?" I ask, quite stupidly, actually, because if it was someone coming to rob this pathetic little flat then I just alerted them to my presence.

The noise happens again, so I follow it right towards the bedroom on the left. I push the door open and I let my hand drop to my side when I see Flint. When he bangs his head against the wall, I finally find out what was making that loud banging noise.

"What in the _hell_ are you doing?" I ask venomously. He faces me and I crinkle my nose up in disgust at the blood running down his nose. If he did that to his nose by smacking his own face against the wall, he deserves it. I'd say.

He scowls then. "Fuck off, Gavin."

I raise my brows as he turns back to the wall and bangs his head against it as hard as he can with his hands clenched in fists at his sides. "You are a fucking lunatic, Flint. I don't care what anyone says." I tell him dangerously before turning around leave.

"I hate her," he says and I glance at him. His palm is bleeding and I glance at his right hand as he tightens it. He's grasping something sharp and metallic. "I. Hate. Her."

"Who do you hate?" I ask as I remember the people in the memory. "Lavinia? Do you hate my sister?"

"She's a fucking cheating whore," he says and my temper flares. "She's a no good slag and I hate her."

I approach him and push him against the wall with my arm against his throat. I can smell whisky on his breath.

"Do not talk about her that way," I hiss at his face. He glares at me through glassy eyes and I survey him coolly because he looks like he's in so much pain. Emotional and physical. "It hurts, doesn't it?" I say flatly as he looks into my eyes. "When someone you love goes behind your back and does something like this." I work my jaw before continuing. "It hurts when someone you love doesn't love you enough to keep their legs closed."

"Leave me alone," he snaps angrily and he pushes me back until my arm falls from his throat. "You have no idea."

I laugh a little. "I actually do," I tell him softly. "It's gutting, and it makes you little bit paranoid, doesn't it?"

"Why are you talking to me?" he says as he wipes off the blood with the sleeve of his shirt. "Aren't you glad this happened to me? You hate me and you never wanted me to be with her."

"I don't hate you," I tell him with a sigh. "I don't particularly like you, but I don't hate you, and if you're this upset over my sister, than I can imagine she's pretty torn up too." I step back further to give him some space as he stares at me. "Lavinia didn't cheat on you," I tell him as I remember what's swirling around in pensive. "She would never do that to someone she loved," I say because she did tell me that once.

"She told me, Gavin," he says with venom. "She told me herself."

I shake my head. "Maybe she did, but she had no control over the matter."

"What are you talking about?" He snaps at me.

"Come on," I tell him as I head towards the door way. "I have something to show you." He follows me to the living room and I make a motion towards the pensive. "Pay particular attention to the young guy with blond hair," I tell him and he stare sat me blankly, with blood all over his face like some crazy person. "I think you'll find yourself hating him beyond a reasonable doubt."

He gives me a suspicious look before falling to his knees a gripping the side of the pensive with bloody hands. "This had better be good," he whispers before dipping his head in. When he runs through the memory, he pulls himself out and he stares at the wall ahead of him for a few moments before I make a noise.

"What do you think?"

"I think..." he whispers. He narrows his eyes as he gets to his feet. He opens his hand to reveal some strange looking necklace in his hands. He stares at it with unreadable eyes. "I think I have a lot of people to see."

I nod my head. "Cassius said he knew the guy at the end," I tell him because I know they had many of the same classes together when they were at the university. "Was he one of your professors too?"

"Yes." Byron says darkly and then his eyes look to mine. "He also helped me figure out how to get your brother back," he says. "I wonder what his motive is." He looks at me, suddenly dreadfully serious. "I have to go."

"Where are you going?" I ask as he storms towards the door way. He isn't even wearing any shoes.

"I just have to go."

"Are you going to do something about this?" I ask as I make a motion to his face, where there's dried blood clinging to his skin.

"Oh," he whispers as he takes his sleeve and tries to get it off again. "Thanks," he mutters and I shrug and turn away.

"Why do you do that?" I ask before he leaves. I let my lip curl back in disgust as he looks at me. "Why do you hurt yourself like that?"

He looks uncomfortable as he pulls the necklace over his head so it rests on his neck and he tucks it under his shirt. "I don't know," he mutters quietly as he looks at the ground. "I guess it's just easier for me to handle physical pain."

He's so bloody weird.

He leaves with out another word and I use Cass' wand to put the memory back in my mind. Don't want anyone else to stumble upon it, and I lift the heavy basin to take it with me to Italy. When I leave the flat to go to an Appartion point, I find Crazy Flint on the stairs, staring steadily at something across the sidewalk.

"What are you doing?" I ask because he's in my way. He doesn't say anything so I follow his line of vision to a bald man in a dark cloak who's staring right back at him as he smokes a cigar. "Do you know that guy?"

"Yes," he says as he stays frozen to his spot.

He's still in my way.

"Well, I would love to stand here all day and stare with you, but I need to be going, so please move aside."

He ignores me as the bald man throws his cigar down and begins approaching the stairs. Oh, bloody wonderful.

"Byron," the man says in a deep gruff voice. "You've grown." If I didn't know any better I would think that I just heard Flint gulp. The oaf in the cloak lets his eyes shift to me, still holding the fucking heavy pensive because some bloody lunatic won't move away from the fucking stairs. "Are you another one of Malfoy's boys?" he asks and I roll my eyes.

"What's it to you?" I ask nastily. I'm not really in the mood to sit and chat, to be honest. I have things to do.

"The other one lied to me," he says like it was a great offense and his slimy eyes rest on Flint again. "You're better looking than I thought you would be," he says and I snort. Earning me a glare from the bald retard on the sidewalk. "I just got out," he tells Flint in a harsh voice. "And I've been so looking forward to seeing you again. It's a shame I wasn't able to track down your sisters as well."

"With good reason," I hear Flint add steadily and I raise my eyebrows at the exchange. That seems to ignite the ogres temper, and he grips his wand in a tight meaty grip.

"I had an interesting talk with your Granny yesterday, Byron," he says. "I have to say…"

I take out my wand and stun him. He lands on the ground with a loud thump and I send him a smug smile as I pocket my wand. "I have pressing business," I tell Flint as he turns his head towards mine. "Now, move out of the fucking way and then you can resume you talk with that oaf on the ground."

He moves this time, and as I make my way down the metal stairs, I can tell he's following me. He doesn't stop to see if the bald man is okay and I give him a look as he falls into step beside me before we reach the Apparation point.

"Thank you," he surprises me by saying as I take out my wand so I can get the hell out of here.

I just stare at him and I look over to the bald guy on the ground. He's sitting up and he's looking at me with fire in his eyes. I sent a pretty weak curse his way so he wouldn't be down for long, but as he starts to smile I wish I would have put a little more power behind it because he gives me the creeps. I look back to Byron as he follows my gaze and stiffens once more. I guess it runs in the family.

"Just like Lucius," I hear the man say before I lift my wand and Apparate away.

I check my watch before walking through the gates of the Villa. Dad shouldn't be home until after six, so I know we have time to search around before he gets there, asking questions. When I get to the yellow stone house, the door is already open, so I push it aside and put the basin down on the side table.

"Gavin."

I look up in surprise at my father. Cassius is sitting by him on the stairs and he gives me an apologetic look when I glance at him.

"I would ask what I owe the honor of a visit from my two sons, but for some reason I have a feeling neither of you particularly wanted to see me," he says as he stands up and puts his hands in his pocket. "You seem relatively surprised to see me here, in fact."

"Why aren't you at work?" I ask as he raises an eyebrow.

"Does it matter?" he counters and then he flicks a glance to my brother. "What are you two doing?"

"We just wanted to meet up somewhere," I lie easily with a shrug and then his silver eyes land on the pensive that I did not have the opportunity to hide. "And watch old memories," I add quickly when his eyes fall back on me.

He looks back to my brother, because he has a harder time of lying than I do, and Cassius nods his head, not quite looking at him.

"Right," he says because he obviously doesn't believe us. "Well, since you're both here, you might as well eat dinner with me." He takes out his wand and calls for an elf. I suspect he took one from the Manor when he came here. "I'll meet you in the dinning room."

Once he leaves I look at my brother and raise my eyebrows. "Well?"

"Well," he says as he stands up. "It looks like we're going to be eating some food, then."

"You didn't tell him anything, did you?"

"No," he says with a sigh. "We walked in at the same time. It was actually kind of awkward."

The door bell rings. We both turn to stare at it.

"They got through the words," Cass comments when I give him a questioning look. Because I'm closer to the door, it falls upon me to open it, and when I do crack it open, I see a little blonde woman in a red V neck sweater smiling up at me.

"Hi... oh..." her smile falls when she focuses on me, like she didn't expect to see me. "Hi there, you must be Gavin." She's holding a plate of brownies and she shifts them to one side to shake my hand. "I'm Holly. Is your father home?"

Cassius steps beside me and I give him a look as he glares. Why is he glaring? "No he's not here," he says flatly and I furrow my brows because Cassius finds it hard to be rude to anyone, especially well endowed girls in low cut shirts.

"Oh, well, you see... I saw him walk in," she says with a smile. "So I know you're lying," she sings in a high voice and I crinkle my nose.

"Is she retarded?"

That makes her honey smile fall and she narrows her eyes. "No, I'm not retarded," she hisses. I almost want to laugh. "Look, I know Draco is here. He went home early because he wasn't feeling well, so I thought I'd bring him a little pick me up." she lifts the tray of brownies under my nose, and she gasps when Cassius snatches it from her.

"He's not here," he repeats again with a narrowed eye. "And that's Mr. Malfoy to you," he says before slamming the door in her face.

I take a few steps back because I honestly wasn't expecting him to shut the door so quickly and I raise my eyebrows as he dumps the brownies in one of the potted plants.

"That was odd," I comment and when he doesn't say anything back I take a step closer to him. "Who was that girl?"

"Holly," he says and then he hands me the plate. "I'll help you look for the dress when you come back," he says and I tilt my head. "I'm not eating dinner with him. Tell him I'm going home to Mom, and so should he."

"But..." he leaves before I can add more and I look down at the empty plate with a sigh. "Okay, then," I whisper to myself before going to the dining room.

Dad is reading a book when I enter, and I pause a moment to take in the strange scene of seeing him reading before I walk into the room. He looks up after a few moments and places the book face down on the table top.

"Take a seat," he says, nodding to the seat beside his own as he takes off his glasses. "Where's your brother?"

I walk in and place the plate right in front of him. "This is from Holly," I tell him as I take a seat and put my napkin across my lap." And Cassius went back to the Manor. Why aren't you there?"

"I'm glad you're here," he says, ignoring my question as he reaches into his breast pocket. "I had a very upsetting encounter with a banshee in a flower dress today," he says as he takes out an envelope and glances down at it before looking at me. "I must say I was surprised to see Addison's mother all red faced and screaming profanities at me this morning."

"Why did she do that?" I ask as I look at the envelope as well, trying to sound unmoved.

"I think you need to go to St. Mungo's," he says as he hands it to me. "You'll want to be there."

"What are you talking about?" I snap as I rip open the letter and scan the page. I don't really understand any of it. "What is this?" I ask as I see my name printed on the bottom of the page.

"Addison is having an emergency C section today," he says flatly. "Apparently she went into labor early while she was at work and had to be rushed to the hospital." I look at him and I can feel myself pale. "You're the father, Gavin. That's what that paper means."

I hate it when news knocks the air out of me. Of course, I knew there was a great possibility that the baby was mine and there were only so many weeks left before she would be born, but I didn't think the news would hit me so hard and so swiftly. This is not the way I would want to find out.

"You won't want to miss it. So I suggest you go."

I vaguely hear my father's voice as I stare down at the results of the paternity test. I didn't even know they did one. "This is true?"

"Would that girl have a reason to lie?" Dad asks and I shake my head.

"She doesn't want me there," I say gently as I lay the offending paper down. "I tried Dad, even though she messed up… I tried to work it out, but she wouldn't. I offered to give her everything and she turned it down."

My throat feels tight and dry and Dad looks sympathetic. "Do you feel alright?"

"No," I state honestly. "I feel kind of dizzy."

"Then you need to go to St. Mungo's now. Trust me, Gavin, this is one thing you don't want to miss, even if you are still upset with her."

"She cheated on me," I say, trying to justify the sour pain in my chest.

"That doesn't matter because this isn't about you and her anymore," he says quietly.

"I tried... I tried," I say hopelessly, looking at my father for all the answers because I doubt I could find them on my own. "I offered her money.... and I was going to buy her a place to stay. I wanted to work it out. She refused me. She said no and something about needing to figure this out.... Dad...I'm not ready for this."

"No one is until it happens, Gavin."

"No, you don't understand," I snap as I stand up and start pacing. "I can't be a Dad now. I'm not ready, I can't do this. I'm not a good guy; I'm not fit to raise a child. What kind of monster would I make?"

"Sit down," he says tiredly and I bite my lip before taking my seat beside him again. He rubs his eyes before turning towards me. "I think the fact that you're worried is all the more reason to say that you're more ready than I was when your mother and I started having children. You're not a bad guy, Gavin, you aren't." he says sternly when I shake my head. "And if you truly believe that you are… you can find redemption in the people that you love," he tells me seriously as I feel sick. "I was the worst kind of man when I was younger. I hurt people.... I lied, I stole... I killed. I was terrible to your mother," he says, biting out that last line like it hurt him to say it. "But as soon as you and your brother were born, I knew I could be a better person. It took a while, but I wanted to be better." he says softly as he looks forward.

"The amazing thing about kids is that they love you first. Complete trust and complete love even despite what you've done and because of that you want to give them everything."

I run my hands through my hair as I try to piece this together.

"Do you remember when we lived here?" he asks as he looks around the room, and then he flicks his eyes to mine. "You were just a little guy then."

"Barely," I answer honestly. I can just recall bits and pieces from my time there. We came back to England when I was still a toddler. Oh, my god, I'm going to have a baby today.

"I came home early from work one day, you must have been about one... or one and half, then," he says in a faraway voice like he was remembering something pleasant as I try not to freak out as I sit back down. "You had the curliest white hair when you were a baby," he says and the corner of his mouth lifts in a smile as I watch him to take my mind off of everything else "And your Mom refused to cut it for the longest time. I think she cried the first time we gave you a hair cut."

"Yeah?" I say just to show that I'm listening to his odd story.

"Yeah," he nods his head and looks down at his hands again. "Anyways, I came home from work, right around the time you and Cassius would be taking your naps. I was angry that day, I can't even remember why if that shows you how much it mattered, and when I got home, I tripped on one of your toys that was out of place in front of the door. I was already mad, but that just skyrocketed my irritation and I went to find Ginny... your mother..." he corrected himself. "To yell at her for it."

He took a deep breath.

"I did that often in the beginning. Where I would be mad about something else, but I would find a way to make it her fault so I could have something tangible to yell at. A part of me knew she hated me too, and instead of talking it out with her, telling her how I felt from the beginning, I just got angry. I was always angry."

"That doesn't seem fair," I say and he nods his head.

"It's not... it wasn't. Anyways," he runs a hand through his hair and rests it on the back of his neck. "I was so angry, and I went stomping through the house to find her. Even though I knew you two would probably be asleep, I didn't even bother being quiet, because I wanted her to hear me and I wanted her to be afraid."

I frowned. Why would he want her to be afraid? He must have felt my questioning gaze because he looks at me.

"I wasn't a good husband," he says in a low voice. "I was never a good husband to her from the start. I think it was because I never knew how to be. My father was always so strict with my mother and I. Even though I know a part of him loved us, he had hard time showing it. By the time I was in Hogwarts my parents were living in separate parts of the house, sleeping in two different bedrooms and when they did speak to each other, it was never loving or sweet. It wasn't their fault." He sighs loudly. "They were both brought up that way."

"All those stories of Grandfather Lucius make him out to be a monster," I say honestly. I don't remember him. I was too young when he died.

"He was in some ways." He replies solidly. "But he did love me. He just showed it in a different way, a way I never wanted to have to resort to with you." He looks down at his knees and picks at the tread. "Anyways, so I went to go find her with the offending toy in hand, and I found all three of you, taking a nap."

I knit my brows together.

"Ginny had put pillows and blankets on the back porch so you and your brother could play in the shade with a series of toys around you. It was really humid outside and she had a fan blowing on you and your brother, keeping you cool from the heat, but all your cheeks were flushed and pink even as you slept, that I remember. You were so small," he smiles wistfully, like he could picture it in his mind. "And you were lying right up against her, with your hand on her neck. Cassius was on the other side of you and you were all inside the magical little wards your Mom placed up so you two wouldn't wonder away. I hesitated bothering the scene before stepping out, gripping the toy that had tripped me tightly in my hands. I was going to yell at her, I was going to make her stand up to listen to my unjustified rant even though I knew it would wake you and Cassius, but then you woke up before I could utter a word."

He didn't say anything for a while, so I leaned towards him. "Dad?"

He shook his head and he looked at me before turning away and continuing. "You saw me walk onto the porch and you lifted your head from her shoulder, looking me right in the eyes." He stops again, and then he licks his lips. "You looked so much like her, especially when you were small, and I found myself cemented to the floor as you smiled at me and stood up on wobbling legs. Ginny had you dressed in just a thin t-shirt and a diaper and I watched as you stumbled your way over to me saying my name and grinning like you hadn't seen me in ages. For once you didn't have a pacifier in your mouth and I could actually hear what you were saying." he smiles again and I raise my eyebrows. Why is he telling me this? "You never said Dada like the other ones did," he says softly and he smiles. "You always called me Da-ee in this funny deep voice when you were starting to learn words. I suspected you were trying to imitate the way I spoke... I always thought that was cute..." he trails off and I look away, surprised that my Dad would say the word cute to describe anything I did, even if I was a baby.

"Why are you telling me this?" I finally ask because I'm confused.

"You came to me and you lifted your arms because you wanted me to pick you up. You looked so much like her..." He sighs again. "I was going to yell at your mother for no reason at all, and I was probably going to make her cry just so I could feel justified... so I could feel better that someone was feeling worse than I was. And there you were, with your dimpled little cheeks and curly hair, wanting to hug me just because I came home. A part of me always knew that I didn't deserve a happy family with a wife and children who loved me, and it was moments like those that made it blaringly obvious how undeserving I was. I dropped the toy as I picked you up and I closed my eyes when you put your head on my shoulder... You guys always smelled like Ginny when I came home." He pauses again, like he was remembering it before speaking once more. "I had been in a bloody war, I had stared down some of the deadliest Aurors and didn't even flinch when I raised my wand towards them, and I had been steadily working my way up Lord Voldemort's Death Eater ladder... And there you were, a half dressed pudgy one year old with sleep lines on your cheek making me feel two feet tall."

We sat in silence for a while before I coughed. "So, did you still yell at her?"

"What?" he asked distractedly because he was looking off into space.

"Mom," I state. "Did you still yell at her?"

"Not that day," he says softly. "Because I wanted to be deserving of something I knew I had no business having," he says and I glance at him. "You should go to St. Mungo's," he states as he stands up abruptly, scooting his chair back. "Trust me, Gavin, it's the little things that you'll regret most."

I stare at my hands as he begins walking away. "Dad," I say gently and he looks at me over his shoulder with his eyebrows raised. "I need your help."

"I told you my opinion..."

"No," I say sharply as I stand as well. "Not about that," I say as I stuff the paper in my pocket. "I need to find a dress."

He turns to face me and his eyes look intense. "What kind of dress?" he asks flatly, like he was expecting a bad answer.

"A wedding dress," I say and he tilts his suspicious head to the side. "One that belonged to Bellatrix Lestrange."

He looks deadly now and he tilts his head down. "Why do you need to find that dress?"

"Because they said they would kill Mom if I didn't," I tell him honestly. I was going to hide it from him, but I can't... not now.

To my surprise he smiles, like it was funny. "Well, I'm tired of all these threats," he says lightly, without even bothering to ask who _they_ are, but I suspect he knows already. "I'll give you the dress, Gavin, and you're going to give it to them."

"Just like that?"

He smiles and it's chilling. "No... not just like that at all, but leave that to me, right now you have a place you need to be.... and so do I."

"Dad," I call again when he starts walking away.

"What is it?" he asks as he turns towards me again.

I stand. "Will you go with me?" I ask uncomfortably. "Just for a little bit," I add.

His face softens and he nods his head. I let out a sigh of relief.

"I have one thing I need to ask you before we leave," he says and I nod my head so he'll ask.

"What is it?"

He looks down at his shoes and then back to me. "Do you know where Pansy White is?"

The question stops me dead and I have a panicked thought of Kelvin Marcello as he stares at me. "Why?" I ask and he seems to deflate a little, like my question disappointed him. He looks away and shakes his head before focusing on me again.

"Is she still alive?" he asks flatly.

I tighten my jaw and look at the table. "Yes." I mutter quietly and I can hear his breath come out in a short exhale.

"I want her to stay that way, Gavin," he says seriously and when I look into his silver eyes I can't help but feel way out of my league. "You don't want to be like me."

I watched him leave the room and then I took out the paternity paper once again so I could scan the data with a heavy feeling settling on my heart as I remembered my childhood.

My Dad was wrong… In some areas, I wanted to be just like him.

_**Lavinia**_

"Oh, come on, Lavinia!" Jessica bangs on the bathroom door once more. I draw my knees up to my chest as I sit on the linoleum shower floor. "How many times can one girl bathe in a day?"

I ignore her as the water beats down on my body. I let my forehead drop to my knees as she knocks again.

"I know you don't want to miss the safe sex seminar!" she says in a sing song voice to try to tempt me. "Come on, they count as volunteer credits and we need ten to graduate."

"I'm not going…" I finally find my voice and she sighs loudly.

"Fine, you're such a kill joy."

I hear her footsteps walk away and I stand up on shaky legs, turning the water off and staring at the tile walls. I feel terrible and everything on my body hurts. My head, my arms, my legs, my heart. I stay in the shower stall until goose bumps litter my skin and then I finally step out and wrap a towel around my body. I go over to the mirror and wipe off the fog so I can see myself.

I wish I was dead.

I spent the better part of a week avoiding Byron and ignoring every letter Conrad had sent me after I had stupidly slept with him that one fateful night and it was working out to my advantage. I was going to every single class and doing homework every night, I even lost five pounds because I stopped eating. It seems guilt is a big appetite suppressor and it was working out for me until I found myself face to face with Byron two days ago, while walking to the dorms after a rather long and boring math class.

"What are you doing here?" I had asked him. I had stopped dressing up to go to class and I was just wearing a pair of old sweat pants that once belonged to Gavin and a sweat shirt with the hood up. I wasn't even wearing makeup and of course Byron looked like his usual perfect self. It made my self loathing even worse.

"I came to see you," he said with an uneasy smile. "I haven't talked to you in a while."

I couldn't look at him, so I focused on his shoes. He was wearing leather driving moccasins that were dyed a dark sienna color. I know them by heart now.

"Can we go to your room?" he asked uncertainly, unnerved by the way I was behaving… and the way I looked, I bet. "Lavinia," he stepped closer to me when I didn't answer and he touched my arm. "Are you alright? Look, I know you're mad at me about the whole restaurant thing… I'm sorry. I will explain everything to you. Can we go up?"

"Yeah," I crocked out as I shifted my books. "We can go up."

I signed him in at the front desk and we opted to take the stairs to my floor. Kim was in the common area, listening to music and writing her stupid poetry when we came in and when she saw me she raised her eyebrows. She had been fairly kind to me since this whole thing went down and I was surprised to find myself grateful that she was my roommate.

"This is Byron," I introduced him quickly because it was the polite thing to do and she removed her headphones and gave him a curt nod. "This is Kim," I muttered lightly as Byron gave her a small uncomfortable wave.

I walked into my room and Byron followed softly, closing the door after he entered and laying his satchel on the ground. "This isn't so bad," he said as he looked around my dorm. "When I was a freshman, my room was half this size…. And I shared it with your brother."

I didn't say anything. I wanted to cry every time I looked at his handsome face, so I sat on my bed and faced forward. I knew I needed to tell him about sleeping with Conrad, it was his right to know after all, but I found myself having a silent debate in my mind, wondering what was the best option. I didn't want to hurt him, and I know by telling him a cheated on him, he would be upset and Byron was rarely ever happy… A selfish part inside of me wanted to keep it quiet as well, but I knew this guilty gnawing in my stomach would never go away unless I came clean.

"Byron, I need to tell you something," I managed to whisper out as he went towards my windows and closed the blinds so no light could get in. "I…." I trailed off and wiped my eyes on my sleeve. "It's important."

"Can we talk later?" he said and I finally looked at him. He was unbuttoning his shirt and I cringe because I thought he wanted to have sex. He didn't notice my look as his fingers worked the small buttons through the holes. "Will you lay down with me?" he asked seriously. "I just want to go to sleep and I swear I'll make it up to you. I'm sorry for not coming, Lavinia."

"Sleep?" I repeated back disbelievingly. It was the afternoon then, and I was confused.

"I can only sleep when you're around," he replied gently, and then he lifted his blue eyes to mine. He always looks tired, he always has dark circles under his eyes, but he looked simply exhausted here. "My body aches everywhere and I'm so tired."

He started working on his belt as I bit my lip, wondering what to do.

"We can talk after we wake up," he tells me as his pants hit the ground. "I just… I just want to lay beside you."

I could give him that, couldn't I? I sighed again and looked at my knees as he walked in front of me and grabbed my hand so he could pull me to my feet.

"I have so much to tell you," he whispered softly as he tugged the sweat shirt over my head. He smiled warmly at the tank top I wore underneath because I wasn't wearing a bra and the thin material left little to the imagination. I was that lazy. "I don't think I've ever seen you dress so casually," he told me as he pushed the sweat pants to the ground.

"I've had a lot on my mind lately," I admitted as he tugged on the bottom of my tank top.

"Can I take this off too?" he asked softly, like he thought I would say no and be uncomfortable with the idea.

I stepped back and took it off for him, leaving me only in the pink knickers I had put on in the morning. He didn't say anything for a while, he just stared at me standing there, and then he pulled back my covers and slid into my bed, putting his hand out so I would follow his lead.

"I think your bed is smaller than mine," he whispered as I crawled in beside him. "I didn't even think that was possible."

I couldn't say anything again because the guilt was thick in my throat and I let him pull me against his chest as he kissed my temple.

"You always smell so good," he whispered before closing he eyes and pulling the covers over us to keep us warm.

It felt like hours I laid there, pressed up against him with his breath warm on my face. I stared at the sun coming in through the blinds and once Byron's body relaxed and he breathing steadied, I pushed myself up on my forearms so I could look at him. I was actually surprised that he fell asleep, it was a rare thing for me to see, and I brought my hand up and traced the line of his jaw and then tilt of his nose, knowing that he'll probably never look at me the same way again after I make my confession. I realized I was a terrible person. I had cheated on Darius with Byron and now I had cheated on Byron. I felt like the worst kind of woman.

I took the opportunity to kiss his slack lips and then I climbed out of the bed. I didn't even bother putting on clothes as I went over to my writing desk and I took a seat as I stared at the stack of letters from Conrad that he had been sending me non-stop since the night I was at his flat. I let my fingers travel towards the black box with the silly necklace in it and I opened it up and so I could look at the weird triangle necklace inside. Inner strength, indeed.

"Why did you get up?" I jumped when I heard Byron's voice thick with sleep. I glanced at him over my shoulder as I snapped the lid closed. He walked over to me and kneeled by my chair. "What is going on with you?" he asked as concern tilted his face.

I just stared at him for a few moments and he kissed me. I pulled away quickly and looked at the box. "I got this for you," I told him so he wouldn't kiss me and make me feel bad again. I handed him the box and he gave me a confused look as he sat back on his legs. "I was going to give it to you that night when we were supposed to go out to dinner…" I trail off and he gives me a pained look, like he felt guilty. I almost wanted to laugh.

He kissed my cheek before running his pale fingers over the box. "I'm so sorry," he repeated again, and I wanted to snap at him and tell him I wasn't angry that he didn't show up… but, in reality, I was... because if he would have came I wouldn't have gone to the club and I wouldn't have slept with Conrad. I was trying to justify my actions and make it his fault, but I knew that wasn't right so I shook my head and turned away from him. "I forgot that I was supposed to meet you. I got my days mixed up and…"

"It's okay," I cut him off quickly and he nodded his head. "Just open it." He looked at me for a few moments before popping the lid open and staring at the necklace inside. "It's supposed to bring luck and inner strength or something," I add quickly because I knew he was confused by the gift. I deflated as he stared and I started fiddling with my fingers. "The sales lady said it was a good idea," I said to pass blame off on her if he hated it.

"Thank you," he said gently and he put it on before kissing me again. Pressing his mouth to mine gently and running his tongue over my lips... he tasted like mint toothpaste. Then he smiled as he looked down at my chest. "You're still naked," he pointed out and I blushed.

"I'm not naked," I told him, because the flimsy bit of fabric that were my knickers did count.

I glared down at my desk and I heard him sigh as he ran the back of his hand over my cheek. "I know that you're angry with me," he said softly. "You deserve to be. Why don't we go out tonight and I'll make it up to you?"

I shook my head and closed my eyes. I could feel his stare burning into the side of my head.

"We could stay in?" he offered as he brought his hand to rest on my thigh. He started to nuzzle my neck and I felt sick. I stood up quickly and found my sweat shirt to tug over my head. "Are you really that angry with me?" he asked worriedly as he got to his feet.

"I'm not angry with you," I mutter as I stared at the wall and crossed my arms.

"You have a funny way of showing it."

I sighed deeply, knowing the blow was coming. I fell down heavily on the bed and put my head in my hands.

"Hey," he said gently as he fell to his knees in front of me. "Hey, tell me what's wrong," he said as he pulled my hands away.

I looked at him and took a deep breath. "After you didn't show up to dinner, I came back here," I told him and he nodded his head. "That healer, you know the one from St. Mungo's who I talked to at the bar?" he tightly nods his head. "He had floo'd me a message to invite me out with his friends at some club. I was so angry with you…." I trailed off and slumped my shoulders as he let go of my hands. "I took Jessica with me," I said, just so he knew I didn't intend to go alone.

"Okay." He knew something bad was coming because his voice sounded clipped and flat.

"I don't even know what happened after that. I was drinking and I was dancing with that Conrad guy… and then…"

"And then what?" He stood up then and I brought my knees up to my chest as I scooted back on the bed.

"I went home with him."

I could feel his hurt as he glared at me and then he started to get dressed.

"And what did you do?" he snapped as he buckled his pants.

I didn't say anything.

"What did you do with him, Lavinia?" he snapped and I flinched because his voice sounded deadly.

"I think you know what I did," I said and I knew it sounded cruel, but I just couldn't say it.

There was another long and painful pause as he put on his shirt and shoes. Then I felt him staring at me again as he said the most heartbreaking word. "Why?"

I shrugged because I was a coward and his anger escalated.

"Look at me!" he yelled and I jumped. I knew Kim probably heard that and I sent a troubled look at the door as he towered over me. "Tell me why."

"I don't have a reason," I told him with a dry throat. "I don't…. I can't even find a reason. I'm so sorry, Byron." My voice was coming out in hoarse whisper as tears stung my eyes.

He picked up his bag and went towards the door. I felt like my heart was ripping apart. I hated the feeling.

"I shouldn't even be mad," he said bitterly and I finally found the courage to look at him. He looked positively gutted. "I knew this wouldn't last anyways."

Then he left.

I dived head first into my studies and because of that uncomfortable unclean feeling constantly with me, I've been taking a few showers a day. When I get back into my room, I decide to go to the public library to kill time and to work on one of my Political Science Essay's. That class really is a bear, and it keeps my mind off of the more troubling and sad things that have been plaguing me recently.

I try to get that hurt look Byron had on his face out of my mind as I throw on some clothes. I don't even bother trying to put a good outfit together as I grab a pair of jeans and a white blouse from my closet. I leave my hair wet and down as I grab my books and library card and leave the room. The large wizarding library is downtown, so I have to Apparate to get there, and once I do, I take the long marble steps up to the front door and I give feeble smile to the guard.

"How are you doing, Sam?" I ask because the guard and I are on a first name basis since I'm here all the time, like some nerd.

"Miss Malfoy," he nods his head as I walk by and I take the lift to the sixth floor, where all the research texts are located.

One could easily get lost in the Wizarding Library of London, and before you can go onto any floor you receive a help button to press, just in case you get lost among the rows and rows of books that go on for miles in the magicked building. I find an empty table and I put all my things down before going and getting a few texts on the history of the wizard ministry that I have to write about. Once I'm satisfied that I have all that I need, I take a seat and start taking notes with my quill.

"Quite a way to spend a Saturday afternoon."

I jump at the voice and I spin in my chair to face Conrad. "What are you doing here?" I ask worriedly as I glance around me. There's an old man with a long raggedy beard a few tables away, but that's it.

He smiles as he pulls out the chair beside me so he can sit. "You haven't responded to any of my letters," he says as he sits. His legs rub against mine and I frown as I stare down at my notes. "I went to your dorm… the guy at the desk said that you might have been heading here." He looks around at the rows of books and smiles. "Hm, I remember spending nights here, pouring over books."

I sigh and rub my forehead as he tugs on a strand of my hair.

"Did you just get out of the shower?" he questions and I spare him a little glance.

"I need to be heading back," I lie so I can get away from him and he smirks.

"Don't stop on account of my presence," he says smugly and then he grabs my essay outline, skimming it over. "Ah, good old political theory class… what party are you writing about?" he asks as he looks at me.

"The Moderate Reformers," I answer softly and he nods his head.

"Good choice," he says gently as he sets the paper down. "Now, I am very good at academic things," he tells me as he leans in closer. "I could help you, if you'd like."

I violently shake my head. "That's alright. I can do it."

His eyes skim my body and I feel the need to cross my arms. "I can see right through your shirt," he says and I glance down in a panic. My wet hair had soaked through the white blouse and you can clearly see my bra. I flush red and cross my arms. "Here, you can wear this," he says as he pulls off his thick brown jumper and he hands it to me.

I eye it for a few seconds before I decide I would rather not flash everyone in library today. I can feel him staring at me as I pull it on and once it's in place I push up the sleeves. "Thank you."

"You're welcome," he says as he rests his elbow against the table. "So, are you going to tell me why you've been ignoring me."

"I just… I didn't think it was a good idea," I tell him softly. I glance at the old man with the beard, he's sleeping. "What happened… it was a mistake."

"Have you told him yet?" I look at him and he gives me a bitter smile. "Your boyfriend… have you told him what we did?"

It hurts to be reminded of it and I turn away and nod my head like the coward that I am.

"He doesn't deserve you, you know," he says as he runs his fingers along my arm lazily, like it was something he was used to doing. I'd have to disagree. "You need to be with someone more stable… better connected."

Oh, yeah, I forgot he was crazy. "Like you?" I ask hatefully and he raises his brows at my tone.

"Yes, like me," he says arrogantly and I bristle in annoyance. "Are you going to the game tonight?" he asks and I scoff.

"You know how I feel about Quidditch," I tell him, trying to be mean so he'll leave me alone.

"Yes, but Antioch and Black are one of the biggest college rivalries in England. I thought you might go."

"I have things to do," I tell him shortly as I pick up my quill so I can pretend to be busy.

"I wonder, if you are too busy for this," he says as he places an envelope in front of my face.

"What is this?" I ask as I pick it up.

"Open it," he tells me and I give him a look before tearing open the top.

Inside are two tickets for an Amadeus Yearling concert. He's an amazing pianist and when I was small I was convinced I wanted to be just like him. The tickets are very expensive and he only goes on tour once every ten years. This gift surprises me, and it kind of creeps me out because how could he possibly know I would enjoy this?

"How did you know I liked him?"

"I do my homework," he says. "I've heard you're not too bad on a piano either."

I hold the tickets with my fingers and then I sigh, thinking of Byron. "Thank you," I tell him as I hand the tickets back. "But I can't accept these."

"Why not?" he asks sharply and the darkness in his voice makes me pause.

"I'm not ready for this."

"I'm not in the habit of having one night stands, Lavinia," he says harshly and I furrow my brows as I look at him. "I have mapped out my intentions quite clearly and I was hoping you wouldn't be so confused by the time I approached you again."

I find myself speechless, and little bit frightened by his outburst and his hard eyes soften as he looks down at my stack of books.

"You're going to want the book by Dr. Sigmund Dutch to write this paper," he says, smiling at me again and I have a weird unsafe feeling settling with in me. "I'll get it for you."

He gets up and leaves and I hesitate one second before standing up and gathering all of my things. I am not so brave, and this may be my way to get away from him with out confrontation. I'm really not ready for any of this so soon after my heartbreak with Byron. I'm not even sure we're broken up... It's all too painful to think about.

Once I have all my things bundled up in my arms I take off, scurrying into the lift and pressing the ground button so I can high tail it out of here like a coward. Of course, with my luck, the stupid thing stops on every floor and I get pushed to the very back as wizards and witches off all shapes and sizes pack into the small compartment.

A little girl with blond curly hair weasles her way towards the back by me and when I look at her she smirks up at me. I smile kindly back as she stares at me with dark brown eyes.

"You are very pretty," she whispers after a few moments and I smile down at her again. Thinking she's being awfully kind considering I know I look like rubbish today.

"Thank you, you are very pretty too."

"My name is Lola," she says with twinkling eyes as the people shift around uncomfortably. "What is yours?"

"Lavinia," I tell her gently as I look at the dial above the door, we're still going down.

"That is a very good name," she says.

"Thank you. Lola is a very good name too." She's about five years old… I have no idea how to talk to someone so young while stuck in this stupid lift.

When we reach the second floor, just about everyone gets off. The only ones left are me, the little girl named Lola, and a rather grumpy looking goblin who keeps on glaring at me.

"Who are you here with, Lola?" I ask as the goblin presses the ground floor button a few times in his impatience to get off the lift.

"I am here with my uncle," she says proudly as she lifts her chin. "He is always playing jokes. So I thought I'd hide and make him find me to get him back."

"Oh," I say with a frown. "Your uncle is probably very worried about you," I tell her as her proud little smile falls. "This is a very big place to go hiding in."

"It's just for fun," she says worriedly.

"It is not fun to lose someone you love," I tell her gently and I take her hand once the doors open again to the ground floor. "Come on, then, let's tell the main desk. I'm sure your poor uncle is worried sick."

At the front desk I tell the librarian about the girl and they send out a announcement to all the floors about her.

"Alright, what's your name, sweet pea," the librarian asks the little girl by my side.

Lola smiles again. "Lola Weasley."

Weasley. That is not a common last name and I look down at her with my head tilted to the side. "Who is your uncle?" I ask right before a tall red head comes barreling down the stairs.

"Jeez Louis, Lola!" We both look towards the lanky fellow as he runs over and picks her up. "You scared your Uncle Fred half to death!"

"It was supposed to be a joke," she says as she hugs his neck. "You know, like you do all the time."

"Well, never do it again," he says in relief and then he notices me. "You…" he trails off with an eyebrow raised as I hug my books to my chest.

"Lavinie found me," the young girl says, messing up my name. I can't hold it against her. It does tend to be quite a mouth full. "She brought me here."

He smiles at me and I smile back. "Thank you," he says sincerely. "She's a smart girl," he says as he bops the little girl on the nose.

"I had no idea you two were related," I say honestly as I look in-between. It's always strange when you know you're related to someone but you honestly don't know anything about them. I remember my talk with Fred at Chloe's birthday party and a part of me is glad that I have found him again. I remember how much I liked him.

"Oh, yeah, it's hard to tell, she's such a rascal," he laughs as he puts her on her feet and messes with her hair.

"Oh!" she says as she bats his hands away. "You know I hate it when you do that, you fuzzy old troll."

He scoffs. "Fuzzy old troll indeed," he says as he tickles her side. "She has quite a mouth on her, doesn't she?"

When he turns to me for an answer, I nod my head as I stare at the little blonde girl. She kind of reminds me of Evelyn.

"So, what brings you to this old museum, then?" he asks me as he puts his hands on the little girl's shoulders.

"Oh," I say gently as I look down at my books. "Just getting some school work done."

"Do you go to school nearby?"

I nod. "I go to Antioch."

"Uncle Fred has a shop were he boxes up kittens," the little girl tells me and I raise my brows as Fred rolls his eyes. He's looking a little cleaner then the Fred I remember from the party who was taking generous swigs from the flask in his pocket.

"We don't box up kittens," he says with a head shake. As he looks at me something lights behind his eyes and it makes me uncomfortable. "Say, you're a college girl now, right?" I nod timidly. "Do you need a job?"

"A job?" I repeat flatly.

"Yeah," he says as he rummages through his pocket and he takes out a small card. "One of the girls just quit on me this morning, and I need another girl to run the desk." He hands me the card and I look down at it. It has three W's along the top and his name and floo number at the bottom. "I've always wanted the business to stay in the family anyways."

"She's not part of the family, silly," the little girl says and I give her a sad smile.

"Oh, yes she is, little foot," he says as he picks her up and places her on the counter, much to the librarians chagrin. "She's your cousin, did you know that?"

The little girl seems suspicious as she looks at me. "She does have red hair like you," she says as she eyes me up and down. I wish I would have spent a little more time on my hair and makeup now. "And she is much prettier than Rose."

"Ah, what a nasty thing to say," he says jokingly as he looks at me.

"Who's child is this?" I ask curiously, just to prolong the conversation.

"Bill and Fleur's," he says as he looks to her. He smirks. "One of those later in life surprises, aren't you?" he messes with her hair again and she slaps his hands with a pout. "So, I've been following the good news about your brother," he says as he flicks me a glance. "I'm glad he was able to come back to you."

"Yeah, it's a miracle," I say as I watch him.

"Byron always been quite stubborn," he says as he smiles at me, telling me he knows more about our adventures than I would have thought. "How is old Byron doing, anyways? I haven't seen him at any functions recently."

I shrug, and he catches the look on my face.

"There you are."

Oh, damn. I was rushing away from someone, wasn't I?

"How did you end up way down here?" Conrad does not sound pleased as he puts the book on the table. I flick a glance to Fred before deciding to lie.

"I found this little girl," I say, nodding to Lola who waves at Conrad. "And I had to bring her to the front desk."

Conrad looks me over and I give him an uneasy smile. Creep.

"So, who are you?" Fred asks with an eyebrow raised. Conrad turns to my uncle and smiles.

"Conrad Foxworth." They shake hands and I can't help but feel Fred's questioning stare on me.

"Fred Weasley," he says with a strange look on his face. He looks back to the little girl and sighs. "Welp. We must be going now, little foot. I bet your parents want you back sometime this year."

"Oh, indeed," she says with a nod and she smiles at me. "Goodbye Lavene," she says and I smile at the mess up again and I watch as they walk off.

"Is he related to you?" Conrad asks as I watch their backs go out the front door.

"Yes," I say with a sigh. "He's my uncle."

"What's that?"

He nods down to card in my hand. "He offered me a job," I say and he snorts.

"Like you need a job," he says as he takes the card and rips it in half. Anger spikes inside of me and I glare at him. "Were you actually thinking about working for him? Are you serious? You're a Malfoy."

"You have a job," I point out as I grab the two pieces of the card away from him.

"I am a man," I sneer at that. "And I'm a doctor, there is a difference."

"How does you being a man matter?" I ask as I check out my books and then I start walking out of the library so I can get away from him.

"I didn't mean it in a sexist way," he says as he follows me down the large marble steps. "I'm just saying that you don't have to work."

That didn't answer my question and I gave him a look before facing forward again.

"Stop walking so fast," he orders and I give him an incredulous look for the demand. "At least let me hold some of your books," he says gently, resorting to that weird kindness that he has.

"No, it's okay."

"Why are you trying to blow me off?" He grabs my arm, forcing me to stop and face him.

I say the only thing that comes into my mind as I remember the cuts and bruises I had to heal after leaving his place. "You're too rough for me."

His eyes softened as he looks me over and his hand came up to my face. "I thought you liked it," he says and I blush again, remembering that I did, in fact, enjoy it. "I can be gentle," he whispers softly as he looks into my troubled eyes. "Let me show you how gentle I can be."

He presses his lips against mine and pulls back. "Here. Just in case you change your mind. I'll be there," he says as he hands me one of the tickets to the piano concert.

I let out a sigh of relief when he leaves and I my lips tingle from his kiss as I watch him walk off. I shake my head and glare down at his brown jumper, that I'm still wearing. What a day. I Apparate back to school and race up to my dorm, falling down onto the bed in a weak heap. After two seconds someone comes banging on my door and I groan as Kim answers it.

"Oh, hello you," I hear Jessica say as she pushes her way in. "Thank god you are out of the shower. You're going to start evaporating if you take anymore."

"That doesn't make any sense," I tell her as she throws a handful of small colorful packages at me. "What is this?" I ask as I hold one of the coin shaped things up.

"It's a condom," she says as she sits down beside me. "They were passing them out for free there."

"What do they do?" I ask as I twirl it around in my hands and she gives me a horrified look like I had just sprouted another head.

"You poor, pitiful, little thing," she mutters and then she pulls something out of her bag. "I thought you should see this," she says as she hands a small pamphlet to me. "There was a woman there giving a speech about date rape drugs."

"Yeah?" I say as I flip through it.

"Yeah," she says seriously. "Look on the last page." I flip to the last page and glance at the picture of some orange drink in a martini glass. "Does that look familiar?" she asks as she points to it.

"Should it?" I ask and she frowns as she grabs the pamphlet from my uncaring fingers.

"Look, it says here that this is the most dangerous date rape drug out there today," she says and I watch her as she skims over the words. "It can't be detected in the system and it plays with the victims hormone levels like an aphrodisiac."

"And?"

She frowns again and points to the picture. "This is the same color as that drink that blond healer gave you at the club… here, it says it usually tastes like Mango's if the potion is brewed right."

I snatch the pamphlet back and skim the article. "No," I shake my head. "This wasn't it. I mean…" I trail off because this can't possibly be true. "I mean, I consented."

"You were acting out of character," she says softly. "And when I saw you dancing with him I knew something was off. Then you went home with him without even telling anyone. You don't act like that, Lavinia," she says as she gives me a troubled look. "Did you see him buy the drink?" she asks. "Was it that color originally, or did he put something in it? The woman said you should never acccept a drink unless you see the bartender make it"

"He put something in it," I say, remembering the small blue vial that he used to spike my drink at his flat. I shake my head again. "It wasn't rape, Jessica," I state softly. "I did everything willingly." Even though it ruined my life, I think bitterly.

"It's a cruel potion," she says as she looks over my face. "It's very dark and it takes a very skilled hand to perfect it. The woman said that it feeds off the lust of the other person." I must look confused because she explains further. "Whoever wields the potion… when they give it to someone, the one who ingests it follows whatever the other wants because his desires become their own. Do you understand?"

"But, you know, I found him attractive before this…" I admit softly.

"You are allowed to think other men are attractive," she snaps. "That does not mean they can spike your drink and make you sleep with them. You were acting funny at the club, but when you got back to his place… did you do anything you never thought you would… I mean, like…"

_Show me your body. _

I look at her, and she registers the dread spreading on my face. "What do I do now?" I ask, my confusion is still settling and right now I just feel quite strange towards the whole thing. I had liked it… I had been a willing participant, how could that constitute as rape?

"Well…" she teeters off uneasily. "Well, there's nothing really you can do. Like I said… it wouldn't even show up in your system if you went to a healer… and your memories would show everything being consensual."

"I don't understand… Why would he do that to me?"

"The woman who gave the speech said that men usually justify using it because the woman ends up enjoying and complying anyways. But it's still rape. You wouldn't have done it if he wouldn't have drugged you, would you?"

I'm silent for a long time as I think of Byron.

"I don't know," I answer honestly with wet eyes.

I stand up and walk over to the window, just to stare out at the trees outside. "I think you should tell your Dad," she says and I give her a stern look over my shoulder. "He'd kill that Conrad guy and he would deserve it, of course."

I let my shoulders sag. "There's no point," I say quietly. "He wouldn't get in trouble and I already told Byron I cheated on him… there's just no point."

"Lavinia…'

"I think I'm going to take a nap for a while," I tell her so she'll leave. "Do you mind?"

She stands up and puts the pamphlet down on the table. "It _was_ rape, Lavinia. Don't feel guilty."

I nod and she leaves. Once she's gone I swipe the condoms off my bed and I lay down on top of my covers as I stare at the ceiling. I glance at the piano ticket resting on top of my books and I bite my lip as I debate whether or not I can confront him….

What could I say?

A part of me feels terribly violated, but there's another, darker, part that questions whether or not I would have slept with him even with out the potion....and I still can't find the answer.

_**Evelyn**_

"I wish I had purple eyes," I say with a sigh as I put on my tie. "Beautiful lavender eyes with a hint of plum."

"I'm sure there's a charm for that." Yasmine, one of my Slytherin roommates tugs a brush through her thick coarse hair as she says that and I give her a thoughtful look before turning back to the mirror.

"I believe I would look smashing with purple eyes," I say as I knot my tie and straighten my vest once it's in place. I hate all the drab black and gray colors they make us wear here. It's so terribly depressing. If it was my call, I would be wearing purple and pink pokadots right about now.

"I wish I had green eyes," Kris, another roommate... who is a bit on the short and pudgy side... sighs loudly. "Bright green, like Harry Potter's."

I crinkle my nose at the name as I start French braiding a front section of my hair. "Harry Potter is an old goon," I say as my fingers work through my curls.

"What does that even mean?" Snorts another girl. I have five roommates in all and we have to share the same little bathroom. On my bad days I find it quite irritating, but today I'm not as annoyed because I had a good nights sleep. No nightmares, thankfully.

"He sucks," I say elegantly and the others laugh. I tie off the braid and section off another side. "There's something scruffy about him too. He looks like he smells bad."

Yasmine laughs, revealing the charming little gap between her front teeth. It looks right on her, though, and I wouldn't have it changed. "Your mother loved him once though, didn't she?"

Jesus. My parent's love life is like a myth every wizarding child hears about. "I suppose she did," I say. Once my hair is done the way I want it, I pull the rest of my curls into a messy bun with the braids acting like a headband. "But then she upgraded to my Daddy so everything is right with the world."

"I'd say your Dad is an upgrade. Good lord." Kris reaches for my make up bag and I raise my eyebrows. "Can I borrow some lip gloss?" she asks sweetly when she catches me staring at her.

"Yeah, go ahead," I say with a smile as she rummages through my bag.

"Malfoy, can I borrow your silk ribbon?" I look at Kris. "The green one with the silver stripes?"

I sigh. "Yes, it's in the drawer by my bed."

"Are you going to wear those?" I look at Jackie, the blond with the heart shaped face who had been relatively quiet all morning. She points to my silver hoop earrings sitting on the counter and I look at her.

"Would you like to wear them?" Her face lights up and I pick them up.

"Are you sure you're okay with that?" she asks as I hand them to her.

"Sure," I say tiredly. "Why not?"

They would borrow my underwear if they thought I would say yes.

"Well, I'm off to breakfast," I say as I pick up my book bag. I need to get out of here before I end up lending them my liver or some other important organ. "Tood-a-loo ladies."

They all mutter goodbyes and I scurry the hell out of that bathroom. I prefer my mates to be boys because Jeremiah has never asked to use my eye shadow and I know for a fact that all those things I just let them borrow will not be returned to me. I guess a part of me doesn't mind. I always have so much more than the rest of them, and my things are always of better quality, I just wish they wouldn't take advantage of it so much.

I pull out the small white ear buds from my bag so I can listen to music while I walk. I don't know how my parents handled living as a teenager with out portable music devises. It must have been dreadfully boring for then. I turn the little contraption to one of my perkier saved songs and I take the long way to the great hall. Jeremiah is in Hufflepuff and I always meet him in front of the statue of the hunch backed witch. We've been doing this since first year, but to my annoyance _she_ is there with him every time and I've become the dreaded third wheel to their annoying relationship. I toy with the idea of skipping out on meeting them because he's always with _her_. Her, who I have decided to unreasonably hate with all my little heart.

I can't even tease him when she's around because she always gets all high and mighty and tries to defend him. She even laughs at all of his stupid jokes and Jeremiah has a dreadful sense of humor. No one honestly thinks burping is funny and if you do… well… there's something terribly wrong. It's quite irritating for me, and I especially hate that she's always giggling and touching him. And he doesn't even seem bothered by it!

I take a deep breath and try to let go of my anger. This is going to be a good day, I tell myself as I walk down the hallway.

I smile when I see Jeremiah standing by the statue. He's by himself and I look down happily as I take out my earphones because I'm please that it will just be him and I. I'll finally be able to talk to him alone! I haven't been able to do that yet and I'm finding myself nearly bursting with information I need to throw at him.

"Jay Jay!" I look up at the annoying voice and slump my shoulders when I see Kendra coming down the hall, with her stupid ravenclaw robes. Blue is not her color… "My, you look cute today."

"Thanks," he says awkwardly as she grabs his hand. I stop walking to give them alone time so they can get all their cuddling out now. It's kind of sickening when you're around it all the time. "You look nice too."

Hmph.

"Let's get to breakfast early," she says and I raise my eyebrow because she _knows_ they wait for me everyday. "I'm tired of getting stuck with stale toast."

"I've never noticed the toast is stale," he says as he hikes up his back pack on his shoulder. I put my hand on my hip and watch them as she starts tugging him away.

"Come one, you. Let's go."

"But..." he says softly. "We have to wait for..."

"She knows the way, Jay," she says with a shake of her head and I narrow my eyes. "She doesn't even like walking with us anyways. She is so mean to you...."

She trails off as they walk down the hall and once they're out of sight I stomp my foot and cross my arms angrily. They just left me! What if I didn't hear them talking and I waited there for them until the bell rang! How rude! And Jeremiah didn't even put up a fight, that stupid little coward. I'm not even mean to him, stupid Kendra! I feel my body shaking in anger as I scowl, thinking of various ways to get back at them for this slight, but then I try to let go of the anger, because it will get me no where. I close my eyes and take in a deep breath before I take my head phones out and place them back in my ears.

It's going to be a good year, I tell myself again as I turn on my music. Jeremiah is just going through a phase... but he was my friend first! No, calm down. I do a few more breathing exercises before I feel better and the music drowns out my anger. I do love music.

I dance a little and I bounce up the steps as the music blares in my ears. I wish I lived in musical sometimes, where everyone just busted out in choreographed dance sequences and sang lovely songs about the most mundane things like homework and pumpkin juice. I believe it would make the world a little brighter.

I wonder if there is a spell for that.

I ponder that thought as I begin singing the song, ignoring the looks I'm getting from the group of second year Gryffindors that I pass. I even add a little spin and wink to one of the girls because she looks like she wants to make fun of me. No one makes fun on me unless I'm in on the joke here if I can help it and I don't get embarrassed easily.

When I enter the great hall, I look around at all the houses where the kids are sitting down to eat breakfast. Most heads turn to me and I smile at a few familiar faces before skipping off to my table, after sending a rather hateful and significant look to Jeremiah who gulps and turns away like the scared little rabbit that he is.

I usually do most of my school work during breakfast because I have better things to do during the night than stuffy old paper work, so as soon as I get to the Slytherin table, I find an empty place and push aside plates and cups so I can lay down my texts. I start off with my transfiguration worksheet, deeming that the hardest, and I don't even bother with removing my headphones because I'd rather listen to my music than the mindless chatter of the people around me. I tap my toe to the beat and mouth the words as I run through my homework and half way through my potions essay, I feel a presence hovering over me. A presence I know quite well.

I'll have to take out my headphone for this one. With a sigh I tug the white ear buds down so they're resting on my shoulders and I raise my eyebrows at the person on the other side of the table.

"Good morning," Jeremiah says hesitantly as I look down and scrape my quill against the paper so it looks like I'm busy. Which, technically I am, so that's not a bluff.

"Hello!" I sing. I can't help that I'm annoyingly chirpy in the morning. I don't even bother looking up at him. I find the mere sight of him irritating because I know she is watching somewhere and I still can't believe he didn't wait for me.

"Homework, huh?" he tries to joke. I still don't look up.

"Hm, indeed," I say as I bite the end of my quill while thinking of the tough answer on the paper. Or, I hope that's how it looks in any case. "I have a lot to do," I say and then I finally look at him again. "You can go sit down now. I wouldn't want to keep you _waiting_." I dismiss him coldly, and I know it hurts him by the wounded look in his eyes. I almost yell at him for leaving our meeting place, which has been our meeting place since first freaking year, but right before I say it, stupid Kendra comes up and takes his hand.

"Hey, Evie!" she says with a wave and I give her a nasty smile as I put my headphones back in so I can blare out her voice.

"Evelyn," I say softly. "My name is Evelyn." She is not allowed to call me Evie... it's a new rule.

"Oh, yes... okay. Will you walk me to class, Jay?" I bristle at the nickname because it's mine and I start writing furiously on my paper while turning on my music player. "I need to talk to the professor."

"Yes, please go, _Jay,"_ I repeat angrily over the thumping bass in my ears. I know I'm being unjust, but then he walks away.... I can't believe he actually _walks_ away again! I slam my quill down and massage my temples. "This is going to be a good year." I repeat to myself and I let myself get engrossed in the music again. I repeat that sentence a few more times.. My own little chant I say to keep me sane. "It's going to get better."

After he's totally gone, I try to hide my frown as I turn off my music and put my earphones back in my bag. I don't feel like listening to it anymore.

The windows opens a few moments later, letting the owls swoop down to deliver their posts and after I'm finished with my ridiculous divination homework, I tilt my head to the side at the unfamiliar owl that perches itself in front of me.

"Why, hello, little one," I tell the brown bird as it offers up the letter that's tied to its leg. I gently remove the envelope from the owl, and it hoots once before taking off. It's not Artemus, or Knox... so I know my parents didn't send it. I look down at the letter in my hands.

My name is written neatly along the front and I try to place the handwriting as I tear it open. The letter is written completely in French and I feel a giddiness in my heart as I read the lines.

Xavier writes beautifully and I smile at the things that he writes in his loopy hand writing. It's actually a boring letter, with nothing of interest…. just that he's liking the dance company he's in and he wonders if I'm liking school... he even misses me. This was a good pick me up, I must say. With a silly grin on my face I pick up my quill and a clean sheet of paper so I can write him back. I think I'll tell him about our first Hogsmede trip that's coming up. Maybe he can meet me there and we could hold hands and eat ice cream and avoid Jeremiah and his stupid little girl friend at all costs....

Maybe we could skip out and go to a roller disco. Oh, I so dearly want to skate at a roller disco.

"Hello Lady," I focus on the girl sitting across from me and I smile as I recognize Lillith Westwick. She's in the grade ahead of me, and we've fallen into a mutual friendship because of who we are.

Her older sister is Wendy Westwick, the famous singer and her father is Wendelle Westwick, the even bigger music producer who's so well known in the wizarding community that he has a street named after him in London and a couple of buildings share his name. Her family is just as high profile as mine, for different reasons of course, but we can understand each others lives a little bit better than other people here at Hogwarts.

"It's always refreshing to see you bouncing into breakfast like it was your own little dance club."

I smile as I pack up my books. "How are you Lillith?" I ask because I haven't really had a chance to sit down and talk to her yet. She's in Gryffindor, and I suppose it's because of her brave fashion choices and wild hairstyles. Her hair is jet black today and it hangs down past her shoulders. She changes the color and style every other week just because she can. I doubt she even knows what her natural color is anymore.

She has straight razor sharp bangs right across her brow and she penciled in a beauty mark on her cheek with eye liner. If she wasn't so rich she would look tacky... but because it's her, I guess it's fashionable. She's very into clothes and what's new in the magazines and it shows by the crazy styles she wears on the weekends. "I heard you went to fashion week this summer."

She smiles, showing bright white teeth. "I did. Godery Lift asked for me to be in his show specifically. You really should get into modeling, Evie. I think you would do great. You don't have an ounce of fat on you."

I smile, even though being a model isn't exactly something I find appealing. Being the hanger for another person's art seems silly to me. "Did you meet a lot of terribly interesting people?" I ask as I lean across the table with my chin in my hands. Lillith's life is similar to mine in that aspect. Other people have a hard time relating to the things we go through at home... the places we go... the influential people we're introduced to... But we can find that common ground in each other... even though I don't actually like her that much.

"Oh, yes, tons. My Father says that I can do it again next year if I keep my grades up."

"That sounds so interesting," I say honestly. I love interesting things, but my family is famous for our name and our politics where the Westwicks are famous for their money and their entertainment. There are different obligations set before us that even I understand. The bell rings and I give her a smile. "I'll see you around," I tell her pleasantly as I pack up my things and throw my bag over my shoulder as I lift myself off the bench.

Off course, the first class that I have today is herbology, with those freaking Hufflepuffs. Which means that freaking Jeremiah will be there, making doe eyes at me as I try to ignore him. I put the thick rubber apron and stomp over to my flower pot when I finally reach the greenhouse. I will admit, I haven't been the happiest student since I've been back, but I do enjoy getting my hands dirty every once and a while.

As I'm putting seedlings for some kind of healing plant in my pot, I can practically feel Jeremiah staring at me, searing his eyes into my skin as I hum to myself and pretend like he's not right there, sitting on the stool across from me... saying my name.

"Evelyn." I continue to hum and I even move my hips a little bit at my made up song. "Evelyn, please talk to me," Jeremiah whispers across the table. "What did I do? Why are you being so mean to me?"

I snap him the harshest glare I have and he pales. He should know perfectly well why I'm angry at him.

"Mr. McCabe, please stop harassing the other students." The professor says and I smile smugly down at my pot of dirt as Jeremiah blushes.

All through class he keeps sending me pathetic little glances and eventually I break. My anger and bitterness isn't justified, I know that. Maybe he forgot about me or something.... But that is something I do not understand…and I am a spoiled brat at the heart of it all. I'm not ashamed to admit it. During our first break in-between our double period, I wait for everyone else to leave so I can corner Jeremiah by myself. He must have had the same idea in mind because he spent fifteen minutes trying to untie his apron.

"Do you need help?" I ask after a few awkward moments of him trying to untie the knot at his neck. He looks at me, trying to judge my expression as I step around the table. "Turn around then," I tell him with a sigh as I bring my fingers up to the knot. "Why did you triple knot it like this?" I ask with a tisk of my tongue. "You know you don't have nimble fingers."

"So we're on speaking terms again?" he states softly as I try to loosen the mess he put himself in.

"If you think you can find the time to speak to me around the sordid engagements you have with your girlfriend," I snap as I manage to untie it and the straps fall, making the apron slide to the floor by his feet. "When you're not eating the face off of her in train compartments."

He looks over his shoulder and narrows his eyes at me. "I didn't think you would notice," he says and his anger surprises me. "You were too busy snogging that French toad on the platform to even bother looking for me."

"Well, I found you, didn't I?" I snap back with my hands on my hips. "And you were being perfectly indecent with Kendra, and you know what!? She is the one with the mole!" I say because he always called her that when I spoke of her and I'm feeling particularly bitter today. "I've had the worst summer and I just need to talk to you and you are always too busy! And you left me today! What if I waited at the statue for you to get there? I would have missed breakfast because of you!"

He looks around because I'm yelling and then he focuses back on me. "I've been trying to talk to you since we've been back at school but all you do is blow me off and act all nasty towards me." I sneer. "Even when you are around, you act very hateful. Don't deny it, Evelyn, because it's true."

"She's always there!" I yell with a stomp of my foot. "Every time you've ever tried to talk to me, she was always right there behind you, tugging on your hand and pulling you away from me!"

"Stop yelling," he whispers as he looks towards the doorway where everyone is taking their break. He takes another step towards me and I have to tilt my chin up to see him. It's now that I notice how tall he's gotten over the summer. "People will hear."

"Oh, I don't care." I wave a dismissive hand. "I don't care if the whole school knows about how much I hate that hussy you're dating."

"Don't talk about her like that," he snaps and that hurts me more than anything because he's defending her. Defending her from me. "She's not a hussy and you're being unfair. She's your friend too and you were the one who told me to date her because you wanted to go out that stupid French Frog who did nothing but make you feel miserable every summer of your life." I realize he's right, and I feel my lower lip trembling as I cross my arms. "Oh..." he takes a step closer to me, his angry eyes starting to soften. "No, don't do that. I'm sorry. Let's not fight anymore."

I don't say anything as I turn my head away and he hesitantly touches my arm.

"Tell me what you want me to do," he whispers. "I don't understand why you're acting like this."

"I just, I don't want you to constantly be with her all the time," I say, trying to figure out exactly why I'm angry in the first place. "You were my friend first and she shouldn't take up so much of your time."

"Okay, I'll talk to her about it."

"You can't make that decision yourself?" I sound hateful, and the professor calls the rest of the kids in before he can respond.

I spend the rest of the day fuming about it and sending glares to him whenever I pass him in the halls. Stupid old boy.

With Jeremiah no longer my main mate, I've been forced to rekindle my relationships with the girls in my house, which they were all excited about because they all wanted to know about Cassius, of course. By the end of the week the questions and speculations started to get to be too much for me so I started to go on walks by myself. I would show up early for class and be the last to leave to avoid the rush of curious students in the hallway. I've always been more of a social butterfly, but I hated that everyone wanted to know if Cassius was a zombie, or if he was the new Dark Lord, or something equally as ridiculous. Answering the same question a million times can be tiresome and by the end of the fourth week I found myself going to bed early just to avoid my roommates and their constant chatter. I pulled the curtains tight around my bed before I fell into a deep sleep.

I've been having the wildest dreams lately. So vivid and so real, and they've left me exhausted in the mornings. I knew tonight would be no different and I set my alarm with a sigh before closing my eyes and letting my head hit the pillow.

When I opened my eyes again, I find myself in the forbidden forest and I nearly panic until I see my Dad, standing in the middle of a small clearing with his wand in his hand.

It was another dream... another terribly tiresome dream.

I sigh before walking towards him.

"Daddy," I say in relief as I approach him. I know he won't reply, but I a part of me was hoping he would. His back is to me, but I can tell it's him by his body language and the color of his hair. He's wearing a cashmere sweater paired with pressed Khaki slacks, and when I go to touch him, my hand falls right through.

"Are you ready?" Dad asks and I furrow my brows in worry as I walk around to see his face. He looks young. Very young.... and sitting on the log in front of him is a small golden cage with a little gray bird hopping around inside. It starts to sing a little song and I bit my lip as I try to figure out what's going on. I wish I could control what's happening in these freaking things. They are my dreams after all, darn it! "I suppose you are," he says flatly as he lifts his wand. "Imperius," he says softly as a jet of red light leaves the tip of his wand.

The bird becomes still and stops singing. Daddy walks over to the cage and lifts the small latch to open the door.

"Come out," he demands and the small bird hops out of the cage and onto the log. "Lift your wings," he says and the bird obeys him. Why is he doing an unforgivable on this bird? "Jump off the log."

The bird hops to the ground and stills again, waiting for direction as my father taps his wand against his cheek. "Alright. Good. Now get back in the cage." It flutters up to the cage and climbs inside. I cross my arms as Daddy looks down at his wand. "Look at me," the bird tilts it's head to the side to see my father as he lifts his wand. "Adava Kadavra," he whispers and the green jet of light hits the bird directly in the chest, causing it to fall over stiffly with a light thud against the base of the cage.

"Why did you do that?" I ask as I bring my hand up to my mouth to cover my expression. "Why?" I ask as he reaches into the cage and picks up the tiny bird, lifting it's wing as he studies it's body to make sure it's dead. "Why did you kill that bird, Daddy?"

"This was a great idea," I hear another voice and my father's sharp eyes snap towards the noise. I know that voice. That's Mom. "I've never been in this part of the forest, Luna. It's very beautiful."

"And it has the best colors when you want to paint," Another voice adds and I glance at Dad as he puts the bird on the ground and grabs the cage.

"Are you sure we won't get in trouble?" My mother's voice sounds troubled as their footsteps approach. Dad looks worried, and he makes sure the cage is under his arm before he dashes off and hides behind one of the large trees as Mom and a tall willowy blonde approach.

"As long as we don't go too far in, we should be fine," the blonde says. She's very thin, with large round eyes that look almost other worldly in their paleness. Mom nods her head as she readjusts her bag and I take a step closer to them as they stop in the middle of the clearing. My mother has always been beautiful and she always will be, but here, with the roundness of youth still on her face, she looks positively lovely. "I think I found what I'm going to paint," the girl says as she points to a tree that has fungus growing out of it like stepping stools. "I love the colors."

She sets down her tackle box full of watercolor paints and she takes a seat on the ground as my Mother looks around. "I think I'll be over here," she says as she walks by the dead bird, not noticing it on the ground. She sits down on the log that my father was using as a platform and she takes a few pencils out of her bag, along with a sketchbook. When she crosses her legs, I finally notice what she's wearing and I tilt my head to the side because it looks kind of silly on her. It's a crudely made red velvet dress, with a crooked hem and knots at her shoulders to keep it in place and a thick black belt around her waist to cinch it in. Of course, on her it looks beautiful, but it's an odd choice none the less.

"That's an interesting dress you have on." Luna comments in an airy voice like she just read my mind. I look at my Mom as she flicks a glance at her friend and then tugs on the fabric. "Did you make it yourself?"

That makes my mother blush and she nods her head as she lays her sketch book on her lap. "I just wanted something new," she says gently. "I didn't feel like wearing my uniform on a Saturday, and I'm growing out of most of my clothes as it is," she answers, obviously embarrassed by it. I take a seat beside her on the log so I can study her face. "Does it look bad?" she asks self consciously and I want to tell this younger dream verision of my mother that she looks wonderful and to never doubt that. "I used one of the curtains around my bed... I thought it could be kind of pretty."

"I like it," Luna says as she smiles at my Mom over her shoulder. "I could clean it up a bit, if you'd like. I help mend all of my father's clothes when I'm at home," she says as she stands and pulls out her wand.

My mother eyes her for a few moments before standing up and placing her things on the log. "Your Dad lets you use magic outside of school?" she asks in awe as the other girl steps closer and presses her wand to the hem of the dress, straightening it and cleaning it up with a muttered spell.

"Yes, well, it's just him and I, so it's kind of hard to only have one wand in the house-hold going, you know?" Mom nods her head as the blonde helps fix the dress until it looks as cute as a red velvet sun dress can. The blonde takes off the black belt and lets it fall to the ground as she tightens up the bodice so it seems fitted. "How about a different color?" she says as she steps back and looks my mother up and down. "I've got it." she smiles as she lifts her wand again, and the dress turns into a light periwinkle blue color.

"Oh, this is lovely," my mother smiles warmly as she spins around. The dress looks better now, and it fits perfectly, exsentuaty her small waist and full hips. "Thank you, Luna. This is wonderful."

Luna smiles softly before going back to her painting. My Mom spends a few more moments touching the periwinkle blue material with her dainty fingers and she smiles to herself as she moves the skirt a few more times. Swishing it back and forth with a pleased little grin on her face. "Thank you," she whispers again as she takes a seat back on the log to pick up her sketch book.

"How are you and Harry doing?" Luna asks as my mother looks around for something to draw.

"Fine, I guess," Mom mutters softly. "I don't know. He barely ever speaks to me anymore... he's always having these secret conversations with Hermione and Ron that I'm not allowed to be a part of... and he never tells me anything, even though I know he's troubled...." She sighs sadly. "Do you ever feel like you're on the outside of things looking in?"

"All the time," Luna says indifferently like it was a basic fact of life for her.

"It just hurts my feelings that he doesn't trust me," my mother says gently before she shakes her head. "Anyways, what about you? Do you have a special someone on your mind?"

"I think Draco Malfoy is very good looking." she says with out missing a beat and my mom snaps her eyes to the back of the blonde's head.

"He is very mean, Luna. How could you think about him with the way that he acts?"

The Luna girl shrugs. "I think he has a very tragic look about him, like he's waiting to be saved... and I think I could be that witch in shining armor to rescue him."

"He doesn't need saving," Mom mother says with a laugh, not believing that her friend would say such good things about Daddy. "He's cruel and he makes everybodies lives miserable. He's nothing but a bully."

"Well, I find that bullies are made, not born," Luna says cyrptically and my mother sends her a scathing look before shaking her head and turning back to her pencils. "Oh, well," she looks over her shoulder again to eye my Mom. "He is handsome, though, right?"

Mom sighs after a few moments, officially giving in. "Yes," she says as she picks up the pencil she's chosen to sketch with. "Yes, I believe he is very handsome." Her lips turn into a frown and then she bites her lip. "Misleadingly so," she mutters to herself.

"We would have beautiful children, I think," the blonde says, and I raise my brows. "They'd be all blonde and blue eyed."

"With hearts of stone," Mom adds with a smirk.

"You never know," Luna says softly. "Draco might have a soft spot for children."

"You're on a first name basis with him now?" Mom jokes and Luna smiles.

"He doesn't even know who I am," Luna admits with a sigh. "But it is nice to pretend. Fantasies never disappoint."

Mom nods her head, and then she smiles like she was remembering something pleasant. "All of my children are going to look just like their father," she says, like it was a thought that pleased her. "I want my first to be a boy... and he will have his father's beautiful eyes and unruly hair," she says softly, staring off into space as she thinks about her future with the boy she loves in typical teenage girl fashion. I wonder if she ever realized how true that prediction became... only she traded emerald green for pewter grey, and black hair for the whitest blond. With a satisfied sigh she scans the scene around her before biting her bottom lip. "I think I'm going to go over there," she tells her friend as she stands up. "There's a perfect little patch of bell flowers beyond that tree."

"Do what you must," Luna says airily, not even bothering to turn as my mother begins walking away from her.

I follow the younger version of my mother through the trees and the large plants that litter the forest floor. She's going farther than I think she should on her quest to reach the blue flowers off in the distance, barely visible behind a tree root, but I just like looking at her. I wonder, if we were in school together, if we would be friends. I think we'd be smashing together. There's a crunch behind her as she approaches the flowers, and she stops to look over her shoulder, waiting to hear it again. When it doesn't sound, she shrugs off her suspicion and walks towards the tree root once again. I glance behind me to make sure she's actually alone. She's not. I spot my father creeping towards us, eyeing her movements with ferocious intensity.

"Mom..." I say in warning, but of course she doesn't hear me.

My father gets closer as Mom reaches the flowers. She bends down to touch one of the bell shaped petals when my Dad speaks, scaring her half to death.

"It is not wise to go traipsing through the forbidden forest on your own," he says coldly and it startles her. She spins around and trips over one of the tree roots, making her fall on her bottom and causing her to let go of her pencils and small sketch book. When recognition falls over her features, she relaxes the slightest bit as she stands up and dusts off her dress.

"You frightened me," she says with a blush as she straightens the skirt and looks around for her dropped possessions.

"Did I?" he questions flatly as he moves towards her with his back straight and his steps determined. Like a cat, I notice, ready to pounce on it's prey.

"Yes, well, I need to be going." Mom coughs awkwardly as she bends down to pick up her sketch book. Father gets closer to her than she expected and she takes a surprised intake of breath as he bends down and puts his hand over hers. "I can get it," she says gently as she snatches the book away from him and cradles it to her chest. It's obvious that she doesn't trust him, and her eyes keep on darting along the forest looking for ways of easy escape.

"Can you?" he questions as he picks up a couple of the discarded pencil's that have rolled next to his polished leather shoes.

"I said I could," she snaps, obviously annoyed by him as he straightens his spine and towers over her. My father has always been a tall man, and even here, as a younger guy he was a good head above Mom. She was forced to tilt her chin up to see his face. "Now, excuse me. I have to get back."

"Get back to where, I wonder?" Daddy asks as he takes a step towards her again. She takes a step back and hits the tree trunk, her feet, with the scruffy leather sandals, are destroying the flowers she was so intent on admiring a moment ago. "To the crazy ravenclaw? She can't hear us now," he says menacingly and my Mom furrows her brows as she looks at his throat. "Does anyone know you came out here? I bet not... you wouldn't want to get into trouble." he looks her over and she blushes again as she turns her head away. "Where is your wand?" he questions lightly, like he just realized she should have taken it out and cursed the hell out of him by now. She tightens her jaw and he smiles. "You didn't bring it with you, did you?" His smile darkens as he takes another dangerous step closer. They're almost pressed against each other. "How stupid of you."

"Leave me alone," she says stubbornly as she glares at him. "And step back."

"Make me," he challenges and she looks at his throat.

"I'll scream."

"I'll laugh."

"Move!" she snaps as she pushes his chest back. He barely stumbles, but she takes advantage of his surprise to escape. It doesn't work out for her, and I nearly scream myself when he grabs her arm. She trips over one of the large tree roots again and he cages himself on top of her after she falls to the ground. He turns her around so she's forced to face him and her eyes are wild with worry. "What are you doing, Malfoy!?" she yells as she pushes at his chest. He doesn't even flinch as he grabs her hands to pin them down. "Leave me alone, you bloody lunatic!"

"Stop fighting me," he says through clenched teeth as he leans all his weight into her smaller frame.

"Get. Off. Of. Me." she bites out as she tries to flip him off. When he doesn't do as she says, she arches her neck back and starts screaming. "Luna! Luna, help!"

"Shut up," he snaps as he clamps his hand over her mouth. When she looks into his eyes, his hateful looking eyes, she can see how serious... how dangerous... he is. She goes limp underneath him. "She can't hear you, you stupid girl. Why are you acting so fearful?" he asks mockingly. "You think I'm handsome, don't you, Ginny?"

Her eyes widen when she realizes he was listening and he laughs softly.

"I'm glad you think so, because I think you will compliment me quite well," he says as he kisses her cheek. She cringes at the contact and tries to move her head away. "I believe you are are the only lovely thing to come out of those blood traitor Weasels in centuries."

Her breathing is heavy and she closes her eyes, before opening them again to stare into his pleadingly. He doesn't remove his hand, but he lets his knees fall down to the ground on either side of her legs so he can support himself better... and to give her more breathing room, I hope. He is much larger in comparison to her. He even lets go of her wrist as he pushes himself up. "Tacky velvet has never worked for anyone," he says as he uses his free hand to play with the strap of her dress. She blushes again and turns her eyes away as he bends down to place a gentle kiss against her neck. "When you are mine I will dress you in silk and pearls," he whispers against her ear and she shivers. Then her whole body stiffens at his words and I can see her shoulders come up to try to get him away from her neck as one of his hands goes down to the hem of her dress. "I will give you everything, Ginny," he says softly and he slowly removes his hand from her mouth and lets the other creep up her thigh. "Everything," he repeats before bending down to kiss her lips.

She turns away at the last moment and I can see the anger and hurt flash in his eyes as he pulls back.

"What's the problem, princess?" he snaps sarcastically and she glares. "Are you afraid Potter will be able to taste me on your lips." He smiles again and I wrinkle my nose because it's a twisted evil type of smile that I've never seen on him. "You have no idea the things I have planned for you."

"Why are you doing this?" she asks pitifully, trying to keep the quiver out of her voice as she blinks back tears. She looks him in the eyes. "Why are you doing this to me?"

He looks almost guilty then, and he hesitates a moment before opening his mouth to reply. "It doesn't have to be this way," he says quietly as he swallows a lump in his throat. He looks different now, closer to the father that I know... The father that I love so very dearly. "I don't have to be this way. We could go away together. You and me...."

"Ginny!" Both their heads snap to the noise. He panics and sits back on his knees. "Ginny, where did you go?"

The footsteps of the blonde girl approach as my father removes his wand from his sleeve. Mom sees it and she tries not to cry. "Please, Draco," she says and he seems to melt at the name.

"I'm not going to hurt you," he whispers warmly before he sends a silent spell to her chest. She clenches her eyes shut, and he stands, leaving her body on the ground.

"Gin," he whispers as he kneels beside her and tilts her face towards his. She opens groggy, glassed eyes and I take a step closer. She looks lost and her eyes look clouded over. "You went too deep into the woods and you became frightened by the noises. You tripped over that tree root in your haste to get away."

She nods her head.

"You never saw me," he says quietly as he stands back up and looks towards the figure of a girl moving towards them before he storms off in the opposite direction. Out of sight and out of the way as the blonde spots my Mom. She drops her tackle box and comes running over to her.

"Oh, Gin, what happened?" she asks as she helps my Mom up.

"I went too deep into the forest," my mother repeats blandly as the girl named Luna helps her to her feet. I realize he confounded her and I bite my lip again. "I became frightened by the noises and tripped over that tree root."

"I didn't even hear it," Luna says as she smiles at my Mom. "I had this weird buzzing sound in my ears the whole time. It must be the snorkels out today."

"Yeah," my mother says like she was just waking from a dream and she was trying to remember what it was about. "Must be," she says before gathering her things and following Luna back towards the clearing, with her hand gently touching her neck where my father had kissed her.

"Look what I found," Luna says as she takes something out of her bag. It's the dead bird my fahter killed and my mother makes a face at it. "I think we should bury it. It hasn't been dead long."

"What kind of bird is it?" Mom asks gently as she looks down at it.

"A mocking bird," Luna replies and I catch a glimpse of blond hair out of the corner of my eyes as they bury the poor animal.

A tug in my stomach pulls me away from the scene and I land on the floor of a damp, smelly, filthy room, with dirt floors and slimy looking walls. "Well, that was interesting." I look over to the sound of that voice. It's Bella, only she's older and more demented looking, with hollowed cheeks and frizzy hair.

"Stay out of my mind." I turn towards the other person in the room. It's my Dad, and he's a sweating mess, leaning against one of the grimy walls.

"So, is that the little blood traitor you're so obsessed with?" she asks with a sardonic smile.

"That's personal," he snaps as he stands up straight.

"Really? I doubt your enemy would care if your thoughts were your own when they decide to rape your mind, you stupid little boy." Her face turns hard as she approaches him. "You will never get the happily ever after that you want, Draco, and especially not from a girl like her. You think you could run away with her and things would be all sappy and happy? Do you really think that? That mark on your arm won't let that happen."

"You know nothing," he says, standing up straighter to seem brave.

"Even though I appreciate that you were practicing your curses, I have to say that I'm disappointed in your performance today." she says as she steps back and picks up the dagger on the table. "You failed to block your mind from me, so you failed my test. Now, come here."

"I wasn't ready," he snaps as he eyes the dagger. "I want to do it again."

"There are no do overs in the real world. Come here."

Dad seems reluctant, but he finally pushes himself off the wall and he approaches her with heavy steps as she offers him the handle end of the dagger. He doesn't grasp it, he just looks at it in distaste as she smiles him. "You know the rules, Drake. Either you do it, or I do."

He clenches his jaw before grabbing the knife. "I don't understand the benefit of this," he snaps as he unbuttons his cuff so he can roll up the sleeve on his left arm.

"It makes us strong," she says lightly as he puts the blade to his forearm. "It makes us realize that there are penalties for weakness and, after what I witnessed in that head of yours, I know you're in need of some strength. Go ahead." I wince and look away as my father slices the knife across his skin. "Deeper, Draco," she tells him. I cover my eyes as she presses one of her bony hands on top of his to push the blade deeper. "You have to make a mark so you will never repeat this error."

Dad intakes a painful breath as the blood drips from his arm. He sets the dagger down as the older Bella watches the blood drip from his skin like it was the most fascinating thing in the word. She has a twisted smile on her face as she grabs his wrist and licks his wound as my Dad cringes in disgust. I never asked him about the scars and burns that were on his body because I always figured they were a just side effect from the war. Now that I know what they were from, it makes me sick. I already hate Bella, but after this encounter it is heightened ten fold and I have to ask myself again how I ever thought she was a good idea in the first place.

"Malfoy! Malfoy, wake up!" I inhale deeply and crack my eyes open against the sunlight. "Come on, get up Evelyn or you're going to miss first period!"

"I'm awake," I say groggily. I sit up and rub my eyes, trying to shake myself into consciousness. Was that just a dream? I've been having a lot of vivid, troubling dreams lately. With out bothering to check on the other girls, I slink out of my night gown and hurry to put on my uniform. The bathroom is empty when I enter it, so I figure I must be running late. I forgo my usual grooming routine as I throw up my hair in a simple side pony tail and I slip into my shoes quickly. I make it all the way to the bottom of the dorm steps before I realize that it's Saturday. Very funny.

Usually I'm too clever to fall for a trick like that but I was so engrossed in that dream that I couldn't focus right. Well, we can't win them all. I stomp back up to my room and I barely even glare at the snickering girls. "Hilarious," I mutter before slipping of my shoes and climbing back into bed, pulling the curtains tight so no light... or voices will get in. I'll get them back later, no doubt.

When I do finally wake in my own terms, the dorm is empty and I decide to go for a walk so I can avoid the questioning rush I would be likely to run into if I went n the common area to hang out. I sigh as I peal out of my uniform. The shirt was scratchy and I regret falling asleep in it now. Once down to my knickers and bra, I go over to my trunk and pull out a striped skirt and navy shirt to wear. I'm very into navy right now, and I've designated it as my new color for the fall. I tie a small blue and green paisley kerchief around my neck before leaving the dorms witch a bit of food I had stored away in my trunk for days that I missed a meal. It's a foggy Saturday afternoon and I head towards the quidditch pitch to pick some flowers after finishing off my small meal. There's a gathering of pink and yellow roses around the stands. I want to pick some before they go away once the cold air officially hits.

I take my time gathering the flowers and then I take a seat by the fence so I can pluck off the petals because I don't want to go inside just yet. After an hour or so, someone sits beside me and I look to Jeremiah as he hands me my silk green and silver ribbon.

"I pulled it from Kris Goodyear's hair yesterday during the assembly." I take the hair ribbon and smile as I run it between my fingers. "I figured she wasn't going to give it back. You always let those girls take all your things."

I shrug. "I have a lot of stuff."

"That doesn't mean that they deserve to have it."

"Thank you," I tell him as I hand him my gathering of roses, making sure that he doesn't get pricked by the thorns. "You can have these for your trouble."

He takes the flowers, and I smirk because I know he'll keep them, just because I gave them to him. "I'm sorry." he says gently and I look at him as I draw my knees up to my chest.

"It's okay."

"I'll break up with her if you want me to," he says quietly and I turn my head to stare at his profile."It's just..." his large eyes flick to mine before looking down. "It's not really a big deal."

"I suppose I've been unfair to you," I tell him honestly with a sigh. "I'm jealous that she has taken all of your time away from me," I tell him and he looks at me with his brows furrowed. "And I don't like that you like her better than me," I mutter bitterly, because I can't help myself.

"Evelyn, I don't like her better," he says gently as he nudges my arm. "She just kind of crowds me a bit. I didn't think you would mind. I did see you with Xavier at the station. I figured you'd be too busy thinking about him to bother with me anyways."

"I always have time to bother with you," I tell him as I turn my knees into his body so they press against his thigh. I thought it was sweet that he said she crowded him because lord knows I crowd the heck out of him every year. "I know that you like her, Jeremiah." I guess. "I don't want you to break up with her because I'm being so very difficult. I've just had a rough summer and I've been feeling kind of mean lately."

"I'm glad you're talking to me again," he admits and I smile as I take his hand and tie my silk scarf around his wrist a few times until it looks like a bracelet.

"Me too." I kiss his knuckles before giving his hand back. "Well, on a brighter note, would you like to help me get my roommates back for the prank they pulled on me this morning?"

"What did they do?" he asks seriously as I stand up and dust off my bottom. He stands as well, clutching the bouquet of flowers in one hand.

"They woke me up early," I say with a pout. "And you know how much I love to sleep in on Saturdays."

"Oh," he says because he, in fact, does know that I never wake up before two on the weekends unless I absolutely have to. "What is your plan, then?"

I smile deviously... or what I hope is deviously anyways... "Do you still have that recipe for those chuckling chocolates?"

He smirks. "Of course I do."

"I was thinking my roommates might become terribly famished for them right before the Potions Quiz we're having on Monday. There is to be absoulutly no talking or making any noise during it, you know."

He smirks at me and I smile back. "Lets go."

Yay! I follow him to his dorm room and no one even questions me as I prance through the common room behind him. I guess I'm an honorary Huflflepuff now. Of course, it wasn't by their choice. Last year the head girl tried to tell me I wasn't allowed to use their common room like my own since I was a Slytherin... but she soon saw things my way. I find that I can be very persuasive when pushed. Jeremiah leads the way as we take the tunnels towards his dorm and he enters first while I take a second to tie my shoe lace.

"Off picking flowers, McCabe?" I hear one of his roomates address him and I stand up. "I knew you were a..."

When I enter the room, the roommate snaps his mouth shut. I wave at the boy in the blue polo shirt. "Good afternoon, Mike," I saw sweetly as Jeremiah heads over to his bed. "How are you doing today?"

"I'm fine." I smirk as Mike hides the magazine he was reading under his pillow and he quickly fixes his dark hair, running a shaky hand through it like I wouldn't notice. He always does that when I'm around. "How are you doing, Evelyn?" He likes saying my name too. One of my favorite games is to see how many times Mike will say my name when he speaks to me. Once, during a fifteen minute conversation about the weather he said my name a total of twenty one times. No joke.

"I am swell," I tell him with a smile and head over to Jeremiah so I can cut off the conversation with him.... because I do not like the way Mike Rowsinki looks at me.

Another room mate comes into room from their shared bathroom and he takes one look at me before blushing a deep scarlet red. Spencer, the one with all the freckles, quickly tucks in his shirt and looks away, embarrassed by my presence. I guess he's blushing because it's so dirty in here. There are clothes and papers all over the place and it kind of smells funky. Like old damp socks or bad cheese.... Boys are not the greatest at personal hygiene and cleanliness. I have found out in my limited interaction with boys.

"Here it is," Jay says. He pulls out the black binder from under his bed and I look to him as he holds it up for my viewing. He keeps all of his recipes in there... Jeremiah is very good at cooking and he is always thinking up new things to mix together and try. I believe he will make an successful chef some day. He did invent the Chuckling Chocolates after all and I think they are a work of genius. Anyone who consumes one will fall into hysteric giggling for a good two hours. Here's the kicker, though... they can't be detected in a person's system, so they're great for revenge. "Grab my potions kit, will you?" he asks nodding towards his school chest. Jeremiah is the only boy in his Hufflepuff dorm room who keeps his things tidy, and I'm eternally grateful for that as I drop to my knees to pop open his trunk.

"I love how you fold your clothes," I tell him with a sigh as I move a stack of his perfectly folded undershirts. Jeremiah's clothes always smell like spring time and sandle wood, and even though he rarely ever matches, his clothes always look clean and freshly washed. I bring one of his white tee's to my face and I inhale against the material as I run my fingers over the cotton. I feel someone staring at me and I look up to see Jeremiah looking at me oddly with an eyebrow raise. "What?" I ask hesitantly as I put his shirt down so I can pick up the leather potions kit.

"Did you just sniff one of my shirts?" he asks and one of the boys on the bed makes a funny noise as I stand.

"Yes," I say plainly. There's no use in lying about it. "They always smell like you. Can I have one?"

"You want one of my undershirts?" He's talking slowly, like he thinks I'm crazy, and I tilt my head to the side.

"I did say that," I tell him. "May I have one?"

He eyes me again before sighing. "Sure, take two if you want," he says and I smile before grabbing the one on the top and closing the lid of the trunk with a click. I pull the white tee over my navy shirt before we leave and I smile as I inhale because it feels like I'm surrounded by all things Jeremiah. I tie a little knot at the bottom to tighten it up and I ignore the way everyone in the dorm is staring at me as I grasp the kit and make a motion to Jay so we can leave.

As we're walking out, I hear Mike speaking to Spencer. "How is it that a bender like McCabe has a girlfriend, and he _still _gets to hang out with a fit girl like Evelyn Malfoy? Life is not bloody fair."

I look at Jeremiah as we walk down the tunnel. He's blushing. "Do you think I'm pretty?" I ask curiously as we walk.

"You know I do," he says seriously. "Do you think I'm bent?"

"Absolutely not," I tell him and he sends me smile before facing forward again. I talk his ear off as we walk towards the kitchens. I've missed out on telling him a lot because I've been ignoring him recently, so now he's getting it all in one shot. I know he always gets overwhelmed when I talk so much, but he never tells me to be quiet. So I never stop. It's his fault, really. "And then I had the craziest dream," I finish, after giving him the play by play of everything that's happened since I last saw him.

"Jeez," he says as he expels a large breath of air from his mouth. "That was a lot to take in."

I smile at him before reaching up to tickle the pear in the painting that will lead towards the kitchen. The house-elves know us by name because in the previous years we've haunted this part of the castle quite regularly. It's hard, to be friends, when we're in different houses so we have to have a common meeting place, and what's better than being surrounded by delicious food? Plus, Jeremiah always cooks, and it's always tastier than anything those old house-elves cook up. I think the poor creatures might be a little jealous of my Jeremiah, if I was reading their glares correctly.

"Hey, Gratie," Jeremiah greets one of the house-elves as we enter and five of them fly over to us, wanting to see if we need anything. "Just a place to work," Jay answers kindly as sets his bag down. "And a few mixing pots."

"I'm excited!" I say happily as I take a seat on one of the wooden benches as Jeremiah grabs one of the aprons from the hooks by the fire place. I put my chin in my hands and my elbows on the table as I watch Jeremiah gather all of the ingredients from the cabinets. I love to watch people work when they're really involved in something and I tilt my head to the side and I smile fondly as he starts mixing things together.

"How will you give this to them?" he asks as he grabs a wooden spoon to mix up some ingrediants in one of the copper mixing pots.

"Oh, I'll tell them that my Mother sent them to me from her travels in Belgium. They'll all jump down my throat to taste one, of course, because heaven forbidden they miss out one something my parents give me."

"Those girls are quite silly," he says as he looks at me and I smile.

"You think I'm a silly girl sometimes too," I tell him as he stops mixing and he puts the bowl down.

"Yes, you are," he says and he winks at me before finding something from his potions kit to put in the mix. I like it when we're alone. Kendra's an old fuddy duddy who ruins everything. "We're about finished," he says as he does a few swish and flicks of his wand. "Will you get one of the molding trays, please?"

I nod my head and go over to the trays that are hanging from the ceiling and I bring my finger up to my lip, tapping it a few times as I think. What shape do I want my chocolates to be in....

"Oh! Stars!" I say happily as I grab the molding tray and I smile at it before running over to Jay who is still dutifully working. He wipes off his forehead with the back of his hand and I almost start laughing at how serious he looks. "I want this one."

"Okay," he says gently as he holds up the bowl. "Scoot it over here."

I comply and I smile again as he pours the chucking chocolate into the pan. "I hope they all get detentions after eating these." I say with light in my eyes.

"Remind me not to mess with you when you're sleeping," Jay jokes as the chocolate spills from the bowel.

"You know better, anyways," I tell him hotly. We have to refrigerate the chocolate until it hardens and I swore the house-elves to secrecy before we left because I didn't want anyone finding out about my plan. "I am getting hungry," I state out loud as I look send a longing look at all the food the elves are preparing. My stomach growls painfully and I blush a little as I look back a Jeremiah.

"Well," he checks his watch. "Dinner is probably going to start soon, if you want to eat with everyone else upstairs."

"No," I state quickly as I lean across the table. "No, I would like to stay here." I like having him to myself again and I know if we go up then she will be there and she will take up most of my space. "Bring me chicken, please!" I call to any random elf that will listen and I smirk back at Jeremiah as he raises a brow. "And some sort of vegetable," I add just to look like I enjoy eating healthy.

"You're being weird," he states flatly and I frown.

"How am I being weird?" I say and then I notice that I'm gripping the sleeve of his shirt in a death grip. And the whole 'bring me chicken thing' was probably kind of stupid too. "Oh," I say as I sit back on the bench. "Let's just go upstairs, then," I say quietly as I try to hide my weirdness from him.

I just don't think he understands how much I have missed him.

"I think that would be best," he says as he sends a side ways glance at one of the elves. "I think they're starting to get annoyed with us."

Hmf.

I sadly follow him out of the kitchens and even before we reach the Great Hall, Kendra finds us and she looks positively deadly as she eyes me up and down. Yeah, I'm wearing his shirt, you grumpy old troll. "Where have you been?" she asks accusingly with her hands on her hips. Jay balks and glances at me for support, but I won't help him in this. This is a mess of his own making. "We were supposed to meet up half an hour ago."

"Oh, yes, it just sucks when people just leave without telling you, doesn't it?" I can't help that bitter comment and she gives me a hateful look. Oh, I don't think so. "Back off it, Kendra," I snap hatefully, all my anger at her is spilling out and I doubt I'll be able to reel it in.

"Honestly, Jeremiah, who do you want to hang out with more?" she asks angrily and Jay coughs uncomfortably as she points to me. "Her or me?"

That was a very rude and unfair thing to ask of a person and I narrow my eyes. "Why must you be so annoying?"

"Why must you always be in my business?" she bites back, making fun of the way I speak and I raise my eyebrows. I can't help it if I talk with more class than she does. Now, I'm quite tall for a girl my age and I practically tower over Kendra, who, I have decided, is part garden gnome due to her height and her recently unpleasant disposition.

I almost start fighting back, but I stop myself when I look at Jeremiah. He looks dreadfully uncomfortable and I sigh to myself before shaking my head. "I'm going to go eat," I tell them so they can have alone time to hash this out. I won't make him choose. That's just not a fair thing to ask. "I'll see you two later."

Jeremiah doesn't come into the Great Hall after that, and I know because I was watching the door like a hawk the whole time.

I pick at my food as the girls around me chat and gossip about everyone in the room and I roll my eyes in boredom as the topic of my brother comes up again. I'm not against gossip, in fact, I love spreading a good rumor or two... but I just get so tired when the rumors are about my family. That is getting so very old. I stand up abruptly during one of Kris's boring snogging stories and I leave with out saying good bye to any of them. Good riddance, of course. I wonder how Lavinia is doing at College. I bet I would do brilliantly at college. I smile at the thought as I start humming to myself and I begin skipping up the stairs towards the North Tower. I enjoy looking through the telescopes up there and catching the stars.

"_I don't understand this_," I hear a deep voice in my head and I pause with my hand on the stair railing. "_Why them_?"

My head pulses and I flinch as the pain ripples through my brain.

_"Stupid Lucius_," Bella's thick as honey voice filters through and I close my eyes and shake my head to get rid of it. It hurts very badly... like someone is taking an ice pick to my mind. "_You know why_."

_"But they're purebloods." _

_"Hm, but they have do have one more chance. Dolohov is trying to recruit them."_

"Stop it," I say just so the voices will cease. I grab the sides of my had and stomp my foot. "Stop talking."

_"There should be a system set up for wayward purebloods."_

_"Oh, dear, are you afraid little Molly Prewett is going to be angry with you?"_

I see a flash of two people standing on top of a hill and I lean against the wall to try to deaden the painful headache that's beating into my brain.

_"I could care less about her." _The male voice scoffs, and when I close my eyes again I'm standing beside the two figures.

Oh, no. I had plans!

It's nighttime and I glare around me in the darkness. The moon is high in the sky and I glare at it as I step up beside the two people in the black cloaks. They're wearing white masks and they're are looking down on a steel and brick building located at the bottom of the hill, where red light is coming from the windows and music is pumping, vibrating the ground.

"Does it hurt you, I wonder," Bella's voice says and it sounds familiar. I crane my neck to see their faces, but the featureless white masks make it impossiable. "To know that a poor blood traitor like Arthur Weasley beat you to her way before my little sister was even a thought in your mind."

"Molly Weasley is a fat frumpy woman who's father was a blood traitor embezeller who lost his family fortune," the man face snaps to the woman's in a cold and clipped voice. "I do not _care_ about her."

The woman laughs. It's a tinkling demented laugh that I know well. Bellatrix. I stomp my foot again. When did my dreams start bothering me while I was awake? "She wasn't always fat and frumpy."

A green spark shoots off from the roof of the building and the symbol I recognize as the dark mark burns itself into the sky in green flames. I hear screams coming from the building, and the doors bust open as people start running out in a panic.

"That's our cue," the man says and they each take out there wands, heading towards the building. I follow numbly and barely even blink as they flick their wands at the people trying to get away. This building must have been a dance club, because there's a large open space and colorful lights blinking in beat with the loud music playing from the speakers by the stage. I step on something lumpy as we walk in and when I look down, I realize in horror that it's a dead body.

"Ew," I state to myself as I shuffle away from the dead person.

"They're on the second floor, Lucius," Bella says as she points her wand to the seating area that surrounds the dance floor the next floor up. I follow the movement and I can see three wizards in black cloaks dueling with two unmasked and uncloaked men. Curses mix with the club lightening and I jog to catch up with Bella and the man as they swiftly make their way up the stairs to join in the fight.

Five against two doesn't really seem fair.

"Fabian!" the only cloaked person not wearing a mask sneers at one of the fighting men, who are both dressed casually in flannel shirts and jeans. "It doesn't have to be this way. You and your brother can join us."

The two men that they were fighting against looked very much alike and I figure they must be related. One was a little taller, with dark hair and pale skin and he looked oddly familiar to me.... Like I had seen him somewhere before. The other, however, looked like Gavin, with thick wavy hair and broad shoulders just like my older brother. Only his hair wasn't blond. "Shut up, Dolohav, you old rat," the one that looks like Gavin sneers as he throws a curse and the unmasked man gets blasted through the railing and lands with a sick thud right in the center of the dance floor. "Gideon," he yells at the taller one. "Watch out!"

The fight resumes. The guy named Gideon dies first with a killing curse to the chest and he gets kicked down the stairs where one of the masked figures drags him to the center of the floor. The one named Fabian takes a little longer, but one cruel cutting curse left him bleeding to death on the ground floor. They heal their wounds and rest when the two men are dead and the loud music is still thumping, rattling the walls.

"There's blood on the dance floor," I hear Bellatrix starting to sing to herself as she pockets her wand. She lifts her mask as the music thumps and she looks down at the dead bodies with a dark smile on her face. She's younger here, closer to the Bella in the mirror. Lights fall over her in red and blues, and I think she looks positively evil. "Blood is on the dance floor...."

"Shut your mouth," I hear a man growl and I look towards him as he lifts his mask. He looks winded and I raise my eyebrows because the man looks like my father. Little differences in his features let me know it really isn't my Dad, but I know who he is. Lucius. My Grandfather. "Have some respect, Bellatrix. They were purebloods and they fought bravely."

Bella rolls her eyes. "Ever since you and Cissa had that baby, you have become terribly dull."

"Says the barren woman," Lucius Malfoy sneers cruelly and Bella's eyes flame with anger. "Thank goodness the gods saw fit to curse your womb from creating any evil spawns of yourself. What a terror they would be."

Bella's wand hand twitches and then she takes a deep breath as she stares down at Gideon and Fabian, dead and bleeding on the floor. "This is the legacy you're leaving for your son, Lucius," she says as she circles behind him to look over his shoulder. She smiles as his jaw ticks. "You think you can keep little Draco and Narcissa away from everything bad in the word by locking them up in your fortress? Well, you'll fail and your little boy is going to end up just like you. A murdering, sniveling, coward."

"You know nothing," Lucius says calmly with his brow tilted up. He glances at her from the corner of his eyes. "You're nothing but a pathetic girl following around a man who has no idea she exsists."

That makes her angry. "I am most faithful!" she shouts and the other figures stop from cleaning up the massacre to stare at them. "The Dark Lord holds me above all others!"

"Right," Lucius says with an eye roll like he could care less about her outburst.

"I can tell you one thing I do know," Bella says as she glares at Lucius. "You're a Monster, Lucius. Your father was a monster and your son will be one too. People like you... You don't get happy endings."

"Thanks for the insight," he says sarcastically.

"Your family will always be miserable."

"Yeah, I'm leaving," he says as he turns around and leaves the building with Bellatrix's wild hooded eyes following him out. Then she looks back at the bodies on the dance floor and she smiles.

"Blood is on the dance floor," she starts singing to herself again as she kneels down beside the Fabian one and she dips her fingers in the pool of blood around his torso. She brings it up to her face and smiles at it, like it was the most beautiful thing she's ever seen. "Blood is on my hand...."

I cringe when she licks her finger.

"Evelyn!" Some one is shaking my shoulder and I crack my eyes open. "Evelyn, what happened?"

Jeremiah? I look up at his worried face as I rub my forehead. "What are you doing?" I ask as I try to stand up, but I slump back to the ground as my head throbs.

"What are you doing?" he asks in alarm. "You're just passed out on the floor, singing some messed up song to yourself."

"What was I singing?" I ask as he helps me to my feet.

"Blood is on the dance floor?" he says uncomfortably as he looks into my eyes. "What is that all about?"

I shrug as I face forward and I furrow my brows.

Oh, dear.

I believe something is terribly terribly wrong with me.


	19. Chapter 19

_**Lavinia**_

I had a very specific revenge plan that involved a tight dress and a potent puking potion. My main objective was to go to the concert with Conrad, at some point make him drink something with the potion mixed in, and then I would tell him all about how I knew he drugged my drink and how cowardly I thought that was while he was puking his guts out. Of course, when I saw him outside of the concert hall waiting for me in a well tailored black suit with a black silk tie, all my courage and anger melted and was replaced by nervous worry. I hate it when spurts of injustice make you brave, and a few hours later you realize how stupid you are.... you're too far into it to get out.

That's where I'm at right now.

"You look smashing," he says as he smirks at the red dress I chose for the evening.

Its strapless, and I usually wear it with a cardigan to tone down the color and to cover more skin, but I thought that tonight I was going to make a point. Right about now I wish I was wearing a large wooly sweater.

"Thank you," I mutter shyly. The dress has small pockets and I put my hands in them to play with the potion bottle I have hidden there, cursing myself for this spur of the moment idea.

I'm such a moron sometimes.

He takes my hand and spins me around to look at the rest of the dress and I comply awkwardly with my face blushing a light pink. "Lovely," he mutters to himself and then he lets my hand drop as he smiles at me. It's a handsome smile that makes my stomach jump, and that frightens me.

"I was worried you wouldn't come, but I must say, I enjoy being pleasantly surprised. We should take our seats now," he looks at the doors behind him where two ushers in red velvet coats are staring unblinkingly forward. "The concert should start soon. Did you bring your ticket?"

I nod my head and pull out the folded bit of paper from my right hip pocket.

"What a nifty little dress you're wearing," he says with a lustful smirk and darkened eyes. I gulp as I remember every intimate detail of our last encounter like I'm sure he's doing right now. "I wonder what else you can put in those."

I grip the potion bottle again… If he only knew.

"Let's go in, then," I state seriously so he'll stop looking at me in that hungry way that makes me feel naked and completely in over my head.

His hand stays firmly on my back as we enter the building and I feel uneasy again as we're shown to our seats by a young man with braces on his teeth. I had actually planned on enjoying the show because I knew my vindictive plan was going to come to light, but now that I was actually living it, I felt like bending over and throwing up all over the dashing red carpet. It wasn't this hard in the mental rehearsal I had before I came in and I silently scold my self again for being so foolish.

I take my seat quickly and stare at the stage as the people around us whisper and fan themselves with the play bill while the candle lights flick and lick against the plaster walls and molded ceiling. Conrad's arm brushes mine when I go to grip the arm rest, so I pull back quickly and clasp my hands together tightly on my lap, trying not to look too much like a spaz. I wish I was someone else. Someone who wasn't so…. Wasn't so like me.

Conrad clears his throat, so I look to him out of the corner of my eyes. He smiles at me with a little tilt of his lips before facing the stage as the lights dim down to a minor glow. Everyone hushes down as the stage becomes illuminated in a spot light and a man in a yellow jacket walks to the center of the stage with a conductors wand in his hand. He announces Amadeus Yearling's successes and accomplishments in a loud voice so the people in the very back can hear him and everyone begins to clap and whistle as he rattles on facts and details about the famous composer.

My heart begins to flutter at the anticipation of actually seeing Amadeus so close up. Conrad has gotten really good seats for this concert. Front and center, and for the first time during the night I let myself forget my situation because the yellow coated man makes a sweeping motion with his hand as he introduced the amazing pianist who entered with a pompous walk from stage right. I sit up straight and scoot farther up in my seat as the old man's dark eyes sweep across the theatre house.

He's older looking than I imagined. He never had any pictures of him on his album covers and there were barely any photo's taken of him away from playing his piano. I found him to be quite thin. He's terribly thin, actually, with long gray hair braided down his back, and a hooked nose. My stomach was doing flip flops as he made his way to the piano bench because it seemed so unreal to see someone so famous and so talented so close like this. He looked out into the crowd again before sweeping the coat tails of his blue velvet jacket back so he could take a seat.

I almost felt like I was on pins and needles as he put his fingers over the keys and his shoulders rose as he inhaled a deep breath. I'm fascinated by him. He never plays the same song twice so there's no way to follow his compositions when he plays live... It's just one long flow of music, intertwining and webbing together, all spilling from his finger tips in a way only a musical savant could play. My stomach jumps as the orchestra in the pits starts to play along with him and I find myself totally enthralled with his playing as he starts out the first song that will soon mold and change into another without missing a beat. I try not to let my skin prickle when Cornad puts his hand on my thigh and I don't acknowledge him as he runs his thumb over my knee.

"Baby," Conrad leans over to whisper in my ear and I bristle at the nickname. His voice brings me out of the music and I send him an annoyed glare as his hand squeezes my thigh to get my attention. He laughs at me. "You should probably lean back. The woman behind you can't see."

I glance over my shoulder at the glaring woman and I bashfully lean back and slide down in my seat. "Oh," I say and I cross my arms. I'm uncomfortable again because I'm back at the theatre house with him instead of in my dream world of music and notes.

I try to ignore him as I engross myself in the music again. It truly is beautiful. I know the notes he's playing and I tap my fingers against my dress as I imagine then flying over the piano keys. I wish I was good at playing music, but I'm just not good enough... The music gets louder with a crescendo and my heart vibrates with it. There is a reason the old man only tours once every ten years because his music and his playing is just mind numbing.

"Oh," I say with a wistful sigh as I forget where I am. The song starts taking off in another direction, and the tune is very familiar to me. Doves at Dawn... My favorite album. "I love this one." I whisper to no one at all.

I can feel someone staring at me and I figure it's Conrad so I spare him a little glance again to make him stop. He's facing forward, watching the show, but something else catches my eyes. On the balcony, someone is looking at me so I flick my eyes up. My heart stops beating for moment as I spot Byron staring right at me with a brutal intensity lacing his cool blue eyes that I can see blazing even from here. I send a panicked look beside him. On one side is a large nosed old man in a derby hat and on the other is a beautiful red haired woman who I'm pretty sure I've seen before…..

Eva.

What are they doing here together? Her hand brushes his arm and he turns his head towards hers as she gives him a soft smile.

I hate that she has red hair too... She's like a better looking version of me and it hurts my heart to see it. I sit forward again, trying to pretend that he's not up there, but I can still feel him staring. Suddenly, I can't breath, like the stupid girl that I am who can't handle any situation properly. I fidget in my seat for a few moments before deciding I'm going to bail because this was a stupid idea anyways.

"I have go to the rest room," I whisper to Conrad before getting up and scurrying down the isle, praying I won't trip.

I ignore the hostile glares I'm receiving from the other concert goers and when I get out into the waiting room, I lean against the wall and bring my palm up to my forehead. What is he doing here? Does he even like music? Did he know I was going to be here?

"Gah!" I say to myself as I take off my heels so I can move faster.

I know I should leave, but a very irrational side of me doesn't want to be rude and the strange looks I'm getting from the theater employs is starting to embarrass me. I know how silly that is, considering the situation, but sometimes manners are hard to break and I'm still feeling quite out of it right now. To stall time so I can make up my mind, I go to the restroom and turn on the sink after slipping my shoes back on. It's completely dead in here since the concert is still going on and I bend down to the tap and splash water over my face. What was I thinking in the first place?

The door opens and closes as I pat my face down with a paper towel, but when I hear the lock click I look towards the person in surprise. "Why are you here with him?" Byron asks as he crosses his arms and leans against the closed door.

"I..." How do I explain this? I can still feel cold water droplets clinging to my face as I quickly wipe them off with a swipe of my hand.

"Tell me it's not by choice," he says flatly and his eyes look cold and chilling.

"Byron, he..." I was going to attempt to explain about the potion that he slipped me, but that just seemed like a ridiculous lie to someone hearing it on the other end. Why would be believe me anyways? I was here with said rapist after all. "Are you on a date?" I ask softly to change the subject. The question hurts me to even ask it.... I can't imagine how painful the answer's going to be.

"Tell me," he says as he pushes off the door and steps closer to me. "Why you're here. I want your answer now."

"You're not going to believe me," I say truthfully as I stare down at my shoes. "There's no point..."

"I know he put something in your drink," he says and my eyes shoot to his in surprise as he takes a step closer. "I know that's why you slept with him, but that does not explain why you are here with him tonight."

He's serious. He's dead serious and I feel my heart leap as I reach into my pocket to pull out the potion. "It was stupid," I whisper. "I was planning on slipping it into his drink sometime during the night." I say. I hand it over to him so he can read the label. "I just... I knew he wouldn't get in trouble... and I thought, you know.... I don't know what I was thinking." I finally admit as he puts the potion on the counter.

"You are not very good at being devious," he says and I nod my head.

"I know." I bite my lip. A piece of dark hair falls across his brow and I resist smoothing it away because it's technically not right to do that anymore. "It's just that Jessica showed me this pamphlet on date rape drugs and one of them was one I thought he gave me. There would be no way to prove it... and you... Are you still angry with me?"

He steps closer and his hands travels up my arm until he gets to my hair, where he puts it over my shoulder. "I'm not angry," he says as he kisses the bare skin where my shoulder meets my neck. "Not with you anyways," he says as he tilts my face to his. "You look miserable."

"I am miserable," I tell him softly before he bends down to kiss me. When he pulls back I frown. "Why are you here with her?"

"They're trying to recruit me," he says and he must see the confusion on my face because he explains further. "My uncle came to visit me the other day... He wanted me to meet up with my Grandmother again." I make a face and a smile tilts the corner of his lips. "Yes, that unpleasant beast," he answers and I scowl. "They knew of your infidelity and they also knew how... How sensitive I can be about things," he adds uncomfortably. "They made me a deal," he says and I furrow my brows.

"What kind of deal?"

"They told me I could have you again," he says and I think that's silly because he didn't want me after he found out what I did. "They told me I could lock you up and make you pay for hurting me so badly and then I could do whatever I wanted with you." I cringe and he nods his head.

"They really did, and they gave me this." He takes out a small silver bracelet from his pocket. "They told me if I could convince you to wear it, then you would do whatever I said."

I give it a fearful look, like he would actually make me wear it.

"Of course, I know Conrad Foxworth had no intention of that ever happening," he says as he puts the bracelet away. I sigh in relief.

"Why are you here with her?" I ask again as he looks at my hair. His cool eyes darting along the skin of my shoulder and neck before resting on my lips.

"I think they knew you would probably be here," he says gently as he smoothes down a fly away piece of hair by my temple. He keeps on finding different ways to touch me and part of me is kind of relieved by that. "They wanted me to get jealous, and I think they sent Eva to convince me to go because we had a fling way back when. I think they figured if I fell for her then I would join anyways. So they were killing two birds with one stone."

"So, Eva and Conrad... They're a part of that group?"

He nods his head.

I look away and cross my arms again. "Well, let's go back and tell them we know," I say fiercely. "Let's go tell them their plan failed." I would feel braver with Byron by my side, to be honest.

"No," he surprises me by saying and when I turn back to him, he takes my hand. "No, I want you to go back to your seat, and I want you to pretend like things are fine."

"I don't understand." Things are the opposite of fine right now.

"There's a bigger picture to all of this, Lavinia, and I intend to see it through. I am so unbelievably angry with everyone involved right now and we can't show them our cards right away," he says and I frown. "I want you to keep on dating Conrad, that's what he wants."

"What?" I snap. "No, you said you knew that he put a potion in my drink. I don't want to keep seeing him..."

"It will only be for a little while. I don't want him touching you, but I need him to feel safe."

"Why?"

He looks cold again and I swallow the lump in my throat. "I intend to destroy everything he values before I kill him."

Kill him? I couldn't have possibly heard that right. "What?"

He brings my hand up and kisses my knuckles. "Keep my secret, Lavinia," he says as he places another kiss on my palm. "You had your idea of revenge tonight," he says as he nods to the bottle of puking potion. "Well, I have my own, and it's not going to be pretty."

"Byron... That's not right." I say because I know I should. "You're better than all of that. I don't want to play games."

"Do not sleep with him." He says, ignoring my comment as he grips my hand. "Don't you dare have sex with him, Lavinia." he orders and I raise my eyebrows.

"But you want me to keep dating him? The man who put a date rape drug in my drink?"

"Tell him you want to wait," he says and I snort as I snap my hand back. "You don't technically have to see him. Keep him happy by writing him a few letters... but make sure you tell him you want to wait because I'm sure he'll try to bed you again."

"Does that line ever work?"

"It does when he girl is pretty enough," he says seriously. "And you are awfully pretty."

"I don't like this," I tell him seriously as he tucks hair behind his ear and I look at the sink so I don't glare at him. "This is a stupid idea and I don't like it."

"I won't let anything bad happen to you," he whispers gently as he puts his finger under my chin and forces me to look at him.

"Anything bad?" I say disbelievingly. "You want me to keep on going out with a Death Eater who raped me and that's not bad?"

He's silent for a while as he stares at me, letting his hand drop from my cheek. "You're right... I'm being unfair."

"Yes, you are." His hand disappears in his pocket again and I clench my jaw tight. "Don't you dare." I step back as he takes out the bracelet. "Don't you dare try to put that on me, Byron Flint."

He spins it between his fingers as I glare at him. He looks at me and then he lays it on the counter by the sink. "I would never put this on you," he whispers before walking out of the bathroom.

I look at the silver bracelet as I think about what he just said. I let out a long sigh before grabbing it and chasing after him. A part of me wants to always do what he says just so he'll be pleased, but where do I draw that line? I call his name as I spot him making his way up the large marble steps. He was right about Cassius, maybe he's right about this.

"Do you know what you're doing?" I ask.

"Of course," he says simply with his hand on the railing.

"If this is really what you want me to do... If it will really help you, then I'll do it."

He doesn't look pleased, but he doesn't look angry either. "Thank you."

I hand the bracelet back to him and I reach up kiss his cheek. He's a step above me, so he's even taller than he normally is when we're standing on level ground. "I love you."

When I pull back he runs his thumb over my lips. "Come to my flat tonight," he says in a deep voice. He presses his lips against mine again. "I want you to stay the night."

"Alright," I say angrily because I'm not happy that he asked me to do this, but I'm compiling anyways. "Conrad is very arrogant," I say just to say something. I want to stall time before going back in there. "He just assumed I would come with him to this." I say with my hands on my hips.

"You love this guy, don't you?" he says as he nods to one of the banners that has an image of Amadeus Yearling on it.

"Yeah, but I don't know how he could possibly know that."

He looks at me with his hands in his pockets. "Who do you think told them?" I look at him in shock. I didn't even think he would know. "That's what you were playing, wasn't it? That night we had a fight at your house... During Cassius' coming home party."

He pays attention.

"I'll leave the door unlocked until you get there, alright?"

I nod my head and watch him walk back towards the doors that lead into the concert hall. "Wait!" I say as I go running over to him again. He turns around and raises an eyebrow as I hold onto his shirt and pull him to me for a kiss. I snog him silly, slipping my tongue against his, making the kiss passionate as I slam him into the wooden door. It shakes and rattles with the force. He tastes like whisky and I worry for half a second before throwing that thought aside. Maybe he needed courage for tonight as well and, even though I know he can turn into a real monster when he's drunk, he seems to be in control of himself now. I'm glad that he doesn't hate me and I'm glad that he holds nothing against me. I had missed the way he kissed.

"Don't do that with him either," Byron says breathlessly when I pull back. His cheeks are flushed and his eyes look glassy. I smile.

"I don't think I would be able to," I say because it takes two to kiss and Byron's pretty fantastic at it. "Anyways, since I'm doing this, I don't want you hanging around that Eva woman." I can make demands too, and I straighten out my dress as he looks me over.

"Fair enough."

"Fair enough," I repeat back flatly and he smiles at me the slightest bit before opening the door so I can walk in.

I find my seat quickly and sit next to Conrad. "You were gone for a while," he says once I get comfortable. "Should I be suspicious?"

He looks at the balcony where Byron just took his seat and then he glances back at me with narrowed eyes. So, he did know Byron would be here tonight. "Not at all," I whisper as I grab his hand and intertwine our fingers. He gives me a suspicious look as I stare at the stage. "You were right," I say after a few moments because I'm sure he's putting the pieces together and he knows that Byron and I met up outside. "I deserve better."

I see the corners of his mouth tilt up in a satisfied little smirk before he faces forward.

I can't even enjoy this once in a lifetime show because I'm too busy thinking about Byron's stupid plan. What did he mean when he said kill... Surely he wasn't serious about it. Right? No, he couldn't have meant that literally and hopefully this whole 'keep dating Conrad' doesn't come back to bite me.

Amadeus gets a standing ovation at the end of his show and he does a ten minute encore before leaving the stage with a bow of his long body and flip of his coat jacket. When it's all over, people crowd around the lobby, buying souvenirs and drinking wine as they comment on the wonderful show. I find myself a little overwhelmed by it. Conrad knows an awful lot of people here, and I have a sneaking suspicion that I'm here to be arm candy because no one is particularly trying to engage me in conversation. I'm introduced and then they turn right back to Conrad to ask him something about St. Mungo's, or about his family. It's very unsettling, actually. I wouldn't have wanted to talk to any of them because I'm so shy, of course, but it would have been nice to be acknowledged as a person.

"Conrad Foxworth." We both turn to that voice and Conrad smirks at the beautiful red headed woman who is uncommonly tan for someone with ginger hair. Really, how is that possible? I look down at my own pale skin and sigh bitterly. "How are you doing this evening?" she asks as Byron walks up and stands beside her with his eyes on the blond at my side.

This was kind of cruel of them.

I stiffen my spine and stare down at the floor as they continue their conversation."I'm doing well," he says with a twinkle in his eyes. Is this some sort of test? "This is my date," he says as he places his hand on my back. Byron watches the hand travel down the curve of my spine, resting just above my hip. "Lavinia, this is Eva."

"I think we might have crossed paths once or twice," Eva says with a small smile and I flick a glance at Byron as he continues to glare at the offending hand. Conrad's fingers play up and down the back of my dress and it makes the hairs on the back of my neck stand on end. I can tell Byron is noticing as well and I wonder if he's starting to rethink his idea.. A thick lock of hair falls across his brow again and my hand jumps at the chance to smooth it away, but I catch myself before it happens as his cool eyes briefly look into mine before turning away.

I can't do this. What if they see me looking at him lovingly or something... and what if I sigh after he does something uncommonly attractive like he always seems to? I don't want to pretend.

"I..." I say and everyone's face snaps to mine. "You know, I'm not really feeling well. I'm going to go sit down," I say and I turn to leave that bloody strange situation. I find an empty seat and plop down on it as I cross my legs and play with the thick beaded bracelet I wore to look preoccupied so the hammering in my chest doesn't kill me. This is silly and I hate being uncomfortable.

Conrad comes over to me a few seconds later, looking immensely pleased with himself and I try not to sneer when I notice it. Why is he so damn happy? "Let's go out for a drink," he says as he reaches his hand out for me to take. "You look like you're over this place."

I look at his hand and then my eyes flick to the crowd where Byron is saying something funny to the redhead. She laughs while touching his arm and I find an irritated itching in my chest. Byron never says anything funny. What could she possibly be laughing at?

"Yes," I say as I put my hand into his and I let him pull me up. "I am quite thirsty."

I send one more look over my shoulder before we leave the building together. I hope Byron knows what he's doing, because I have no idea.

"It's a bit chilly out tonight," Conrad comments as we go outside and I nod my head as I cross my arms. I should have brought something to cover up with, I think again. I feel something heavy get placed over my shoulders and I look at Conrad as he secures his jacket on my body. "Here. You need it more than I do."

"Thank you," I tell him gently as I pull it around me. It's one of those strange starless nights and the only thing lighting our path are the gas lamps hanging from the cast iron polls branching out from the concrete.

"Did you enjoy the show?" he asks as we start walking. I have no idea where we're going, but he's not telling me to stop so I just let my feet keep moving.

"Yes, very much."

"Are you as good as he is on the piano?" he asks.

"No one is as good as he is," I state honestly and he smiles at me. "Where are we going?" I ask as we continue to walk, across the street and down the block.

"To get something to drink," he says softly.

He pulls me into some little coffee shop with brick walls and black topped counters where young hipsters are all reading books and listening to the lone guitar player on the stage.

"Oh," I say as I look around in the dim lighting at the artwork on the walls. "I was expecting a pub."

"I think it's time to broaden your horizons," he says as he picks one of the high tables by the stage to sit at. I take off his jacket and drape it around the back of the chair as a waitress with colorful dreadlocks comes up to us and asks us what we want. I watch Conrad to make sure he doesn't pull anything out of his sleeve as I order a hot chocolate.

"A hot chocolate?" He says as the waitress walks away with his order of black coffee.

"Is that stupid?" I ask worriedly because the crowd here is decidedly ten times cooler than I'll ever be. The woman two tables over is completely covered in tattoos and facial piercings and the boy in the corner has electric blue hair... and I'm pretty sure he's wearing women's lingerie.

"No," he says as he sits back in the chair and crosses his legs. "It's cute." I give him an uncomfortable smile before focusing on the bloke with the guitar just so I have something to look at besides the attractive blond across from me. Why was this a good idea again? Maybe I should just tell him to take me home. Shouldn't I be angry with him? God, what's wrong with me?

"So, how has your work been?" I ask to avoid the fact that he's staring at me.

"It's been alright," he says as he taps his fingers against the table. "I've been pretty busy."

"I imagine," I mutter and I scoot back as my mug gets set down in front of me. I smile down at the hot chocolate... They put marshmallows in it too.

"So... What do you do when you're not at the hospital?" I ask. I wonder if he'll tell me about being a stupid Death Eater.

He smiles at me and then takes a drink from his coffee. "I do many things."

"Like what?"

"Well, I read a lot," he says and I put my chin in my hands. "I work out often." Of course. "I write."

"What do you write?"

"When I'm finished, I'll show you," he says and I look down at my mug. "What about you? What do you do?"

I shrug.

"Not much."

"Not much?" he repeats and I nod.

"I'm kind of boring," I say honestly and he laughs.

"I find that highly unlikely."

I really am, actually.... "Where are you from?"

"Everywhere," he answers without missing a beat and I turn my head to the side. "My father died when I was young and my Mother was in Azkaban from the time I was five."

Oh...

"Why was your mother in Azkaban?" I ask and he looks down at my lips and then into my eyes.

"For harboring a Death Eater..." He says. "It was a trumped up charge. My Father was already dead when they arrested her. She just got out a couple of days ago, actually."

"Who did you live with growing up, then?" I ask with a furrowed brow.

He sits back and crosses his arms. "Just about any family that would have me," he says and then he smiles unpleasantly as he looks at the table. "I was passed around to a million different foster families until I went to Hogwarts."

"That's terrible," I say, forgetting about who he is and sympathizing with his situation because my childhood was so good, with both my parents constantly present.

He shrugs. "Some of the houses weren't so bad. It was just confusing, especially when I was little, because no place was permanent. There was this one older woman I was with for a year and I was convinced she was my new mother... Until I had to leave. I was so sad."

"I'm sorry," I say because I'm not sure what you say to that. "You said until Hogwarts?" He nods his head. "Where did you stay during the holidays and summer break?"

"During holidays I stayed at the school, but as soon as I got my wand I told myself I would never go back to another foster home. The one I was in right before I went to school was pretty terrible." His green eyes look dark now and I find myself biting my lip in response. "I was shipped off to a rundown house in the ghetto where this old bitch named Carmella collected Foster children like some people collect stamps."

I make a face to show I'm listening and he takes another sip from his coffee.

"I hated her. Her only income was the money she got from the government for taking in unwanted kids. There were about twelve of us when I was there."

"Was she mean to you?" I ask as I try to imagine what life would be like that way.

"She was mean to everyone," he says flatly and I lean over the table to give him my full attention. "She was a squib who only accepted squib children. Unfortunately there are a lot of them in the foster care system."

That's always sad. I know if your child doesn't show magic by the time they're five there's a test the medi wizards can do to determine if they're wizards or squibs... Most pureblood families think it's a great shame to have a nonmagical child in their family so I imagine a lot of them are given up or neglected.

"Did she know you were a wizard?"

He nods. "Yeah, she did. I think she took me in because she would get more money for me. Before a kid in the system goes to Hogwarts the government gives whoever has them more money to buy the school supplies that they would need. I was ten when I went to Carmella's so she knew she'd be getting paid soon."

I don't know what to say, so I just keep on staring at him while he speaks.

"The first time she saw me do accidental magic she locked me in the basement and had one of the other kids bring me food through the cat door. God, I hated her." he shakes his head and turns away.

"Didn't anyone check up on you?" I ask seriously. "Don't they have social workers who track kids in those homes?"

He shakes his head. "There are way too many kids in the system to sift through," he says and then he looks back at me. "A week before I was scheduled to go to Hogwarts a woman from the county came to make sure Carmella knew what to do and where to go to get my things. Her being a squib would make it hard for her to find Diagon Ally. She finally let me out of the basement for it. The woman asked me if I liked it there. I said no. She asked me if I liked Carmella. I said no. She asked me if I wanted to come back during my summer break and I told her absolutely not. I don't even know why she bothered asking because she just left me there anyways."

"Did you manage to get all your things for school?" I ask. "Did you at least get a wand?"

He smiles at me. "No." I frown and look down. "In fact, she ended up taking more from me than I ever intended." I raise my eyebrows. "I had a golden watch that belonged to my father. It was one of the things that was mine that I took everywhere with me. No matter where I was at or what family I was with... I always had that, and she took it from me the day I left for Hogwarts. She said it was her compensation for having to put up with me."

"What a horrible woman," I say honestly and he nods. "What did you do when you got to school and didn't have anything?"

"Well, I kind of stood out. I was the only first year in the group not wearing a uniform and after I was sorted into Ravenclaw, Flitwick pulled me aside to talk to me. I let him know that I had nothing. No books, no wand, no uniform, all that I had with me were the clothes I was wearing. He took me to Diagon Alley that night after the feast and bought all of those things for me himself. He was a great head of house."

"I always liked Flitwick," I say honestly and he nods.

"Yeah, me too."

"Did you go back during the summer?" I ask curiously and he smiles as he looks down.

"No, I never went to another foster house. I just lived on my own, staying in houses that were empty and using my magic to get by. When I turned seventeen my father's bank account was unfrozen and our family house was released back to me, so I finally had a home and money for school."

"I don't think I could ever live on my own when I was younger like that."

He shrugs. "A lot of times when you're a foster kid you end up growing up a lot sooner than other people normally do. It was no different living on my own than living in a home with a million kids. We all had to fend for ourselves anyways." I give him a sympathetic look and he smiles. "Don't feel bad for me. I turned out alright. "

Yeah, about that. "Is your mother staying with you now?" I ask curiously. I have no idea what happens to ex cons who get out of jail. Is there a halfway house or something they have to go to?

He nods. "The house is technically hers, so I'm going to give it to her. I have my flat, if you remember."

"Are you close with your mother?"

"She's my best friend," he admits without a blush. "I went to visit her every week when I was little and when I was in school I'd make sure to go to Azkaban every holiday I could. If it wasn't for her I would never have gone to college or pursued being healer. She kept my head on straight and reminded me of the family I came from and the legacy I had to uphold even though the situation was rough."

I reach out to place my hand on top of his, but then I catch myself and awkwardly let my hand rest in the middle of the table like a fool. He grabs my hand anyways and he turns it over with a smirk.

"Would you like me to read your palm?"

I snort and roll my eyes. "That doesn't work," I say and he glances at me.

"How do you know?"

"Because all the lines on my hand are there because of muscles and the way my hand moves over time... That's why." I explain and he smiles at me as his fingers run over my palm.

"Well, humor me then," he says and then he looks down. "This is your life line," he says as he traces the line that's in-between my thumb and forefinger. "You love your family very much."

"Who doesn't?" I ask and he lifts his eyebrows.

"I think you know one person."

Byron.

I slink back into my chair as I think of him and bite my lip. "This is the head line and it's intertwined with the life line which means you're very cautious and not very spontaneous... At all."

Well, yeah. Not by choice anyways.

"What else is my hand telling you," I tell him teasingly as he smirks.

"It's telling me that you're going to go on another date with me."

"Oh, really?" I say as I lean across the table to stare down as well. "It says that, does it? Well, I guess it has to happen now doesn't it?"

"The hand rarely lies," he says with a laugh and then he looks back down. I sit back and then I see his smile slowly fade as he stares at my palm. If anything he actually looks angry and the seriousness of it worries me so I lean across the table again.

"What?" I ask softly. "Why do you look like that?"

His hand tightens around my wrist and then he sighs, letting go of my hand and looking up at me. He kisses my wrist before giving it back. "Your hands are so soft."

I give him a troubled look as I pull my arm back and I massage my hand.

"Do you like it here?" he asks to change the subject as he looks around at the dark interior.

I look around as well as I cross my ankles. "Um, yes," I say, and it sounds like a question. "I just think..." I trail off as he stares at me and I glance at the table full of funny dressed girls in bathing suit looking outfits covered in henna tattoos and with bright colored glasses perched on their noses. "I don't think this is really my scene, though."

"What is your scene, I wonder." His eyes seem to twinkle as he takes a drink from his coffee, looking at me over the mug rim. "I imagine you don't have many friends."

I scowl even though it's true. Who says that to someone?

"Don't look so sour," he says with a laugh as I cross my arms. "I only say that because you're so shy and I bet girls hate you."

"Why do girls hate me?" I ask seriously because I think he's being highly unfair.

"Because you're rich. Because you're smart. Because you're ridiculously attractive." I raise an eyebrow as he continues. "Because you're uncommonly nice and men always notice you first. Women can be quite hateful beasts."

"You don't know that," I mutter uncomfortably as I look down at my knees again. "I have many friends," I lie softly.

"I hurt your feelings," he says gently, but I refuse to look at him as he leans across the table and takes my hand. "I'm sorry," he says as he kisses my knuckles. I snatch my hand back and my skin burns where his lips touched. "I don't have any friends if it makes you feel better."

"I doubt that," I say as I look at the small stage where the guy in the gray knit hat is singing some weird song with his guitar.

".......Now, this next song was supposed to be played with my friend Jerry," the man on the stage says with an irritated shake of his head. "But it looks like he bailed on me... again." Some of the people in the crowd answer back, like they've been here when it has happened before. "So unless any of you folks out there are any good on the keys, you'll have to bare with me...."

"Hey, Chuck!" Conrad calls to the guy on the stage and I turn to him in surprise as he stands up.

The guy on the stage puts his hand along his brow to block his eyes from the spot light as he squints into the audience. "Conrad?" he says and then he smiles. "What up, Con man."

Con man. I roll my eyes.

"The girl I'm here with tonight can play the piano," he says and I snap a look at him. "I hear she's good."

"What are you doing?" I hiss as he walks around the table towards me and takes my hand. "No."

"Come on, Lavinia," he says and the people at the table next to us hear my name and start chanting it. In fact, everyone in the coffee house starts cheering my name and I can feel my face steaming as I cover my face with my hand. This is so embarrassing. "You have to do it now, baby."

I hate that he calls me baby and I let him tug me out of my seat because my mind has gone blank with my mortification. I wish I could just run out and leave but I fear that would embarrass me more because everyone is staring at me now.

"Just one song..." I hear Chuck on the stage say as Conrad drags my reluctant body towards the small set up where there's a piano off to the left that was so shrouded in darkness that I didn't see it. "Can you read music?" he asks when I gently step up with my ears ringing painfully. I nod my head with a dry throat as everyone starts clapping and cheering because I gave into the mob pressure. "Here." he ruffles through a duffel bag by his feet until he finds a thick stack of lined paper. "You can follow me with this," he says. He sifts through the thin sheets until he finds the one he's looking for. "It's quite simple really. Feel free to jazz it up a bit."

He hands me the paper and I look down at the scrawling music notes drawn on the lines. I'm good at reading music, that's about all I can do, so there won't be any jazzing up. I walk over to the piano on shaky legs after sending a rather hateful glare to Conrad who has found his seat again. He winks at me and I scowl as I take a seat. The spot light blazes on me and I flinch as the light hits my skin. Just great. I put the crinkled paper on the stands and flex my fingers as I run my eyes over the music, thinking this the stupidest thing I have ever done in my life.

"What time is this in?" I whisper to Chuck because I don't see the numbers written down at the beginning of the staff bar. "Um, Chuck?"

He doesn't hear me, and he starts counting off. "In one, two, three, four..." He starts strumming his guitar and he looks at me with a tilt of his head as if to say 'what are you waiting for?

I take a deep breath before putting my hands on my keys and starting to play. Some of the notes seem wrong to me, they don't match up well so I end up changing them as I focus on the paper. I try to pretend that I'm in the music room at the Manor, like when I was little and taking lessons from an old woman named Mrs. Durr. She was very strict when it came to playing. I always had to have my back straight and my fingers bent ever so slightly in the correct position or I would get a rather terrible scolding from the frightening woman. I close my eyes and start repeating what I've already played on the sheet. Music is like one great puzzle. If you know all the notes and how they harmonize together than you can play anything. That's what Mrs. Durr always used to say and I'm putting that to the test right now. I begin to ignore Chuck's guitar and his song he's singing as I let myself get into the music. I even forget that I'm in a room full of people as the notes carry to my ears.

Suddenly, I hear the guitar playing stop and I crack my eyes open to see Chuck staring right at me. I stop playing immediately and I glance at the people around the shop. They're all looking at me with matching looks of surprise and bewilderment. Even the dreadlock girl at the counter is staring at me with an open mouth. I must have messed up terribly and I quickly look down at my lap.

"Wow," Chuck says as I tug on my dress.

"I'm sorry," I whisper into the piano keys as I think of various ways to leave without causing too much of a scene.

"Don't be sorry," the guitar player says. "That was bloody brilliant."

And then everyone starts clapping and whistling. My stomach flutters as I stand up and I feel kind of high as I do a small little curtsy and I hop off the stage to go back to my seat. Bloody Brilliant. That means good, right? My heart is hammering for a different reason now and I feel a smile on my face as I reach Conrad.

"You underestimate yourself," Conrad says seriously as he stands up and puts money on the table. "You played just as well as that guy we saw tonight."

I take his jacket and follow him out as people tell me how great that was. "You're just saying that," I tell him as we walk out onto the street. I still feel high right now. I feel like I could probably fly if I had to.

"No," he says seriously and I look at him as I put on his jacket again. "I'm not. It looked like you liked that, though."

I grin even wider. "I did," I state honestly as we start walking away. "I feel that nervous flutter in my stomach... But it's a good nervous, you know."

He nods his head as we walk past a large fountain. Because I'm in such a good mood now, I hop up on the concrete ledge and balance along as we walk. "That was amazing. I've never done anything like that in front of people before."

"You were great," he says as he takes my hand after I nearly teeter off into the water.

"These heels are killing me," I state as I stare down at the black high heels I put on for the night. "It's time to take these off," I say as I plop down on the edge and I remove my shoes, still feeling that butterfly effect in my stomach. "These are my two hour shoes," I explain to him as I rub my feet.

He kneels down in front of me and takes my foot. I cringe because I had obviously been walking around on that all day and I don't think it's very sanitary for him to touch. "Why do you girls wear such expensive shoes that you can only wear for a limited amount of time?" he asks curiously as he begins rubbing my foot.

"They look good?" I offer but I'm too focused on his hands to really form a good answer.

"I think you'd look good in anything," he says gently and he smiles up at me. "If I were you I'd be barefoot all the time," he says as he taps the top of my ankle. "You have such pretty feet."

"Do you have a foot fetish?" I ask lightly and he laughs.

"No, not at all," he says as he lets my foot rest on the ground, and then he picks up the other one. "I just find everything about you attractive."

"Why?" I ask seriously with my lips turning down in a frown. "Why do you want me so much?" I ask bluntly, stopping myself from asking about the potion he put in my drink.

"Tell me this," he says as he sits back on his knees. "How does the child of one of the richest and most prominent families in the wizarding world manage to go through life with such low self esteem?"

I force my brows together. "I don't have low self esteem," I snap back because that's an ugly sentence.

"Tell me one thing you like about yourself," he says and I cross my arms.

"This is silly."

"Just answer the question," he counters back and I frown. "Just one thing."

"Fine," I say with a sigh. "I'm good at math."

"And you like that about yourself?" he questions and I open and close my mouth a few times. Now my good mood is officially gone.

"Well... yeah, I guess."

"You guess that you like that you're good at Math?"

"I told you this was stupid," I snap as I stand up and grab my shoes. I don't know why I feel so angry from that one little question. He stands as well with a very irritating little smile on his face. "Why are you smirking at me like that?"

"You're smart, Lavinia," he says as I slip on my shoes so I don't have to look at him. "You got into the best college in England and you want to be a healer. One of the hardest professions in our world, mind you. You played the piano in front of a whole bunch of a people brilliantly tonight and you're bloody magnificent at sex..." I blush. "You're probably great at everything you've ever tried..." He steps closer to me as he puts his hands in his pockets. "And you are one of the most beautiful creatures I have ever seen... but all you can tell me that you like about yourself if that you're good at math?"

"Well," I snap back. "It was an unfair question, wasn't it?" I say and he lifts an eyebrow.

"How was it unfair?"

"Because arrogant people are the only ones who talk so blatantly about themselves. Modesty is a virtue, you know," I say to save the pride that is currently dwindling away. I take off his coat and hand it back to him because I don't think I want it anymore with this talk we're having.

"It is, but there is a big difference between confidence and arrogance."

"And you would know?" I say and he tilts his head.

"Are you insinuating that I'm arrogant?"

"Insinuating?" I say angrily. Why am I so angry with this conversation right now? "You are the most conceited person I have ever met."

He looks behind him, like he was looking for someone to be there and then he turns back to me. "Are we having the same conversation?" he asks and I narrow my eyes. "I'm not conceited, Lavinia. I just know what I'm good at. I know what I want and I know how to get it. Like I said, there's a big difference between that and arrogance. Arrogance is knowing that you're great, but assuming everyone else thinks that way too. I'm well aware that you have to fight for where you want to be in life and I intend to take things for myself instead of waiting for people to hand them to me."

I clench my jaw and look down because I don't have a good reply. I wish I was good at arguing with people. "Sexist prat," I mumble because I can't think of anything better to say.

"What did you call me?"

"I called you a sexist prat," I tell him heatedly as I remember everything he's ever said to me. "You're arrogant and you're a sexist."

"Am I now?" he says with an amused tilt of his eyebrows. "How do you figure I'm a sexist prat then?"

My anger spikes and I turn to glare at him with full force. "At the library, when my uncle gave me his card, you tore it up and said I didn't need a job. When I pointed out you had one, you said it was because you were a man. What was that supposed to mean?"

He inhales and shakes his head. "I don't need to tell you that men and women have different roles."

"What does that mean!" I end up yelling and then I take a breath to calm myself down. "Women can do everything a man can. In most cases they can do it even better."

"Yes," he says with a nod of his head as he takes a step closer to me. I step back. "But men can't do everything a woman can. That's where we're different. I won't deny that I believe women are the stronger sex. The fact that you can give birth puts you way above us. But we're different, Lavinia. I'm stronger than you are and it's a man's job to protect and provide for his wife and family. If we can't do that then what else are we good for? Women weren't made to work like that. Their place is in the home."

"So, if we were married you would just want me to stay home and take care of babies," I snap out, even though what he said actually made some sense to me in an unwanted sexist kind of way.

"Yes," he says simply and I curl my lip back in disgust. "Why is that wrong? If you had a job and kids you would feel obligated to do both full time jobs and that's not fair." I clench my jaw and he tilts his head as he studies my face. "And if your rights were as equal as you wanted them to be, then you would be eligible for the draft. Would you want to go to war? If your name was called, like they did so many years ago, would you want to fight?"

"Well..." To be honest, no, I wouldn't. I don't see myself as a war kind of girl no matter how strong I'd like to pretend I am.

He smiles again and takes another step closer as his fingers run up my arm. It sends a chill down my spine. "Girls were made to be soft and beautiful. Women stay while the men go off to war, so we have something good to come home to. It's the same with work. After all we get from you women, there's no need for you to have a job."

"I..." I try to come up with something to snap back because I'm feeling very insulted right now, but I just can't come up with something. "Shut up," I end with and he laughs.

"Good come back," he says and I glare down because I can't come up with anything else to say. Quite an argument I'm making for my sex. "I'm sorry," he says after a few moments of awkward silence. He tilts my chin up with his hand. "You're right, it was an unfair question to ask. Would you like me to take you home now?"

I nod my head and take his hand after he offers his to me. We begin walking towards the Apparation point and I have to wonder how I'm going to survive this while Byron does whatever the hell he thinks he's doing. We go towards my dorm building and we stand outside for a couple of minutes in complete silence. He stares at me, and I stare at everything but him.

"I'm afraid I just upset you beyond repair," he says as I stay studiously quiet.

"I'm not upset," I lie. "I'm just thinking."

"What does a girl like you think about, I wonder," he says and I flick him a glance before looking away again. "If I guess, will you give me kiss?" he asks gently.

I look at him, but I don't say anything and I guess he takes that as a yes because he takes a step closer to me and looks into my eyes. He is handsome and I can tell he shaved tonight which a part inside of me is thankful for that as my body remembers all of the burns that the scruff on his face caused. Which makes me think about the way be bit my lip, and the way he pulled my hair.... and the way it hurt to walk the next day.

"I'm sorry," he says seriously and I tilt my head to the side. "I didn't realize I hurt you so much." I widen my eyes and step back. "I get carried away sometimes."

"What are you talking about?" I ask worriedly.

"Here, come here," he says as he grabs my hand and pulls me towards him. He didn't just do what I think he did, did he? "I'll owl you later, alright?" I reluctantly nod my head as I try to pretend like that just didn't happen. "You had a good time tonight, didn't you?"

"Yeah," I say as I stare at his chest with my heart beating painfully against my rib cage. Did he just read my mind? "Goodnight."

"You could be happy with me," he says as I look at his throat. "I would take care of you." Right. "Lavinia." I look up at him as he leans down to place a gentle kiss against my lips. "Sweet dreams."

"Bye," I mutter tiredly. I watch as he walks away and then I turn back towards the dorm doors. I push my hair away from my face with an irritated grunt because I feel totally frazzled right now and I scurry up to my room to change into my pj's while I try to ignore the fact that I think he just literally heard my thoughts.. I wash my face and brush my teeth a few times before going to my room and shutting my door. I lean against the wood for a few moments as I try to sort through my thoughts on the evening.

What a weird night.

I hate how normal these weird bloody nights are starting to get.

I sit down on my bed and I take off my earrings before breading my hair while I stare at the wall. What happened tonight? I went out with Conrad so I could confront him and give him a potion that would make him sick... Byron was there to tell me to keep on dating the man who slipped a date rape drug into my drink... I let that man kiss me before he left... and I think he really did read my mind. Has he done that before? Good Lord. I turn off my lights and pull back my blankets before I fall into bed and I let my eyes slide shut as I try not to think about it. I fall asleep, and crack my eyes open a few hours later. I wake in a panic as I remember I was supposed to go over to Byron's after the show. I slip on my shoes and grab my wand before running towards the floo network. When I try to leave, his fireplace is blocked, and I sigh in frustration before hurrying outside to go to an apparation point.

I climb the stairs to his flat with my stomach twisting in knots as I rub sleep out of my eyes. I hope he's still awake, and when I knock timidly on the door I find myself biting my fingernails. He doesn't answer. I figure he must be asleep now and I feel guilty for that so I try to turn the door knob. It's not locked and I push it open, quietly stepping inside and closing it behind me. All the lights are off and I take careful steps inside so I don't trip over anything as I light the end of my wand. I stumble around, running into random things before I really hurt myself.

"Ow," I whine as I stub my toe on the corner of the couch. "Oh, ow," I say again as I put my wand in-between my teeth and I sit down on the arm of a chair. I take off my shoe and rub my foot as my eyes water. I hate stubbing my toe.

"Where have you been?"

I spin and my wand drops out of my mouth, clattering to the ground and rolling under the couch as Byron turns on the light. "You've been sitting on the couch the whole time?" I say as I stand up and face him. He's just sitting in the center of the worn out blue couch, slouching down so his head is resting on the back of it and his arms are crossed. In between his legs is a bottle of firewhisky and I send a glare to that before landing my eyes on his face.

"Where have you been?" he repeats again and I get on my hands and knees to retrieve my wand.

"I fell asleep," I tell him honestly. "After I got home, I forgot I was supposed to come over and I was so tired I just---Hey!" I yell as he yanks me up by the arm.

"You did that on purpose," he says as he grips my arm and I twist my way out of his grasp. I told him not to handle me like that, but he didn't listen.

"I didn't do anything on purpose," I snap. "I'm fine by the way. Thanks for asking." He doesn't say anything so I glare at him. "Since it was your idea for me to continue to date a random guy who slipped something into my drink."

"Did he..." He trails off and I scoff.

"No. I don't even know why I came here. I'm tired. I'm going to go home if you're going to be this way."

"No, no don't," He says as he takes my hand. I yank it back.

"You're drunk," I point out as I look at the bottle on the table. He follows my gaze and he licks his lips before looking at me.

"Not that drunk," he whispers as I walk over to the firewhisky and pick it up. "What are you doing?"

"Well, if you're going to be drunk, then I might as well be too," I tell him as I take a large swig from the bottle. It tastes terrible and it burns my throat. I nearly choke on it and I sputter for a few moments, cringing when it all goes down. "That tastes terrible."

"Do you want me to mix it for you?" he asks and I look at him, kind of surprised that he's not asking me to stop. I guess we're both feeling a little out of it tonight. "I have some soda in the kitchen."

"Yeah, soda would be nice," I say as I sit on the couch and watch him disappear. He comes back in holding a cup full of ice and a red can. He takes the bottle from me and starts pouring it into the cup. "That's enough," I say when it's halfway full. I open the soda and pour it in, watching it fizz with the ice as it mixes with the liquor. I take a sip. "This is much better."

"Did he take you anywhere after the show?" Byron asks as he pours himself a straight firewhisky in an empty glass that was sitting on the table. He sits beside me and leans back against the couch again as I take a little sip of my own drink.

"Yes, to some little coffee shop," I tell him with a shrug because for some odd reason it feels uncomfortable to talk about it with him. "Some hipster place that was way too cool for me."

"Do you like him?" he asks bluntly and I take another drink before turning towards him, letting my legs brush against his.

"He put something in my drink," I tell him honestly, but he shakes his head.

"But you don't hate him," he points out and I look down at the ice in my cup, silently agreeing with him. "He wasn't mean to you, was he?" he asks and I look into his eyes. "When he... I know he put something in your drink.... but was he mean to you while..."

It was obviously hard for him to say it, but I didn't want to talk about it anymore. "Let's not go there," I say as I take another long drink. I can feel my cheeks heat up from the alcohol and I lick my teeth before speaking again. "It makes me feel dirty," I look at him out of the corner of my eyes as he faces forward and downs his glass. "You still look at me differently," I tell him, saying my worst fear after I initially told him about what I had done. "You don't look at me like you used to."

"I don't know what you mean," he says as he goes to refill his glass. I put my hand on his arm so he'll sit back again with out his drink.

"Byron, I know you said that you saw me a certain way... This idealized version of me..." I stumble over the words I want to say as he furrows his brows. "I'm not perfect," I state the obvious and I look at his lap. "You know that you were the only boy I've ever...." I trail off again and tap my fingers nervously against my glass. "Do you not look at me the same way because you think I'm tainted now?" I guess that's what I was getting at. I still feel dirty about the whole thing. "I know a part of you has to be disgusted with me for what happened. I don't blame you. I just..."

He kisses me. A light and gentle kiss, and he brings a hand up to my face to smooth his thumb across my cheek bone.

"Come with me," he whispers as he stands up and takes my hand. I let myself get pulled into the bathroom and I watch Byron's back as he takes off his shirt.

"What are you doing?" I ask with a tired sigh as he reaches into the shower to turn the knob so the water comes rushing down. I was talking to him, trying to have a real deep conversation, and he totally cut me off. He turns around and faces me as I raise my eyebrows. "Why did you drag me in here?"

"We're going to take a shower," he says as he brings his hand up to my face and then he lets his thumb run across my lips. "Did you kiss him tonight?"

"Did you kiss Eva?" I counter and he shakes his head.

"No."

"I stayed because you wanted me to. I'm not going to talk to you about it," I tell him shortly because I can't actually decide what to think about that kiss that Conrad gave me. Is that officially cheating?

"Alright," he says softly as he grabs the bottom of my shirt and pulls it over my head. I comply just because I'm too tired to fight and I take off my own pants as he takes off his.

"We're going to take a shower?" I state the obvious as he unhooks my bra, with his slender body pressed up against mine.

"I'm not asking you to _date_ date him," he says as my bra falls to the floor. "I just need him to be comfortable. I don't like the idea of you being around him... In fact, I hate it, but he has to think that his plan is working. He's not going to hurt you and I doubt he'll use magic again because I think he truly wants you to like him."

"You can't kill him," I state firmly as he pushes my knickers down my hips. I didn't fail to notice how he avoided my question. I can't blame him for thinking differently of me.

"This isn't just about him," he says in a deep voice and I look at him as he steps back. "My Grandmother was the one who gave Conrad Foxworth the potion that made you sleep with him," he says seriously and I feel bad for him because, even though it happened to me, I know he sees this as his fault. I touch his arms and let my hands slide down to his boxers so I can take them off for him. "My Uncle was just released from Azkaban, the one I told you about," he says as I push his boxers down so they pool at his feet. "Do you remember?"

I nod. "The one that beat that girl to death with a candle stick?"

"Yes, they both had a proposition for me." I put my hands on his shoulders and step closer to him so my body is pressing into his chest."Sometimes life is just like chess, isn't it?" he mutters lightly against my hair. "Where a couple players are moving everyone else in position to win the game?"

"The water's going to get cold," I tell him as I pull back the curtain and step into the shower. I look back to him and I smile a little, an inviting one I hope. "Are you coming?" I scoot under the flow of water as he steps in behind me and I run my fingers through my hair to get it all wet. "You're wearing the necklace," I point out when I turn around and open my eyes, seeing the silver triangle shinning off of his collar bone.

He looks down at his chest and nods before touching my hip and pulling me close to him. "Is it terrible that a part of me is glad that he gave you a potion?" he says and I shake my head as I tilt my face up to kiss him.

"No," I say against his lips as I bring my hands up to his chest. "Let's not talk about it anymore," I say because I really don't know what I think yet and he obviously can't handle anything deep I have to say on the matter.

We begin actually bathing, which is kind of strange because I've never actually taken a shower with someone like this. I washed my hair and he washed his arms... It was kind of weird, but kind of relaxing, in a way, because it felt comfortable. "My sister is officially going back to Hogwarts this week," he says and I stop rinsing out my hair to look at him as he soaps up his chest. "I thought you'd like to know that, so you can start writing to her again if you want."

"I thought there were threats against them and Harry," I say with a troubled tilt of my lips as he slicks back his hair with his pale fingers. "Is it safe for her to go to school?"

"It is now," he says and when I ask him what he means by that he looks at me.

"What exactly is the deal you made with them?" I ask sharply because I really want to know and Byron has an irritating habit of keeping secrets from people.

"I love you," he says and I raise an eyebrow. "I do, and even if you slept with Conrad willingly, I don't really think I could think any differently."

"I love you too." For some reason I think of Conrad and that makes me uneasy. I didn't fail to notice that he ignored my question again, though, and that bothered me. "I'm very good at playing the piano," I say out of no where as I think about what Conrad said about having low self esteem.

"I know you are," he says and I cross my arms over my naked chest as the water steams up around us.

"And I was second in my class," I tell him. "The only reason I wasn't head girl was because I purposely did bad on my last potions exam so I wouldn't be singled out the next year."

"Alright."

"I just," I say lamely as I lean against the shower wall. "I thought you should know that." He leans down and kisses me and his hand drops down to my thigh, where he runs his fingers gently up and down my skin.. "What are you doing?"

"We're going to start over," he says. He runs his hands up my legs and he moves so the water pounds down on his back. "Okay? I know you and I have kind of been stuck in a rut. With the whole thing with Cassius... this Conrad business.... I know we're not like a normal couple right now, but I want things to get back on track. If there ever was one, I suppose." He kisses my forehead and wraps his hands on my waist. "Okay?"

"Okay," I whisper as I tilt my chin up to kiss him. I pull back and study his face closely, looking at every dark eyelash and every vain under his skin.

He was all dressed up tonight for the concert in a sharp looking tuxedo with blue dress shirt that matched the color of his eyes. He looked ridiculously handsome and his date looked equally as attractive in her green sheath dress. In fact, if I didn't know them, I would have thought they looked perfect together, like two tall models right out of a magazine. I feel ill now.

"You're better looking than me," I state bluntly and the corners of his mouth tilt up.

"What?"

"You're prettier than I am," I state honestly.

Byron has always been handsome and it's never bothered me, until now... I have no idea why I'm feel so self conscious. Maybe Conrad was right, maybe I do have low self esteem. I bet to an outsider Conrad and I would have looked like a pretty agreeable couple as well because I look like... Well, I look like me, and Conrad is handsome, but in a totally different way than Byron is. Conrad has that first Hogwart's boyfriend kind of look to him. Like he was probably captain of the Quidditch team and your first real kiss under the bleachers, but Byron.... Byron is the kind of guy you just end up staring at because you don't think he could possibly be real.

"No one's prettier than you are," he says seriously and I roll my eyes.

"That Eva woman is," I state bitterly and I know it's ridiculous for me to bring that up right now, but I can't help it.

"No," he says gently. "No, she's not."

It seems silly, really. Earlier in the evening I had gotten in a fight with Conrad over him being a sexist prat, but here I was wishing more than anything that Byron truly thought that I was prettier than that other woman. That's quite shallow of me, isn't it?

"You make me nervous," he says seriously. "She doesn't make me nervous."

"What does that even mean?" I ask gently as I stare at the base of his throat.

He bends down and presses his smooth lips against mine. I thought it was a pity kiss, so I just let him kiss me with slack lips. He pulls back and gives me a funny little look before he deepens the kiss with a vengeance, pushing me against the wall and letting his hands travel all over my body. It was like he didn't know what he wanted to do first. He would run his fingers up and down my back, and then kiss my neck as he let his fingers slip over my breasts, then he'd trail them down to my legs, all with the same impatient intensity that had me panting and unable to move.

"Just kiss me," I told him as his lips flitted up and down my jaw line and shoulder. I could feel my body getting turned on by him and suddenly all my thoughts and worries tumbled out the window as he stared down at me with water droplets clinging to his skin and hair.

He complied and then he lifted my leg with his left hand so he could try to slide into me.

Shower sex.

Now, it sounds nice theory, but in reality I was finding that it was quite difficult to achieve. I had one foot propped up on the tub's edge and one on the shower shelf to keep my balance as he bent his legs in front of me and drilled in. I was slipping down the wet wall, and I tried to regain my balance as Byron hooked my knees under his hands to lift me up.

"No," I say breathlessly. I am not a thin girl. I have never been tiny or dainty and I was scared to death as he lifted me up and pinned me against the wall. "I'm going to fall."

"You are so tight," he whispered as he rested his lips against my neck. "I want your body to forget that he ever touched you."

He obviously didn't hear me about the whole falling thing, and as soon as I think about how badly it will hurt to land on the hard ground, his hand slips from under my leg and we both go falling, landing against the bottom of the tub with a loud crash that vibrates the walls.

"Oh my God. Are you okay?" he asks in a panic as he quickly gets up so he's not crushing me. I hit my head pretty hard and I rub it while I sit up as water falls into my eyes. He's on top of me and he gets up on all fours to give me room. "How bad does it hurt?" he asks as he removes my hand to have a look at the damage. "Damnit," he whispers to himself in frustration.

I glance down his body and start laughing because the fall didn't seem to make much of a change in his body.

"Why are you laughing?" he says worriedly as I sit up and he sits back.

"I told you I was going to fall," I tell him because I'm finding this situation quite funny and I laugh again as we sit here.... On the bathtub floor, totally naked. "It could have been bad," I muse to myself as I rub my head again. "But I'm fine, are you okay?"

He smiles a little. "Yes, I guess I'm not as savvy as I would like to be," he jokes and I smile as I lean forward to kiss him. Even with all of Byron's troubles, I do feel safe with him, and after the whirlwind of a night that I had I was glad that we were together no matter how unsure I was about myself.

"Here," I say as I lean back against the tub and I pull him to me as I slightly spread my legs. "We're not done yet," I tell him with a smile as I guide him to me. He lets his lips turn up in a smirk as the water beats down on his back and he falls on top of me.

I like having sex with Byron. I know he enjoys it and a part of me is still amazed that he lets me get so close to him considering all the problems he has with his own self image. It feels fantastic as well, but that's secondary to the connection I feel when we're close like this. I wonder if he feels the same way about it....

"You are the most perfect thing I've ever seen," he says in a husky whisper as I wrap my arms around his neck, trying to ignore how uncomfortable laying here on the bottom of the tub is.

By the time we're done, the water is cold and we go to his bedroom where I find one of his warmer wool jumpers to put on. I love his clothes, they always smell like he does and they have this wonderful worn feeling to them. I follow him to bed and I crawl in beside him when he scoots over to the wall.

"I ran into Fred Weasley at the library," I tell him as I turn on my back to face him as he props himself above me. This is familiar to me, this is comfortable. Even though Byron and I have never exactly been the most stable of couples, I do love him, and I do like being with him. "He was there with this little girl named Lola."

"Bill's daughter," he says with a nod and I start fiddling with my fingers.

"He offered me a job," I say as he turns off the lights. "He said one of the girls that works for him quit and he needed someone to run the desk for him." I look at him in the darkness. "I've never had a job before."

"Do you like Fred?" he asks curiously. He lays his head on the pillow by my side.

"I think I do," I say as I remember the two conversations I've had with him. "It would be nice, you know," I say as I turn on my side and tuck my legs under his with a tiny smile turning my lips. "To know someone from my mother's side of the family. He seems like a good guy."

"He is," he says as he puts some wet hair behind my ear. "I think you should do it. I know you don't need the money, but it's actually nice to make some money that's your own."

I smile as I remember what Conrad had to say on the matter and I kiss him again just for the heck of it. "How did you find out about the potion?"

"What?"

"The potion that Conrad gave me.... How did you know?"

"Gavin," he says and I'm puzzled by the casual way he said my brother's name because that particular brother can not stand Byron. I know that for a fact. "He was in a situation where he overheard people talking about it."

"People were talking about me?" I ask worriedly and he touches my cheek.

"You're brother is just as upset about it as I am," he admits deeply. I frown and turn my head away. I don't like that. "This is not a good situation."

"I wish there wasn't so much drama," I say tiredly. "I wish sometimes that it could just be me and you without having to worry about something or anyone else." He doesn't say anything so I glance at him from the corner of my eye. "How's your other random plan going?" I ask and he cocks his head. "The one with you and my brother destroying a Horcrux."

"Oh," he says softly. "It's going quite slowly, actually."

I yawn. "After all this is over," I tell him seriously. "After everything is through. I want us to be normal," I tell him. "Not normal like perfectly normal.... I just want to go out on dates, and I want to be boring... All that normal stuff."

He kisses my temple but doesn't respond.

I fall asleep, and when I wake up in the morning I find myself cold with the morning chill. I feel around, trying to find Byron so I can bury my feet under his legs again but he's not here and I crack my eyes open to see where he went. He's not in the bed and I sit up with a yawn as I check the room. Where is he? I gently stand from his bed and walk across the wooden floor boards with the sun shining in through his window making me to squint my eyes. I pull the sleeves of his sweater down over my hands to keep them warm as the boards creak under my cold feet. The sound is amplified in my ears as I follow the noises that are coming from the small kitchen. What I see when I reach the small room is the most heart warming, domestic, thing I've ever witnessed.

Byron has flour on his face and he's biting his lip as he carefully pours some milk into a measuring cup. There are two odd shaped pancakes burning in a pan on the stove and he sends them an irritated look before carefully putting the milk in the mixing bowl. It's smoking pretty bad in here and the whole room is engulfed in a thick cloud of it. I smile as I go over to the stove and I take a spatula to save the pancake from burning up.

"Are you attempting to cook breakfast?" I ask softly as I see the burnt attempts at eggs in the sink.

He looks at me, looking like a exasperated little boy and I smile warmly at him. "Does it count that I tried?" he offers and I nod my head as he glares down at the cook book he had set out. "I've never really cooked before," he admits softly and I walk to him and take the mixing bowl away."It said to wait a couple of minutes."

"The stove is too hot for one," I tell him as I turn the knob so the pan will stop smoking. "I'm not very good at cooking either," I state honestly and then I look at him as he wipes sweat off of his forehead, making some of it stick up in the front. "But I'm sure we can figure it out together."

He seems to sigh in relief and he kisses my forehead. "I don't know how I survived with out you."

I am not good at cooking, but I'm miles above Byron in my culinary skills and by the time the afternoon rolled around we finally were able to sit down and eat a fairly decent meal with every window open to air the flat out. I look up and smile at him after I take a sip of milk. "There's still flour on your face."

I reach across the table and gently wipe it off of his cheek. He smiles at me and it makes my heart clench because it's one of those rare little smiles of his. I could never want anyone else more than him, I'm sure. He goes back to eating and I sit back in my chair to stare at him. I can't help but compare him to Conrad and I hate myself for it. Of course, Byron is the best looking person I've ever seen, male or female, so that's not a fair comparison, but personality wise... Conrad is full to the brim of self confidence and charisma where Byron is full of self doubt and bits of self loathing about his body and his mind. They both seem to have had bad childhoods, but Byron seems darker somehow, more awkward in his interactions with everyone around him then the well practiced Conrad. I have no idea what to do with these comparisons.

"Tell me one thing you like about yourself," I repeat Conrad's questions from last night as Byron looks up with a question on his face. "Just one thing."

He pauses for a moment as he looks at his plate and then his eyes look into mine. "I like that you can bare to be around me," he says gently.

It didn't really answer my question, but there was a lot of confidence in the way he spoke that sentence, so I lean across the table and kiss his cheek.

"Oh, I almost forgot," he says as he wipes off his mouth with a napkin. "I got you something."

He gets up and leaves the room and I follow questionably behind him. "You got me something?" I ask as he goes into his small bedroom starts sorting through papers and plies of clothes.

"Do you need any help?" I ask as he checks under his bed.

"I just had it," he swears to himself and then he pulls a brown bag out from under a discarded blanket. "Here."

He hands it to me and I raise my eyebrows as I take it from him and crinkle it open. Inside is a small ornate looking box. Cherry blossom silhouettes are carved into the ivory with red and pink painted petals.

"I got it at an antique shop last Wednesday." Byron says as I open it up."It's very old... I thought you would like it." It's a music box and it starts playing an old composer's composition from the sixtieth century in twinkling little bells as tiny silver doves come out from the bottom and fly around the center. "I know it's silly..."

I run my fingers over the red velvet inside and then I look up at him.

"Do you hate it?" he asks worriedly. "Why are you crying?"

I didn't even realize that I was. I think I'm just so pleased that he thought to buy me something I would like with out a reason. "Thank you," I tell him as I close the box and step closer to him. "I love it."

"I'm glad," he says, sighing in relief as I kiss his lips and pull him tightly to me in a hug.

"Byron!"

I look at him in surprise to hear that strange deep voice and he looks panicked as he steps around me. "Who is that?" I whisper as he walks over to his door.

"Byron, you here?"

"I forgot to put the wards back up after you came," he whispers and then he turns around. "Stay in here. Do not come out under any circumstances, do you understand?" I nod my head dumbly as he looks me over. "And here," he picks up a pair of green boxer shorts and hands them to me. "Put these on."

I slide into his underwear and when he leaves the room, I put the music box on the ground and press my ear to the door. Not like I needed to, though. The deep, gruff voice is so loud I'm sure they could hear it in the flat below.

"You need to start locking your door, boy," the voice says and I frown because I can't place who it is. Who would call Byron boy like that? "You never know who's going to show up." There's a pause as footsteps carry across the floor. "Did you and that redhead get along well?"

"What do you mean?" Byron's smooth voice asks and I can tell he feels uncomfortable. Uncomfortable and upset.

"It looks like you made breakfast for two this morning," the man says with a suggestive tilt to his voice. The dishes, he must have seen the dishes laying out on the table.

"I don't think it's anyone's business," Byron snaps and the man laughs. Then I hear a smack.

"Don't talk to me like that again, boy." The man's voice takes a darker tone and I frown again as I put my hands on the wood to press my ear even closer. Did he just hit Byron?

"What do you want, Oden?"

"Did you see Conrad last night?" the man asks lightly. "I hear he took Malfoy's daughter to the same concert. What a coincidence, wouldn't you say?"

"I'd say," Byron mutters softly and I press my ear to the door a little harder again, wishing I had an extendable ear with me.

"Too bad she went and found herself a better pureblooded male," he says and I scowl at his words. Better indeed. "She's a good looking bitch, though. I will give her that."

I glare at the door as I take an angry step back. What a foul man. Good looking bitch? Where is this brute from? The move makes my heel hit the music box and it turns on it's side, opening up and letting the music escape.

"What's that?" I hear him say and I panic as footsteps come closer to the door. I stumble back. I have no desire to meet that gruff voice that just said I was a good looking bitch, so I hide in the closet as Byron's door opens. "Shut up." he snaps as Byron tries to get him away from the room. "Is someone in here?"

"There's no one here," Byron snaps and I can tells he's angry. My breath comes out in short puffs as I slide behind Byron's shirts and I bring my hands up to my chest.

"What's this?" I hear the man say. The music stops so I assume he picked it up. "Are you a faggot?"

I wince at the crude word and close my eyes as I try to imagine what he's doing to my newly acquired gift. This faceless man scares me. "No," Byron says. "It's my mother's." he lies easily and I hold my breath again as the silence carries on.

"Oh," the man says and then I hear a crash as something shatters on the ground. My music box. I cover my mouth to keep from making a noise.

"You know, your mother is greatly degrading my brother's memory by being married to that half blood Harry Potter. If he is dead, that is. You need to disown her, Byron boy." There's a long pause where no one says anything and I press my back into the closet wall. "Anyways, I just stopped by to remind you about tonight. We're meeting at nine and we're expecting you to be ready."

"Yes," I hear Byron say softly and then footsteps carry them away. I let out my breath and rest my head against the closet door once I'm sure he's gone. I don't move or make a sound until I hear Byron talking to me. "It's alright. He's gone." I step out and see Byron on his knees, attempting to pick up the smashed pieces of my gift. "I'm sorry; I didn't know he would be here."

His hands are shaking, and I kneel down in front of him and put my hands over his. "It's okay," I tell him and when he looks at me I can see that his cheek is red from where that cruel man hit him. "Who was that?"

"My uncle," he says seriously as I push hair out of his eyes to get a better look at him. "I thought I could handle it, but after all these years he still scares the hell out of me."

I reach over and wrap my arms around his neck and I pull him to me tightly in a hug, with the shattered music box digging into my knees. "It's okay," I repeat against his ear and then I pull back and look into his eyes. "We'll fix it."

I start gathering up the pieces as he stares at me. I glance up and smile a little.

"We can fix it," I reiterate as he rests back on his legs. Deep down I know I'm talking about way more than the music box.

We spend the rest of the day trying to piece my gift back together. A few of the key pieces had shattered completely with the break and the music wasn't playing in the right tune... but it was holding all of our repair spells pretty well, so it wasn't completely hopeless. When nighttime rolls around and the moon skitters across the sky, Byron gets a weird look on his face. I try to ignore what that might mean, but when eight thirty comes, he turns to me with a serious tilt of his brows. I'm sitting on his couch, tinkering with my broken present as he says my name to get my attention. I reluctantly look at him.

"I have to get ready," he says in a dead whisper and I let my hands fall on my lap as I watch him get up and walk towards his room.

I bite my fingernails as I try to imagine what he could possibly be getting ready for and when he comes back out I put the music box on the table and stand up with my mouth set in a thin line. He's wearing all black, from the cloak on his shoulders all the way down to his shiny black shoes, and in his left hand is a silver face mask that catches the light in the oddest way, making it seem strange and menacing. He wetted down his hair while he was getting ready and he has it all combed back away from his face, letting the candle light hit the sharp angles and smooth planes of his painfully handsome face. He looks like the poster child for the Death Eater movement and I can't stand him looking so deadly.

"I don't want you to go," I whisper as we stare at each other from across the room.

"I have to," he replies simply and then he looks away from me, like he couldn't stand to see me. "I need to do this."

"What if they make you do something terrible?" I ask as I take a step closer to him. "This whole thing isn't worth it. Just stay here with me." I'm pleading with him now and he sighs as he walks towards the door.

"They can't make me do anything worse than what I've already done," he says and I force my brows together.

"What does that mean?" I ask with my arms lying limply at my side. "I don't understand."

"I have to go," he says as he unlocks the door. "Lock this when I leave. I should be home before dawn."

This is way too big for us... and I don't want to mess with it.

"Byron," I say and he finally looks me in the eyes. All the black he's wearing makes his skin seem sheet white and his eyes glow against his dark lashes. I remember once when he talked about being a Death Eater had the war turned out differently and suddenly I can see my life that way. Seeing him leave with his mask and waiting for him to come home as he went out and did a number of unnamed evils on everyone who didn't agree. I shake my head to rid it of those thoughts and I take another step towards him. "Please, don't go."

He looks down again before facing the door and turning the knob. "Remember to lock this," he says before leaving.

I fall down heavily on the couch and I bite my nails again as I wait for him to come back. My mind is playing a cruel trick on me by making me think of every thing that could possibly go wrong while he's away. What was he doing right now with that evil Uncle of his? Was he afraid? Was he doing something bad? I bring my knees up to my chest as I stare at my watch, counting the seconds as they slowly tick by. I must have fallen asleep, because when I crack my eyes open the sun is shining. I sit up with a start and glance at my watch again. It's ten in the afternoon and Byron's still not home. I have a sick feeling in the pit of my stomach as I stand up and search the flat in hopes that he came in and just decided not to wake me. Everything is as we left it and I frown deeply as I stand in the middle of his room, trying to decide what to do. Do I floo the Auror's? Do I tell my brother? What do I do? Maybe he can't come home, maybe something happened. I look down at the clothes of his that I'm wearing. Maybe he went back to my dorm because he couldn't come back here for some reason.

There's a loud knock on the door and I jump before timidly walking towards the noise. Who could be knocking? I lean up and look through the key hole only to see a short pudgy man with a bouquet of flowers in his hands.

"Um, can I help you with anything?" I ask through the door and the man looks at the peep hole, making his features seem distorted and strange.

"I have a flower delivery for a miss Lavinia Malfoy, Ma'am."

I glance at the flowers again before cracking a smile and opening the door. "Who are they from?" I ask as I take the bundle away from him and smell one of the larger yellow ones. I have a pretty good idea who did, but I thought it would seem right to ask. After all, only Byron knows that I'm here. It is ten, after all, maybe he came in and saw that I was sleeping and he didn't want to disturb me... Perhaps he was at work right now. I guess this is him letting me know he's okay.

"A very lucky young man, I'd say, miss."

The man gives a short bow before walking away and I smile happily again as I shut the door and inhale the fragrance of the flowers. It's an interesting combination with different colorful flowers of all different types. Half of them I don't even know the name of. I can't find a vase to put them in, so I settle on an old glass pitcher I find in the back of one of Byron's kitchen closets and I put the flowers in so they won't wilt. What should I do with my time now that I'm feeling more relaxed? I do have class at eleven. I make my decision and I grab my wand before leaving for school now that I know Byron is okay. I get weird glances because of my clothes, but I ignore it as I go to my room to change into a more suitable outfit. I opt for a white A line skirt topped off with a yellow shirt and I send one more look to my watch before grabbing my books and heading towards class.

"Where in the bloody hell have you been?" Jessica asks as I take my seat beside her in the lecture hall. She sends a look to my outfit before looking back at me. "We've been worried about you. I nearly called the Aurors when your roommate said you didn't come home."

"I just needed a little break," I tell her as I set my quill and paper on the desk. She shouldn't know anything about Byron's plan with Conrad. She would probably tell everyone she knew. "Did I miss anything important?" I ask because I realize I'm a little late to class.

"Oh, nothing," she says casually as she takes out her sociology text. "Just murder."

"Murder?" I repeat back and she nods her head.

"Yeah, those run down houses on the other side of campus," she says and I stare at her. "Off of third street... Do you know those?"

"Yeah, sure..."

"Did you hear what happened there last night?"

"No, what happened?" I ask and she leans in closer to tell me.

"An old Squib lived there with like ten little kids. Someone murdered her and then set the whole house on fire with all the kids inside."

"What?" I say because that doesn't even sound real.

"It's been all over the papers this morning. She was a foster parent and all those kids died too."

I frown.

"Isn't that horrible? That's not too far away from us."

"Do they know who did it?" I whisper worriedly as the professor enters the room with a stack full of notes in her hands.

She shakes her head. "Not a clue."

"Alright, class, settle down..."

The lecture was boring and all Jessica could talk about was the murder arson that took place last night on a street close to our school. I was glad when it was over and I started to head towards my dorm room so I could pack a few more of my things before I went back to the flat to wait for Byron. I needed to stop wearing Byron's clothes and there are only so many times you can refresh a pair of knickers with magic before it starts to kill the fabric. I'm rummaging through the little bag I brought from my room when a shadow falls over me.

"Sorry," I mutter as I go to step around the figure and I glance up. I snap my jaw shut tight when I see Conrad above me, staring right at me in his green healer scrubs.

"Hello, beautiful."

"Oh, um, hi."

That was the most elegant greeting I could come up with.

He takes a step closer and, because I feel odd being in his presence, I end up looking down at his chest. I realized a moment too late that it was very submissive gesture but I couldn't help myself.

"Did you like the flowers?" he asks and my eyes widen.

"What?" I ask slowly as I think about the bundle of flowers currently sitting in an old water pitcher at Byron's flat. Those couldn't have been from...

"I picked them out myself," he says as he brushes hair away from his face. The sun catches the light off of the golden watch on his wrist and I tilt my head to the side because I don't remember him wearing such a piece last night. "You're a hard girl to find."

"Why are you here?" I question lightly as I cross my arms.

He smiles and lets his tired looking eyes scan my face. Then he sends a small glance down to his watch. "Oh, I was in the neighborhood."

Really? Something feels very off about this...

"Just in the neighborhood?" I repeat back and he nods his head.

"Hm, indeed," he says with a smug look on his face that makes me feel dread in the pit of my stomach. "I have about two more hours before I have to get back to St. Mungo's," he says. "Let's get some lunch."

"Oh, no, I can't. I have another class to go to," I tell him and his face falls. He becomes dreadfully serious as his green eyes narrow.

"It wasn't a question," he states flatly and then he puts his hand out towards mine. "That means you don't have much of an option. Now take my hand."

I stare at his hand and at the golden watch on his wrist before I gently place my hand in his.

_**Cassius**_

"I think I'm going to ask him for a divorce."

I stop dead in my tracks at my mother's voice. It's coming from the sitting room so I walk towards it.

"It's about time," Another female voice adds and I peek into the room.

Mom is sitting on the floral patterned couch, with a saucer on her lap and a tea cup in her hands. She's wearing a light lavender dress with a white cardigan tied across her shoulders making her look very posh and preppy. Sitting on the other end of the couch is Molly Weasley and I scoff when I see her pat her hair down.

"What finally triggered it?" Molly asks as she brings a tea cup to her lips, talking a small sip before setting it down on the table. "May I ask?"

Mom sets her tea cup and saucer on the table as well and she smoothes out the skirt of her dress. "Well, since that whole thing with Cassius... There's been a rift between us." I feel guilty as Molly Weasley nods her head in agreement. "He's been keeping things from me... Lying... I just can't do that again," she says softly. "I hear he's supporting Darren Greengrass' Death Eater policies after he told me he wouldn't and he moved out a couple of days ago." She bites her lip as Molly watches her movement closely. What is that woman doing here? "I also think he's cheating on me."

"I wouldn't be surprised," Molly sniffs with her head tilted in the air. "Malfoy men are callous human beings."

Mom looks at her lap as she crosses her ankles. "He has this new secretary, and of course she's beautiful and thin... and twenty one."

"What a cliché." Molly adds and Mom nods her head sadly.

"It's a cliché for a reason, I suppose."

"Well," Molly smiles at my mother and reaches her hand over to pat her leg. "I think this is a wonderful idea, Ginny. It's about time you got away from that man and started living your own life. Now, the first thing you need to do is move out of this house." She looks around the living room with her lip twisted back in disgust. "No family in their right mind needs this much space or this much stuff. I thought I taught you better than to value materialistic things."

Mom sighs, and bites back a comment. I can tell by the way she's working her jaw that she wants to say something, but thinks against it. "This house has been in his family for generations," she says gently. "He can't help that."

"No, but you can. You need to get out of this house and start over."

Mom's posture has been extremely straight during the whole exchange and something happened, something in her disposition changed, and she slumped against the back of the couch with her arms crossed. "It's not that easy. I don't have any money."

Molly laughs. "You are married to Lucius Malfoy's son and you're saying you don't have any money?"

"It's all Draco's money. He bought the Gallery for me and any money that I make through that goes straight to his vault at Gringotts. I never thought anything of it because I have a key and I can draw out anything I want at any time but..." She trails off and shakes her head. "Draco can be very vindictive sometimes and I'm afraid when I ask for a divorce he'll freeze the account against me. Then I'll have nothing."

"Why don't you go to Gringotts today and take the money you need before you approach him?"

"That just doesn't seem right..." Mom shrugs. "And it won't matter anyways. If anything over one thousand galleons gets withdrawn then the Goblins alert Draco right away. I can't tell you how many times I had to explain away a shopping trip to him and if I wanted to make any changes to the account, like setting up a separate thing for me, Draco has to approve it. He controls everything."

"Did you sign a pre-nup?" she asks and Mom furrows her brows. "You know what a pre-nuptial agreement is, don't you Ginny?"

"I do... I just don't think I signed one," she says and Molly scowls. My mom glares at her knees. "I was under a lot of stress at the time, Mom. I don't know what I signed, it was such a long time ago."

"If you didn't, you might be entitled to half his estate," she says with her chin tilted up and Mom slumps even more.

"Doubtful. Draco's family has always been rich," she says gently. "I don't think that's money I'm entitled to. I didn't help contribute to it."

"After all these years you're still so naive," Molly says and I narrow my eyes. "Why don't you talk to Harry's lawyer? He's one of the best in town right now and he'd be able to give you some much needed advice on the matter."

"Maybe," Mom whispers sadly as she starts playing with the jewelry around her wrist. Like she just remembered something important, her eyes shoot up to her mother's in worry. "What about Evelyn?"

"What about her?" Molly snaps as she picks a thread out of her raggedy sweater.

"She's still underage. Do you think Draco would fight for custody of her?"

"I'm sure that man is capable of much worse."

Mom runs her fingers over her lips as she looks out into space. "He really can be loving sometimes," she says gently, like she was remembering a better time. "I know you don't think so... but sometimes I'm convinced I love him more than anything."

"But he can be cruel," Molly says knowingly and Mom nods her head. "I told you. Malfoy men can be callous."

"You went to school with Lucius, didn't you?" Mom asks lightly. "What was he like?" she asks curiously. "Was he like Draco?"

"He was a lying, malicious, arrogant boy with no boundaries." She shakes her head in disgust. "He was ruthless towards your poor father. There wasn't an ounce of love or compassion in that man's body and I'm convinced his son is the same way."

Mom shakes her head. "Draco's not like that." Molly makes a disbelieving sound and Mom leans forward to convey her point. "He loves the kids, he really does. He's always been sweet to them and he truly is a loving father."

"He's really showing that now, isn't he?" Molly adds bitterly and Mom becomes quiet. Molly shakes her head at my Mother, like she was disappointed that she led her life this way and I wish I could go in there and tell her what I really thought of her and stupid face. "Why don't you come stay with me," she says and Mom gives her a disbelieving look. "With your father gone the house is so empty and you need to get out of here, Ginerva. It's about time you came to your senses."

"Maybe," Mom sighs again and then she looks towards the door way. That's where I'm standing and she gives me a double take before covering her surprise with a smile. "What are you doing here, sweetheart?" she asks and she sends a look to her mother who eyes me coolly.

"I just thought I'd come home for dinner," I say flatly as I step into the room. I refuse to look of Molly Weasley as Mom stands up.

"Would you like some tea? We were just catching up," she lies as she smiles at her mother who raises her brow before taking a drink from her tea cup.

"No," I state sharply as I glare at the older woman in the room.

"Well, I must be going." Molly stands up and gives my mother an awkward hug. "Remember what I said, Ginervra. My door is always open."

When she leaves, I turn back to Mom who gives me a bashful look before walking over to the table to clean up the tea. "I wouldn't blame you, you know," I tell her as I remember what Gavin said about how mom gave up everything for us and for Dad. "If you wanted to leave... I would be okay with that." She doesn't say anything for a while as she straightens and cleans.

"I didn't know you were listening," she finally whispers and I take a step closer to her, shaking my head and taking the dirty dishes away from her.

"Mom, if you need money... You can have mine," I tell her and her eyes snap to mine. "I haven't even touched my trust fund yet."

She smiles at me, in a sad kind of way, before she takes my head in her hands and she reaches up to kiss my forehead. "You're a good boy, Cassius," she says gently before falling back on her heels. "I haven't made any decisions yet, so lets not get rash."

"Has Dad said anything you?" I ask just for the sake of curiosity as we start walking towards the kitchens.

"No, I haven't spoken to him since he left the Manor," she says gently and I look away because she's blushing... because she's obviously embarrassed that I know all these things about her relationship with Dad. She shakes it off and looks at me with a sigh. "What would you like for dinner?"

I shrug. "Whatever you were going to have is fine," I answer as I dump the tea cups and saucers in the sink.

We meet in the dining room after she washes up and I look down at my plate as the food appears. Chicken, mashed potatoes, rice, corn, gravy, ham... Just about every comfort food under the sun is spread out before me and I send a sad look to Mom before unraveling my napkin and placing it across my lap.

"Are you doing okay, baby?" she asks me and I nod my head even though that's a lie.

What if Gavin and I never find that dress? What would they do to her?

"Mom," I say and she puts her fork down.

"Yes?" She's looking at me now and I quickly look down at my plate as her dark eyes take me in.

I hesitate before speaking, but when I can't form a proper sentence I give up. "You look nice today."

She gives me a funny little smile. "Thank you."

I look down again and we start to eat as I feel guilty. No one ever tells her anything and she's always out of the loop. I look at her as she sips her water and her eyes flick to mine.

"What is it, Cassius?" She asks softly as she puts her glass down.

I open and close my mouth a few times before shaking my head and forking through my mashed potatoes. She starts eating again, sending me funny little glances as I avoid looking at her all together.

"I like your hair," she says after a few minutes of awkward silence. "I'm glad you went back to blond." When I look at her she smiles. "You look so much like your Father," she says with a sigh.

I feel bad again, because I don't want to hurt her because I look like him. He always lies to her too.

"When I was gone," I tell her as I gently place my fork on the table. She furrows her brows at my wording as I stare at my glass, watching the light reflect off the surface. "When you thought I was..." I trail off because I don't like to say it. "I wasn't really gone, I was somewhere," I tell her and she seems confused as I try to elaborate. "There was this island, and all these strange people stuck in time. The girl that died too, Paige," I say and she nods her head as she looks troubled. "She was there with me, but she turned out to be someone from the Island. A terrible woman who was married to the man who put everyone in that situation."

She looks worried now and I can't say I blame her. It does sound like it's all made up.

"Have you ever heard of a Horcrux?" I ask when she doesn't say anything and she slowly nods her head. I guess when she was with Potter somewhere down the line he told her about them. "Well, Byron thinks that's what the statue was. It split our souls and that whole island... All those people were just stuck there while their bodies died away. There was a time line..." I trail off because I'm aware I sound insane and I hate sounding unbelievable. She gets up from her chair and takes a seat beside mine with her knees brushing against my leg.

"Are you sure this wasn't a dream?" she asks carefully as her eyes sear into my profile.

I shrug. "It didn't feel like a dream." It wasn't a dream, it couldn't have been... Right?

"Why were you all wet?" she asks and when I look at her she places her hand on mine. "When we went to take you out of the mausoleum, you were drenched and your jacket was missing."

I look her in the eyes. "The jacket was gone because I lost it while I was running through the forest. I got a cut on my face while doing that too...." I say as I trail my fingers across the thin red line that's still healing on my face. "I was wet because the only way to get off the Island was to kill yourself... I guess it's kind of funny in a way. Gregorios wanted to live forever so he placed everyone there in some weird limbo, and the only way to get away from it was to do the one thing he feared most."

Her hand goes up to my hair and she runs her fingers through my new shorter strands in a soothing gesture that always works on me. "Was it terrible?"

"Nothing too bad," I state honestly. It was frustrating more than anything. "It was only a couple of days.. The time was different." I glance at her. "You know, to make a Horcrux, don't you have to murder someone? Byron said it was a primitive version of one... but how did that work?" I ask, knowing she probably wouldn't know the answer but needing to say it outloud. A part of me is still a boy as well, and your parents can fix everything when you're a boy.

"Technically you died," she says softly. "So you killed yourself."

"And Paige came back and took over a little girl's body. She body jumped out of there. It doesn't make any sense."

"When I was little I had a Horcrux that belonged to Voldemort," she says and I look at her in surprise because of the blunt way she's speaking to me. "He was looking for a body he could jump into too... and he was forced to live at Hogwarts, reliving the same day over and over again."

That sounded familiar.

"Sometimes I fear that if I fall asleep, I'll wake up there again. It was so frustrating and no one knows what it is. It's scary," I admit just because she's my Mom.

"It won't happen again," she says solidly. She lets her hand rest on the back of my neck. "Thank you for telling me, Cassius. I knew there was more to the story."

So much more, actually.

"Perhaps you should tell the healers all of this so they can help."

I shake my head. "I'm not ready for that. I don't..." I trail off with a tight jaw. "I just want to think on it for a while. Everything still feels so unstable."

"Okay," she whispers. "They're having fireworks at the park tonight," she says as she sits back and smiles at me. "Would you like to go?" I give her a look and she laughs. "It would be nice to get out of the house," she says gently. "Just you and me... Like old times."

Like old times.... Old times when her and I were locked in this house because my kidnapping father wouldn't trust her to leave. "Okay," I tell her and she stands up.

"I'll go get a blanket."

I watch her leave and then I reluctantly get up as well. I guess a part of me is glad to be by her, because after what I witnessed in Gavin's memory I know there would be people out to hurt her. If I'm here, I would never let that happen. I reach into my pocket and I pull out my little brother's wand. He still has mine, and I run my fingers over the polished wood before walking out of the room to wait for Mom in the foyer. When she returns, she's carrying a flannel blanket under one arm and a basket is resting in the crook of her elbow. Evelyn's little Dalmatian puppy is straining against the leash that Mom is holding and he runs towards me when he sees me.

"I hate this dog," Mom says as the dog jumps up on my legs and I pet it's head. "Lavinia's cat had him cornered in one of the upstairs bedrooms... Another one of your father's great ideas."

"Here." I say as I take the blanket and basket from her. "I'll carry these if you can manage the dog," I say because I assume it's coming with us.

We open the doors and start heading towards the gate. Nero acts like he's never been outside before and he tugs Mom along so she's basically chasing after him while he sniffs trees and scampers along to pee on things. "Stop it, Nero," Mom snaps as the dog starts barking at a bush. "Oh, this is so not fair," she says in frustration. "Draco always goes and buys you guys all these wonderful pets and I'm the one that gets stuck taking care of them."

I wonder if she thought that way about me.

I try not to think about it as Nero drags us to the park, where families are sitting down on blankets and lawn chairs to watch the fireworks that are going to start later. One thing that always annoyed Dad about Mom and I is that we never really accepted our station in society. Common things like watching fireworks in the park was frowned upon, and with good reason, I guess, because people are starting to stare at us with open mouthed expressions of surprise. I ignore it as I unravel the blanket. Mom tucks the skirt of her dress under and she gently takes a seat on the blanket as Nero tries to lick her face. She scowls and pushes the puppy off of her.

"Do you want a butterbeer, Cass?" she asks as she opens the basket, elbowing the dog out of the way because he seems to like her a lot more than she likes him. I smile at the scene and step closer.

I ignore the staring family beside us as I take a seat and I pull my little sister's dog to my lap so it will stop bothering her. The puppy nuzzles against my chest and then lays on my lap as I rub it's ears. "Sure." She pops the top and hands one to me before pulling one out for herself. "Why are there fireworks tonight?" I ask curiously before taking a long swig and scratching the dog on it's neck.

"I think it's the parks anniversary or something," she says with a shrug as she puts hair over her shoulder. "I'm actually not sure...."

"Are you Mrs. Malfoy?" Mom looks puzzled to be interrupted and she looks over her shoulder at the two littler girls standing there. Holding hands and staring wide eyed at me and my Mom.

"Yes, I suppose I am," she says with a warm smile. "What are your names?" she asks softly. When my father was minister she did a lot of volunteer work with children, so she handles them well.

I sigh and look down at the dog as the girls say their names... I really don't care to know them, honestly. "My Mama dyes her hair red just like yours," one of the girls with the missing front tooth says with a smile. "Because you always look so pretty and clean."

"Thank you," Mom says and then she looks up at the darkening sky.

I feel eyes on me and I glance at the little girls again. "They said you was dead," one of them says and I look at Mom uncomfortably before looking back down at the dog. "How did you come back from the dead? Daddy says that's not natural."

"You girls better go find your seats," she says with a smile. "I think the fireworks are going to start soon."

They skip off and Mom and I make eye contact before the show starts. It starts out with the weeping willows in glittering gold's and silvers and then the more festive and colorful fireworks start lighting up the night time sky. I lean back against the tree behind me and Mom leans back on her elbows. I remember how much I used to love fireworks when I was little.

I was three when I saw my first one in Italy. There was a magical carnival near by the villa and they took Gavin and I to it. We rode rides, ate cotton candy, and played games until we were half sick with exhaustion. Dad ended up having to carry me around by the time night came and Gavin was asleep in his stroller with his every present pacifier hanging from his lips. I was half asleep against Dad's shoulder when we heard a loud bang and I jumped in surprise as the night sky became illuminated in green.

I had never seen a firework, but I knew what they were and I was pretty impressed with the large green skull and serpents head sizzling in the sky. I didn't understand why Mom gasped and why Dad's arm tightened around me as he scanned the shocked and frightened crowd with his sharp silver eyes. My little mind had made the connection with the image and I pointed out that Dad had the same mark on his arm. I didn't understand why Mom yanked me out of Dad's embrace and I didn't understand why Dad lifted his wand to the sky and muttered a spell that made the firework go dark. We found out later that it was a teenager who had shot the mark up, thinking it would be funny. I thought it was great. Mom thought it was frightening, and Dad... Well, I think Dad thought it was out of place.

I shake my head to get rid of the memory and I glance at Mom again before looking back at the sky. With each loud crack another colorful firework appears. Dragons and butterflies flutter across the nighttime sky in hues of reds, yellows, and blues and I find a boyish smile on my face as I enjoy the simplicity of it... and then the dog pees on my lap.

"Oh, damn," I say as I push it off of me. It was probably frightened by the loud noises, but come on! I use Gavin's wand to dry myself but I still smell like dog piss. "I have to go home to change," I whisper to Mom and she glances at me. "Do you want to come with me?"

"I think I'll stay here," she whispers as I stand up and take the dog leash.

"I'll come back," I tell her seriously before weaving through all of the people with the offending dog piss pants. I relieve Nero of the hated leash when we enter the Manor and I run upstairs to change quickly so I don't leave Mom alone out there. On my way back out, I find Mom already walking up the walk way with the basket and blanket over her arm. "Is all over?" I ask, sounding kind of disappointed.

She nods her head. "You missed a pretty good finale."

"What should we do now?" I ask, feeling kind of dejected. I think of Gavin and what we were originally doing tonight and I cut my losses as I look over my Mom's beautiful face. I sigh. Should I tell her? How does that conversation go? That Gavin was sneaking around on a Death Eater meeting and found himself in a cata comb with some zombie and my old history professor who told him to find a dress or they would kill her...."Do you want to play chess?" I settle on, feeling almost like a coward for some strange reason.

She smiles. "Sure."

I get out the chess set and I set it up on the coffee table as the fire blazes behind us. I decide to be black and I take a seat on the floor so she can stay on the couch. "So, when do you think you'll get back to work?" she asks as she moves one of the white pawns forward to start the game. "I know you miss the adventure of it," she says softly and I nod my head.

"I don't know. I'm kind of out of the loop on digs now and Byron is kind of preoccupied," I answer as I make my move on the board.

"Do you like Byron?" she asks as she moves her knight.

"Of course I do," I tell her because I think that's a silly question. "He's my best mate."

"No, I mean, do you like him for your sister? I know he's troubled...." She trails off and shakes her head. "He's helped an awful lot and I know that we should be more grateful towards him, but I think your father and I are just worried about them."

I hesitate a moment while I move my pawn because deep down a part of me is worried about it too. "He is good to her," I tell her, hoping that it's true. "He loves her very much."

She sighs as she looks at the chess board. "I've always worried about Byron," she says gently. "Even when he was a small boy I knew the he had been through too much to be healthy with out help, and of course Beatrice had no idea what to do with him. She didn't even get the poor kid a shrink until he had that breakdown when he was nine."

"What breakdown?" I ask seriously because I never heard anything about that.

She looks at me and then down at the board. "You remember, don't you?" she asks lightly and I shake my head. Byron and I stopped talking to each other after we were seven because the people that surrounded him didn't want us to hang out anymore. Apparently I was a bad influence. "He was having a very hard time. I guess you wouldn't have known. I only heard about it because your father and I went to visit him once."

"Visit him?" I ask because it seems strange that they wouldn't take me if they went to see him when he was small. "Weren't they living with that muggle guy when he was that age?" I ask as I remember how much Byron hated that man. I could never see my father going into a muggle neighborhood just to visit a boy that he never really liked in the first place.

"That muggle was a cruel man," she says seriously. "And every kid does accidental magic, but Byron....You know what he went through." I sit back and stare at her as she speaks. "Do you remember what kind of things you used to do when you were little?" she asks and I nod my head.

"When you were upset, you would break things, when you didn't get what you wanted you'd make it rain in the dining room, and when you were really happy the walls would shake. Do you remember that?"

"I remember," I tell her honestly.

"That's normal," she tells me. "That's what kids do when their magic first comes, but that poor baby wasn't like most kids."

"What do you mean?"

"When you got mad you would break a vase or a picture frame, when Byron got mad he snapped that muggles spinal chord." I blink a few times as I process her words. "He couldn't help it, he was never given the proper help that he needed and when Beatrice started living with that abusive man, he had no way of getting out."

"Did he kill that guy?" I ask as I try to imagine it. Why didn't Byron ever tell me?

"No, he's paralyzed, though. I thought you knew all of this," she says in response to the frown on my face. "They sent Byron to an institution, he was there for a year."

"Why didn't you ever tell me?" I snap, suddenly angry that no one felt the need to tell me this.

She looks serious now. "You were too young at the time... but I thought someone would have told you by now. Don't say anything to Byron about it." she says softly. "If he didn't tell you, he probably didn't want you to know. He's always been embarrassed by things that were out of his control."

"Why did you go to visit him there?" I ask to prolong this conversation.

She looks at one of her chess pieces. "Because he asked us to. It was your father that convinced Beatrice to take him out of there. She claimed she was afraid of him."

"I never knew any of this."

She looks sad for a moment, and then she shakes her head. "It's getting late," she says as she looks at the clock on the wall. "I think I'm going to go to bed. We can finish up this game tomorrow."

I watch her go and then I slump back against the carpet. That was an odd conversation. Byron's past doesn't really surprise me anymore because I know most of the gory details, but he was in a institution for a year? A whole year? What was that like? What kind of institution was it? Byron is just one big messed up puzzle I'm finding out. With a sigh, I stand up and walk towards the stair way so I can go to my own room, but I stop myself.... What if Gavin never finds the dress and someone comes to get Mom tonight? I can't let that happen. I make sure I have my brother's wand as I scoot a couch in front of Mom's bedroom. I lay down on the cushions and I close my eyes. The hallway is dark and it creaks and echoes with age as I fall asleep listening to it's sounds, expecting Gavin to rush in any minute so we can continue what we need to do.

"Little Master?"

I scowl when I hear the house elf's voice and I turn around to face the back of the couch.

"I sorry, Little Master, there's a letter for you."

It pushes at my shoulder and I moan in irritation before opening my eyes and turning back to the pitiful looking creature.

"The man said it was urgent."

"What man?" I ask as I sit up and rub sleep from my eyes. "The owl told you it was urgent?" I snap and it shakes it's large head.

"No, no, no, no, little master. It was the man at the gate!"

The gate? I quickly tear the letter open and I scan the contents of the letter.

"Dorian?" I say outloud as I read the name signed on the bottom. Why is that name familiar to me, and why is he writing to me telling me it's urgent to go outside and talk to him? "Will you please put the couch back where it belongs?" I say as I stand up and scratch my chin. "What time is it?"

"It's half past seven, Baby Master!"

Half past seven. I slept that long and Gavin never came to get me. That doesn't seem right. I frown as I slip on my shoes and I open my mother's bed room door so I can peek in quickly. She's sleeping in the middle of the large bed with her arm thrown over her eyes to block the sun and I stare at her for a few moments before closing the door and going down stairs to meet this Dorian guy at the gate. I grab my cloak from the closet to ward off the chill before I begin walking down the walkway. It's a misty, fog filled morning and I squint my eyes against it only to see a tall lanky red head waiting impatiently on the other side of the gate with a large box in his hand.

"Cassius Malfoy?" he says and I take out my brother's wand because I have seen him before... In Gavin's memory. I approach the bars of the gate with a suspicious tilt to my head. "My name is Dorian Bones, and I need your help."

Dorian Bones.... Daniella's partner. That's why the name was familiar to me.

"I know about your relationship with Dani," he says. Relationship... I almost laugh at the title but I can't deny that it pleases me that someone else knows of our little shag session. "We can trust each other."

"What do you need help with?" I question lightly as I stare at him through the bars.

He looks down at the box as I throw up my hood because it's starting to rain. "Is your mother inside?" he asks.

"Why?"

"I need to show this to you, but if your mother sees me, she'll probably try to kill me. The last time I saw her she thought I was going to murder your sister."

I open the gate and stare at him with my arms crossed because what he just said doesn't really help me to side with him. "I can't let you in now. My father controls the wards," I tell him seriously as I step out with the wand gripped tightly in my hand. "And they won't let you pass."

"I'll be quick then," he says breathlessly as rain darkens his hair and drips in his pale eyes. "I can't stay too long."

"Alright, go a head," I tell him as I stay just inside the ward barrier, just in case.

He sets the box down on the damp concrete and places his hands on the lid. "You know what Dani and I are," he says and I nod my head. I think I know they're Aurors. A part of me is still suspicious. "For some reason they think you'll know how to activate this," he says as he opens the box. "There's a muggle football game coming up in the next couple of weeks... Some world cup thing... There will be thousands of muggles in attendance. Even more will be crowded into London to celebrate it. That's a lot of people."

"Okay," I say as he takes a black bag out of the box. "And..."

"Conrad Foxworth told us that if this was activated then it would kill everyone within a certain radius, sending them to some kind of hell. He said you told him that." He opens the bag and takes out a large golden necklace, with a gaudy lion's head dangling from the chains. The head has ruby eyes and a fierce looking snarl curls it's mouth. I know that necklace, I've seen it before, and I take a step closer to study it. "They want to set this one off then... and the other they're going to save for the muggle UN meetings in September."

"I don't know anything about that," I say as I nod towards the menacing necklace, the same one I saw the man Gregorios wear... The same one Dr. Bailey showed me to tempt me into getting on that boat. "I wouldn't even know where to begin." Byron would, if anyone did.

"But do you know how to destroy it?" he asks seriously and I glance into his eyes.

"I might."

"Then it's yours," he says as he puts it back in the bag and closes the lid on the box after placing it gently inside.

"Where is the other one?" I ask softly. I notice his hands shake nervously as he locks the clasp on the box.

"At Foxworth Hall. Conrad is keeping it there because he thinks he's entitled or something ludicrous like that. He really is a piece of work, that one."

"Did you find out who's in charge?" I ask as he puts the necklace in the bag. I remember that was Dani's main objective and if he's here, telling me all of this, then perhaps they know.

"Unfortunately," he says and then he sighs as he stands up straight. "Everything is crumbling right now," he says worriedly. Everything crumbles...I've heard that before. "And we have to act fast. They're going to know I took this and they'll be hunting me after tonight. Please do something productive with it. There's no one else I can trust at the moment."

"Why are you trusting me with this, then?" I ask suspiciously. "Shouldn't there be someone more qualified?"

"You are the most qualified person on this subject right now," he says and then he checks his watch. "I have to go. Tell Dani if you figure it out but be careful, she's still undercover."

I take the heavy box and I stare at it for what feels like an hour before I walk back towards the house after he Apparates away. I take off my cloak and place the box on the ground so I can put it away in the closet and I intend to go have a talk with my little brother after this because I don't know where the fuck he is. I hear footsteps, so I quickly close the closet door and slide the box under one of the hall tables. I hide inside of one of the alcoves so I don't have to answer any questions right away. Why am I hiding? I have no bloody idea. I think it's just the fact that I feel like I should be sneaky now with that necklace. It's Mom. She's holding freshly cut flowers and she's wearing her pink raincoat. She must have just gone out because her sandals have mud clinging to them and I itch my neck as she starts arranging the flowers in the blue vase by the door. I'm about ready to say her name so I don't seem like a creep, but the door opens before I can. Dad walks in and Mom freezes in her spot with her hands holding onto the flowers stiffly in her pale fingers.

"Gin," he greets softly as he closes the door. She stares at him for a few moments before turning around and placing some more lilacs in the vase like she could care less that her husband just came home.

"What are you doing here?" she asks, pretending to arrange the flowers but I can tell she just keeps on moving the same flower around in the same spot.

"I came to pick something up," he says and she glares at the lilies she's playing with.

"Did you get the papers I dropped off at your office this morning?" she asks coolly and Dad shakes his head.

"What papers?"

"I left them with the little girl at your desk. I'm surprised she didn't jump at the chance to give them to you."

"What are you talking about?" She doesn't say anything as Dad stares at the back of her head. "Look at me."

"Are you sleeping with her?" she asks quietly and Dad furrows his brows as she turns around with a hand placed on her hip.

"Who?"

"You know who. Are you having an affair with her?"

"I'm not having an affair with anyone," he snaps at her and she narrows her eyes. "I'm telling the truth, so don't look at me like that."

"Then why did you leave?" Her voice sounds heartbroken, and when he doesn't answer she crosses her arms and turns her head away. "I've been trying to get a hold of you all week," she says, her voice sounding flat and distant. "You've been ignoring my owls and floo calls. Every time I go to your office your little secretary tells me you're out..." She inhales deeply as she lets her hands fall to the sash around her middle so she can start undoing the knot of the coat. "I know you were there in the morning, but she wouldn't let me in. She made me wait for half an hour outside, but you never came out... I left the papers with her since I have more of a relationship with that child then I do you now a days."

"What papers?" he asks again, sounding confused and worried as she shrugs out of the rain coat and folds it over her arm.

She looks at him for a few long moments. "I want a divorce," she says in a whisper and my Dad looks almost ill as he swallows the lump in his throat. "You never talk to me anymore... and I'm pretty sure you're as done with this relationship as I am."

Everything is quiet, so very quiet that I can hear my own heart beat. "No."

"No?" Mom repeats back disbelievingly, her face hardening in disdain. "What do you mean no? It wasn't a question."

"I mean no," he says simply, like he was convincing himself it was a good idea. "I don't want a divorce."

"It doesn't matter what you want, Draco," she says hotly. "Not any more."

Dad looks at his shoes, in a rare display of submissiveness, and then he looks at her. "Give me two weeks," he says gently and she shakes her head angrily as she walks over to the closet to put away her coat. That is really close to me and I shrink back to avoid her, but Dad grabs her arm and forces her to look at him. "Two weeks to fix everything, to tell you everything, and to make everything okay."

"Let go of me."

"Two weeks." He cuts her off sharply and she looks down at his throat like she was stopping her self from yelling or crying. "If you still think this way after that, then I'll sign the papers... I'll give you anything you want if you'll just give me two weeks." She turns away from him completely and tightens her jaw. I know she wants to cry and he takes a step closer to her. "I'm sorry. I know I'm..." Her hair is damp from the rain and he places some strands over her shoulder so he can place a gentle kiss against her neck. She closes her eyes. "I can fix this." he states with a decisive nod of his head. He rests his chin on her shoulder as she plays with her necklace, trying to ignore him. "You're going to hate me," he whispers and she tears herself away from him and glares at him fiercely.

"I'm going upstairs. Tell one of the elves to let me know when you leave."

"Just calm down."

"Just calm down," she repeats with a sneer and she throws her rain coat at him. "Goodbye, Draco."

"Wait a second," he snaps because my father has always had a short temper and, even though I can tell he's trying to tame it, it's not working very well for him.

"You know what," she says as she turns and glares at him again. "I'm glad you left because it gave me some time to think about things and I've decided that I'm going to move out."

"You don't have to move out," he says with a tight jaw. "You can stay here."

"I don't want to stay here! I hate it here, but you've been too selfish to realize why that could be!" I jump at her voice, but Dad stays stone still.

"Don't shout at me."

"Oh, fuck you, Draco," she says and my eyebrows shoot up in surprise because I've never heard my Mother cuss like that before.

"Nice, Gin," he says sarcastically. "Where are you going to go, hm? When you move out, where are you going to stay?"

"Not that it's any of your business, but I'm going to stay with my mother."

"Your mother," he spits with a derisive voice. "Because she loves you so much."

"Shut up," she hisses at him and then she approaches him with a fierce look on her face. "How could she love me after I stayed with you?" She pushes his chest and he stumbles back a few steps. "Everything is your fault!"

He catches her wrists and pulls her to his chest with a quick snap of his arms. "You're right, of course," he says gently. "You know, when I look at you I see everything I have ever done that was wrong," he says and I frown at the change in conversation as she shakes her head and tries to yank herself away from him. "And I realize that you are the only thing that has ever been right, and I've managed to ruin it all." He smiles a little. "That's what I get, I suppose."

"I'm not doing this with you," she says and he looks puzzled. "I'm not going to let you manipulate me into feeling bad for you."

"I'm not asking you to feel bad for me," he says angrily as his voice escalates and he throws her wrists down. "I'm being honest with you."

"I'm not that girl anymore," Mom says tensely. "I'm not that young girl who's going to coddle you and make you feel okay about things. Not this time."

"You don't know what you're talking about," he scoffs and she clenches her fists.

"You want me to drop all of my justified anger and hug you and make you feel better about yourself," she hisses and he raises an eyebrow at her outburst. "Harry had a terrible childhood too, but he didn't do half the things you did. My sympathy for you is starting to lose it's luster."

"I don't want your sympathy," he spits back at her with a curl of his lip. "You think Potter never killed or hurt people? He did, Gin, he did it all but just because you agree with his side of things that makes it alright."

"You think you know everything," she says as she crosses her arms protectively over her chest.

"I have no idea what fuck you're talking about right now if that makes you feel any better," he says and the conversation is quickly escalating into another fight.

"I hate you."

"Shut up," he snaps.

"No, you shut up," she snaps back.

"I didn't cheat on you," he says steadily. "I've been avoiding you because...." He trails off, all of his bravado suddenly gone. "Because I knew you wouldn't forgive me after what I did."

"And what have you done!" she shouts. "Stop keeping things from me. That's all you ever do!"

"I tortured people!" he yells back and then the hall falls silent as she stares at him. "I cruicio'd two muggles while those neo death eaters watched."

"Why did you do that?" she says with a tight jaw, her body language becoming rigid and cut off.

"I did it so Gavin wouldn't have to," he says and her eyes jump to his at my brother's name. "You know he fell in with that group and he thought he was helping... He went to one of the initiations...It was his test. I followed him there because... well, because he's just like me and I knew what he was going to try to do. He was cornered. They would have killed him if he didn't, so I made them a deal and traded places with him." She looks at him in slack jawed awe as he sets his hand on his narrow hip.

"You couldn't figure out another way to handle that situation?" she asks narrowly as he rubs his free hand over his face.

"There were too many of them," he says softly.

"Why didn't you just tell me?"

He's silent for a while and then he looks at her."For a moment I felt that power I used to get high off of when I was a Death Eater... When I was so young and stupid...There isn't anything like it," he admits and I can tell something in the air changed. Something became thick and uncomfortable and I realized it was because of the look my mother had on her face.. She was afraid of him. "I knew you would hate me for it."

Neither of them say anything for a long time and then my father sighs.

"I just came here to pick something up," he repeats as he steps back and rubs his neck. "I'll be quick."

"And then go where?" she asks. "Where have you been staying?"

"The villa," he answers, reaching that awkward stage everyone reaches after a fight when they realizes how foolish they were when they were shouting at each other. He glances down at her dirty sandals. "You're getting mud everywhere," he comments lightly and she looks down as well before running her fingers over her wedding ring.

She sighs before holding out her left hand. "Take it off."

"Just two weeks," he repeats and she stomps her foot.

"No, take off the ring. I don't want you tracking me down and doing anything stupid. Please, just take it off." He doesn't move for a while and then he gently takes her hand and stares down at her wedding band. "Draco," she says softly until he looks at her. "If you don't take off the ring right now, I swear I'll never wear it again. I will find a way to do it on my own."

He mutters something in Italian... He tells her he's sorry, and she narrows her eyes. "You know I don't know what you're saying!" she says in annoyance. "Now take off the damn ring!"

"Stop shouting at me," he snaps angrily and she clenches her fists. He sighs and looks back down at her hand. He puts his fingers on her wedding ring as he stares into her eyes. "I'm getting angry," he says gently to himself. "I don't want to get angry right now."

"I'm getting tired." Mom spits back at him. She is in no mood to make up with him right now.

"Do you not love me anymore?" he asks gently and the question sounded so sincere and so... Sad.

"If you ever loved me you'll take off the ring," she replies.

"You're a Grandmother now." he says and I frown as she narrows her eyes.

"What are you talking about?" What is he talking about?

"You don't look like a Grandma," he says as he rubs the smooth skin on top of her hand. "Addison had the baby this morning. Gavin's there now. The baby is his, Gin. You have a granddaughter."

"What?" Mom says softly as Dad looks at her."Why didn't anyone tell me?" Mom says sadly and then she stomps her foot. "No one ever tells me anything! When did you find out?"

"It doesn't really matter," he says gently and she bites her lip to hold back a hateful comment. He takes out his wand before looking seriously into her eyes.. "Do you think... If I was nicer to you in school, if we would have dated properly before all of this, do you think things would be as messed up as they are now?" he asks her as he performs a few spells on her ring that I've never heard of before. "Do you think if you loved me before I did what I did, then things would have turned out differently? Do you remember how goods things were when the kids were young?"

"We'll never know," she says sternly, like the fact that he was still talking annoyed her. "You never made the effort to get to know me. Imagine how surprised I was to see you and a hoard of your death eater friends outside of my bedroom window just so you take me away from everything that I ever knew so I could marry a person I didn't even know. Do you even realize how frightened I was? How much you scared me? I was only eighteen, Draco! You took me away from any chance at a normal life with out even bothering with my feelings. Stop getting all nostalgic on me because we're not remembering the things right now. Nothing was ever going to work out for us. I should have known that the second you watched your father kill my brother. You didn't even pause to ask me if I was okay." She inhales deeply. "We're lucky the kids are so good considering where they came from."

He slips the ring off of her finger and he stares at her hand for a long time before bringing it up to his lips and placing a gentle kiss against her knuckles.

"Goodbye, Ginny," he whispers.

With that she stomps off towards the library, and Dad watches her go before he rubs his eyes under his glasses. I have a suspicious feeling that he may be crying and I slink back so I don't have to see it. Then he heads towards the cloak closet to put away the pink rain coat that mom had thrown at him. I stay rooted to my spot, but he sees me. He makes brief eye contact, but he doesn't say anything.

"Dad..." I say, but he ignores me as he goes walking up the stairs, taking two at a time with his long legs.

I heft up the heavy box and go to my room to think about the necklace, trying to ignore the little boy in me that's upset about my parents potentially separating. This is what Byron and I wanted, wasn't it? To get one of these to destroy it.... I take it out of the box and remove it from the black bag. My heart stirs as I run my fingers over the golden lions head. What a gaudy thing for a man to wear. Then, if I remember Gregorios correctly, this blatant display of wealth makes a whole lot of sense.

I need to find him and I need to talk to my brother who is now, apparently, a father.

That means I'm an uncle.

What the fuck.

There's a knock on my door and I glance at it. "Come in," I say, figuring it's Mom and I stuff the necklace back in the box and I push it quickly under the bed. The door opens and Dad comes in, looking concerned as he walks into my room. "Are you alright?" I ask because we both know what I saw earlier.

"I wonder, Cassius," he says as he walks into the room with heavy steps and he takes a seat on the bed. "What you have in that box hidden under your bed."

"Uh, what?" I say.

"I've always known that every conversation I've had with your mother was never a private one. All of you feel the need to sneak around and spy which is very _very_ annoying," he says as he stares at the wall. "But I noticed you had an odd looking box this time. What's inside of it?"

"A necklace," I say honestly. I'm almost twenty three years old. I don't need to be lying to my own father like a child.

"Why are you hiding it?"

"Why are you asking?" I counter back.

He takes off his glasses and puts his elbows on his knees so he can rub his face with both hands. "I just want all of my children to be healthy and happy. That's it." I glance at him as he sighs into his hands. "Maybe it's a curse."

"Maybe what's a curse?" I ask gently and he looks at me with eyes that I see in the mirror every day.

He puts his hand on my cheek and he searches my eyes for a few strange moments, then he pats the side of my face before pulling his hand back. "I am getting too old for this."

My father looks sad... He looks worn out and tired and I look at my nightstand where a small glass ball rests. Evelyn had given that too me not long after I came back to the Manor. I intended to give it back to Lavinia, but the opportunity never seemed to arise. "Here," I tell him as I reach over and pick it up. I roll it along my palm for a few moments before handing it to him. He has to put his glasses back on to view it and I realize how old my father is now. "I think you could use this."

"I haven't seen this in years," he admits as he tosses the ball from hand to hand. "I assumed your sister had lost it."

"I guess she found it," I say and he smiles a little as he looks at me.

"Did she give it to you?" he asks and I shake my head.

"Evelyn did... I don't know how she ended up with it."

"She probably stole it," he says with a laugh. "For as sweet as she is, she sure does break a rule or two, doesn't she?"

"Yeah," I say with a smile as I think of my funny little sister. "Look, if you tap it twice then it makes you calm, if you tap it three times it makes feel happy..."

He nods his head and then he hands the ball back to me. "Thank you for the offer," he says with a small smile tugging on the corner of his lips. "But we feel pain for a reason, and this is a pain I deserve to feel."

"Did you really hurt those muggles, Dad?" I ask quietly as I glance at him out of the corner of my eye.

He sighs again, a long a drawn out sigh. "I wish I could tell you no."

"Are they okay?"

"They're alive," he answers seriously as he stares at my wall. "You might want to go to St. Mungo's sometime today and see your brother." He stands up and puts his hands in his pockets. "You are an uncle now."

With that he leaves and I watch him go with a frown on my lips. When he's totally gone, I take the box back out so I can stare at the necklace some more. I do need to talk to Gavin anyways, and a part of me really doesn't believe he's a father. I'll believe that when I see it. I should go to St. Mungo's... It would be the right thing to do right now so I put the necklace away again and I leave my room so I can go down stairs. Halfway down the hallway I hear a loud bang and then a scream that makes my heart stop. I listen for a few moments as the silence becomes deafening and then I start running when I hear my mother's scream again. It's coming from downstairs and I hop down the stairs three at the time so I can make it to the library. I notice many little things on my way there.

The front door is blasted wide open.

There are muddy footprints all over the floors.

In the library, the windows are open and rain is falling in from the sky outside. No one is in here, it's silent, and I can't find Mom.

I look around and spot a stunned house-elf by the door, so I take out my wand and wake her up.

"Are you alright?" I ask the tiny creature as it's big eyes blink up at me and then it jumps to it's feet in a panicked kind of way. "Calm down," I tell it as I put my hand on it's tiny shoulder. "What happened? Where's my Mother?"

It blinks it's large eyes and glances nervously around the room.

"Who stunned you?" I ask seriously as I try to make eye contact with it so it will answer my question. "Is my father still home?"

"No, no, no, sir. The master left before the others came!"

"The others," I repeat back and it nods its head before moaning and pulling on it's ears.

"I is a bad elf!" It says as she turns around and starts banging it's head against the wall. "I is a bad elf!"

"Why are you bad?" I snap back because I really have no patience for this right now. "Where is my Mother?" It doesn't answer so I grab it's shoulders and force it to face me. "Where is my Mom?"

It doesn't answer, it starts chewing on it's knuckles.

"Where is my Mother!"

"Is is a bad elf, I is a bad elf...."

It keeps on repeating that line over and over again and I'm too preoccupied with it that I notice too late the there is another person in the room.

_**Gavin**_

Emma Josephine Malfoy.

She's small. Uncommonly small and so very fragile that I fear I may break her if I breathe too deeply, or hold her the wrong way. She's kind of boring too, if I was being completely honest with myself. She doesn't do much and I find myself just staring at her as she sleeps, wondering when she'll actually start doing something of interest.

"Do you like the name?"

I glance up from the baby as Addison sits up in the bed. Of course, she looks a mess, with her hair pulled back in a messy ponytail, dressed only in a pale green hospital gown. C sections are major surgery in the magical world, and she's still coming down from the drugs.

"Yes," I say even though I think I would have liked any name she chose just as long as Malfoy was at the end. Except, perhaps, Gertrude... I would have really hated Gertrude.

"Have you checked her hair yet?" she asks and I shake my head as I look back down at the tiny baby resting in the crook of my arms. She smells new too, like something clean and warm. "Bring her here," she says as she lifts her arms. I go over and gently place the baby... Our daughter.. Into her arms. My movements are careful and cautious. I don't want to hurt her. "Look," she says as she pulls back the small baby hat to show a tuft of curly blond hair. "The nurses keep commenting on how thick it is." She looks at me and gives me a watery smile. "Like yours."

"This doesn't even seem real," I say out loud as I stare at her again. What in the hell am I going to do now? "This..." I look at Addison as she tilts her head to the side. She's not wearing makeup and her eyelashes are as light as her hair, making her seem so young. "I don't know what to do now."

She tugs on my hand until I'm sitting down beside her on the bed and she places the baby back in my arms. "I'm scared too," she admits softly as she runs her fingers over the baby's cheek. "But she is beautiful, isn't she?"

To be completely honest, she looks a little red and puffy.... but I was convinced she was the most beautiful thing I had ever seen. "Yes, she is," I say quietly as my heart thumps against my rib cage. I felt strange, like I had stepped into someone else's life entirely or that someone was playing a cruel joke on me. I couldn't decide which. "Emma," I say the name out loud for the first time as I stare down at the baby. "Emma Malfoy." I bite my lip. "Where did you get Josephine?" I ask curiously as I put my finger under her small hand and I study her finger nails. How strange that she has such perfectly formed little finger nails.

She shrugs as she sits back again. "I just thought it was pretty."

"It is pretty," I tell her seriously and then I look into her eyes. "Thank you for not naming her after your mother."

She laughs and then she brings her hand out to touch my arm. "I'm sorry that she was so cruel to you," she says and I sigh as I remember the scolding I received from the banshee when I arrived. "She was just a little frazzled."

"She used to love me so," I muse with a little smirk before I go back to staring at the baby, who doesn't seem to care that I'm out right gawking at her.

"Yes, and I'm afraid her feelings towards you are my fault," she says and I glance at her. "I never told her what I did... Why we stopped talking, and she just got so angry with you... Thinking you had abandoned me. I'm sorry," she says and then her eyes start to tear up. She's going to cry.

Great.

"I messed up so bad and we're too young for this," she says with a sob and I furrow my brows as she cries. "Gavin, I am so sorry about everything."

She hiccups after a rather pathetic sob and the baby in my arms cracks her eyes open. I give her a soft smile because I don't want the first thing she sees from me to be a what the fuck scowl. "It's okay," I tell her offhandedly as I look down at the little girl in my arms. My eyes rest on Addison again and I lean across the bed to place a kiss on her lips. "We'll figure it out," I say as I stand up and walk over to the window with my daughter. "I have a townhouse now," I tell her as I stare down at the baby. "I would prefer you come and stay with me. We don't have to stay in the same room or anything, but I'd rather we stay together in the beginning."

I think a part of me can understand my father now, I can understand why my mother stayed, why Arthur Weasley wrote me that letter when I was in school... I'm pretty sure right at this moment I understand everything.

"How's everything going in here?" A nurse with curly hair enters the room and starts checking things off on a chart as I turn around. "You have another visitor, would you like me to send him in?"

"Who is it?" I ask and the nurse gives me a smile. "Why, your father."

"He can come in," I say, taking charge because no one I think is unworthy will come into this room.

My father comes in looking much older than he ever has before and he's carrying a strange box. He looks at Addison and then at me, flicking his eyes down to the bundle in my arms.

"You came back," I state because he came with me when I first came here but he left.

"I did," he says as he puts the box on the ground and he walks further into the room. Addison gives him a welcoming smile. "I told your mother. I suspect she will be here soon." He looks at Addison again. "How are you doing?"

"Well," she says softly. "I'm tired though."

"I bet," he says gently and the he looks at me.

"Do you want to hold her?" I ask as he takes a seat in one of the chairs against the wall. He nods his head. "Wash your hands first," I tell him and gives me an amused smile before walking over to the sink and doing what I asked him.

He sits back down on the chair and I walk over to put his first grandchild in his arms. "What did you name her?" he asks I place the baby in his hands as he crosses his legs and sits back. I guess he would be a seasoned pro at holding babies by now after having four of his own children.

He seems more comfortable with it than I am.

I look at Addison. Her eyes are starting to droop shut and her head leans down to one side. She really is tired. "Emma," I tell him as I kneel in front of him and I put my hand on the baby's head.

"That's a good name," he says with a nod of his head and I smile a little. "I stopped by Diagon Ally before I came," he tells me seriously. "I figured you didn't have anything, so I ordered some things that you'll need and I had them shipped to your place."

"Thank you," I tell him because I haven't really thought about that yet. I haven't really thought about a lot of things concerning this moment.

"Consider it a gift," he says as he studies the little girl's face. He's just as fascinated with her as I am and he puts his finger down so her hand will curl around it. "She looks like you," he says as he glances at me. "When you were a baby, you looked just like this."

"So, she's going to be pretty," I say with a small smile and he smirks at me.

"Of course, she's a Malfoy," he replies smugly and I laugh. Dad looks at Addison and I follow his movements. She's officially asleep now and I watch as she turns on her side with a sigh. "Be nice to her, Gavin," Dad says in a whisper. "She's the mother of your child now."

"I know," I say softly as I stand up.

"I should leave so she can rest," he says as he stands as well and hands the baby back to me. "I have something for you," he says as he looks at the box he brought in with him.

Another nurse comes back in, they're always coming in and out, and when she sees that Addison is asleep she turns to me. "Do you want me to take her back?" she asks. "She probably wants to eat."

I look at my Dad and, even though a part of me doesn't want to hand her over, I know I need to talk with him. "Okay," I say and I place a gentle kiss on her cheek before giving her to the nurse. I feel something odd pressing on my chest as she carries the baby out and when they're gone I look to my father who's looking at me with a strange expression on his face that makes me feel very exposed.

"Her mother will probably be coming back soon," I say as I nod to Addison.

"Let's talk in the hallway then," Dad states. "I want to avoid that beast at all costs."

We find an empty waiting room hallway and take a seat on the blue plastic chairs. Dad looks around for a few moments before handing the box to me."Give this to them," he tells me seriously as he leans forward to put his full attention on our conversation. "But be very careful. I put a very powerful spell on this dress, so don't go putting it on or anything," he says and I scoff.

"I'm not going to attempt to put on a silky dress," I tell him indigently. I'm pleased that he found the dress, though. It takes a weight off of my mind so I won't have to worry about Mom.

"I dead serious about this, Gavin," he says as he takes off the lid to reveal a silver silky dress inside. "After you give them this, get out of there, and you'll never go back. I can handle it from there."

"I'm not incompetent," I tell him sternly as I look into his silver eyes. "Are you sure this is the dress?" I say as I glare down at the silver fabric. "I thought it was a white wedding dress. This doesn't look anything like the picture."

"It is... It's just been changed a little," he says. "Just give them what they want and leave."

"I can do more than help. I know before I was weak, but now...."

"Now you have a daughter you have to worry about," he says gently as he places his hand on the back of my neck. "And I have to worry about you. So do as I say."

I nod my head and take the box. "I will."

"I love you," he says as he pulls hand back and he stands up.

"I love you too," I mutter quietly as I put the lid on the box and feel it's weight against my lap.

"I imagine your brother will be stopping by soon too." I nod. "I would also suggest writing to your sister's so they can hear they have a niece from you and not the papers."

"Yes..." I trail off as he walks away and I stand as well.

First things first, now that I'm a father I have some business to clean up. I reluctantly leave St. Mungo's and I Apparate to a tiny basement in Knockturn Alley where there's a heavy lock on the door to keep people out... and one particular person in.... I unlock the door and walk down the narrow stair way in the damp cellar that smells like water and earth. When I reach the ground floor, I put the box on the table, and look at Pansy. She squints her eyes against the light that comes in after I turn on one of the gas lamps.

"Oh, have you come to kill me?" she says with a sneer as her dirty face becomes visible to me. "I have to say you are much better to look than that troll you've been sending me."

"I'm going to let you go," I tell her solidly. "But I am going to erase your memories first."

"Typical," She says as she sits on the old dirty mattress and crosses her legs. When I told Kelvin to do whatever he had to get information out of her, I left it all in his hands and I'm kind of surprised that he chose this place to take her. It's so random. "What's in the box?" She nods towards the box on the table and I glare.

"Stop talking."

"Let me see it," she says as she stands up, her hair a matted mess around her skull. "You had your little friend bully me into telling him my secrets, so I think it's only fair that I get a present."

"You're unbelievable," I snap because even though a part of me feels guilty for my involvement in this... I don't feel guilty enough to not be disgusted by her.

"No, you're unbelievable, you little brat," she walks over to me and snatches the box off of the table. I glare as she throws the lid off and takes out the dress. I take out my brother's wand so I can stun her. "What the hell are you doing with this?" she asks as she runs the silver silk between her fingers. "Present for Mommy?" she sneers as she looks at me.

"Give it back."

"Give me a break," she snaps. "I've been in this dirty basement for weeks, so cut me some slack."

"You're lucky I don't kill you," I tell her seriously as I go to grab the dress. "Give the goddamn thing back."

"You wouldn't kill me," she says and then she smirks at me. "You don't have it in you. You couldn't even torture me properly, you had to send that acne riddled child to do your dirty work. Tell me, did my information help you at all? Did you finally meet her?"

"Meet who?" I snap angrily and she smiles.

"You know who. I told that stupid boy about that meeting in hopes that you would find your way to her. Did she tell you..." She trails off and looks down at the dress again. "Oh! Is this the dress?" she asks and her eyes light up. "What have you done with it?" she snaps hatefully as she holds it up to the light. "What the hell happened to her dress?"

I lift my wand at her chest. "Give. It. Back."

"I can't believe this is the dress. Do you have any idea how powerful this is?" she says as she starts striping out of her clothes. "God, I could learn so many secrets," she says as she runs over to the shattered mirror along the wall as she throws her clothes on the ground.

"Stop it," I snap as she lets her skirt slide to the floor. "Give it back, you stupid bitch."

She pauses and glares at me. "Watch your mouth, child," she says before gathering up the hem of the dress so she can put it on.

I'm going to stun her, and then I'm going to erase her memories and leave her some where in muggle London. That sounds fair. I prepare for the curse as she puts the dress over her head. It slides around her arms and down her body in one fluid motion and she smiles as she runs her fingers over the fabric.

"Why, hello," she says to the mirror and I stop the curse when I hear a different voice answer back.

"Who the hell are you?"

I blink a few times before walking towards the broken mirror so I can see who the fuck just answered her. As Pansy smirks and runs her hands over the silky material, I glance into the looking glass and see a young woman with coal black and hair and deeply hooded eyes.

"What the fuck?" I say out loud and the girl in the mirror looks at me and then she tilts her head to the side.

"Don't mind him," Pansy says to the mirror like she was a girl on Christmas morning. "It's an honor. I'm most faithful---"

BOOM!

I get thrown back from the explosion and my head thumps against the damp brick wall. I feel wetness on the back of my head and I sit up quickly with my wand gripped in my hand as I try to figure out what the hell just happened. My ears are ringing and I'm disoriented for a few moments before I find my footing and I stand up on wobbly legs as I bring my hand up to my hair. When I pull back to have a look, there's blood on my hand and I wince at the throbbing pain as I look around the room. Pansy's gone and I furrow my brows as I look down at my white shirt. There are red specks all over it. I feel splatter on my face as well and I bring my hand up to wipe off a chunk of something that's on my cheek. What the hell? I walk over to the mirror in my confusion and I look at my reflection where I saw the dark haired woman a moment ago. It looks like blood. I'm covered in blood and the mirror is too. Hanging from a jagged corner of the mirror is a little scrap of silver fabric. I pick it up and run it through my fingers, knowing that this came from the dress and I glance around the room at the other remnants of Pansy White and that stupid dress.

"Oh..." I say out loud as I look around and realize what just happened. Disgusting.

I hate blood, and I stop myself from gagging as I cover my mouth with my hand.

This must be why Dad stressed to me not to mess with the dress.

I look down at my bone fragment by my foot as I feel sick.

Fuck. Me.

_**Evelyn **_

My new tactic is to keep busy and to not sleep. It's not working out well for me, actually. I'm finding it quite difficult to not sleep considering humans usually do it every night, but I don't want to miss our field trip because of the stupid old dreams I keep having. Jeremiah wanted me to go the hospital wing after he found me unconscious in the hallway, but I talked him out of it even though I know a part of me should tell someone what's been happening, I just couldn't because... well.... Today we're going to the zoo for Care of Magical Creatures class and I wouldn't be able to go if people thought I was crazy! So, if I can hold off until after our field trip then I suppose I'll tell my Mom or something like that. I'm finding if I keep busy then they don't come as often.

"What are you going to wear today?" Yasmine asks as I pack my bag for the trip.

"It's going to get pretty chilly out today," I answer as I put on a pink zip up hoodie. "I would bring something warm."

She nods her head and goes to get her jumper as I look around for my brown mary janes. I get down on my hands and knees so I can check under my bed and I narrow my eyes when I see them... On Janice. I pull out and sit on my knees as I stare at her. "Are those mine?" I ask as she puts on her coat.

"You said I could have them," she says nonchalantly as she pulls her hair into a pony tail.

"Did I?" I say tightly as she nods her head.

I expel an annoyed breath before going over to my trunk to find a new pair of shoes. I don't remember saying she could have them... I remember letting her borrow them a week ago. I pull out my white trainers as I send a furtive look around the room. She's wearing my earrings, she's wearing my make up, she's wearing my shirt.... I look back at my trunk and I smile at the chuckling chocolates I have bagged up towards the bottom. I decided since things were so crazy with me, I would skip out on giving the candies to them during the test. I guess I was feeling merciful.... but not today.

"Does anyone want some chocolate?" I ask lightly as I pull the bag of star shaped chocolates out of my trunk. "My Mom sent them to me from Belgium."

"Oh, I would!"

"Me too."

"Can I have two?"

I smirk deviously... or what I hope is deviously, anyways, as I load the girls up with the chocolates. I make sure my bag is packed and my hair is braided as we leave the dormitory to meet everyone in the front hallway after every last star shaped treat is consumed by my dorm mates. All of the grades have to meet for roll call before we head towards the train and my roommates start giggling and laughing so loud that the professors become distracted.

"Will the fourth year Slytherin girls please keep it down," Professor Grubbly-Plunk snaps as she looks down at the long list of names that are going on the trip. They keep on laughing and I slowly distance myself from them so I don't get in trouble as well. "I'm serious, ladies. If you don't quiet down you'll have to wait on the train while we go to the zoo."

They can't quiet down, though. The chuckling chocolates that Jay had so masterfully made would only allow them to think that everything was hilariously funny. I was quite smug as they got yelled at and I walked by myself as we all left the school for the train platform. Before we got on, the professor's handed out brightly colored cloaks to each house that we were all forced to wear. Hufflepuffs had a highlighter yellow color that hurt my eyes, Ravenclaws had electric blue, and the Gryffindors were given a bright red color that looked more like hot pink. Us Slytherin's were handed a neon green cloak that I frowned at because it would do nothing for my complexion. If I was tan it would look nice and I send a bitter thought to my mother as I remember all the sun blocking charms she would put on me when ever I was home.

It's her fault I'm so pale.

I end up sitting by myself on the train and I play with the wooden necklace Cass had given me as I think about things. I wonder if Xavier will stay true to his promise and show up at the zoo. When I wrote to him and told him I would be there, he replied that he would find his way there as well so we could finally see each other. Perhaps I'd be able to sneak away from the group to spend some much needed time with him. The door slides open and I glance at Jeremiah as he waves and sits across from me. I smile back. Beside him is the leach that I had promised to tolerate because I'm a good person and all that rot, so I smile at her as well even though it is painful.

"The Zoo should be fun," The leach says with a twinkling laugh as she looks through her notes that we were encouraged to bring with us so we could spot the different animals. I shift my blue bag so it's beside me and look out the window. "I am so looking forward to seeing the unicorns."

"I would like to see the tigers," I comment as I look out at the rolling hills. I still have my heart set on a tiger cub. I believe Nero would love it.

"I bet she's going to make us write a paper on it," Jay says crossly as he slumps down in his seat and I cross my legs Indian style so I'm sitting on my feet. "School can never just be fun."

"You love school work," I remind him as he chews on his thumb nail. "I don't understand why you're complaining, you were absolutely giddy when we had to write that essay on Boggarts last year."

A small smile cracks his lips because he knows that's true but the leach decides to speak. "That's because boggarts are interesting, aren't they, Jay?" she asks with her back straight like an annoying arrow as she looks at him. "I agree with him that it will be terribly dull to write a paper after such an exciting day trip."

"I bet you do," I mutter bitterly as I look back out the window. I will be civil to her... I will be civil to her... I will be...

"So, Evelyn. Jeremiah tells me you've been keeping in touch with Xavier. How is he liking the dance company?" She's trying to be civil too and give her a small smile.

"He loves it very much. He gets paid to do what he loves and he has a tutor to help him finish with his studies." I look away and smile at the glass of the window. "I do wish I was there now. I bet I would love it terribly."

"I would miss you," Jeremiah says earnestly and I send him a little smile before turning away so I can avoid the scathing look Kendra is trying to hide. She starts talking to Jeremiah about jewelry and I close my eyes and lean my head against the back of the leather seat as I think of all the animals we're going to see today. Maybe they'll let us ride a hippogriff while we're there. Oh, I would love that!

"We're here!" Kendra the leach jumps up excitedly and runs to the window to look out at the zoo that the train is chugging by to get to the platform. "What a great day this will be!"

Everyone gets up to leave the train, but Jeremiah tugs on my hand as Kendra leaves the compartment. I stop and turn my head to the side as he holds onto my wrist.

"Are you feeling okay?"

I smile. He can be quite endearing when he's worried. "I assure you I am fine."

He licks his lips before looking away. "Evelyn..."

"Hey, come on, you two," Kendra calls to us and Jeremiah immediately drops my hand. "We're going to be last in line!"

The girls are still giggling when I stand with the rest of the brightly cloaked green slytherins and I smirk to myself as they get another scolding. They have to sit out as the rest of us turn in our wands at the desk so we can enter the park. "Now, stay with your house, and keep your cloaks on!" Madam Diddles announces. Right, like that's going to happen.

I have to say goodbye to Jeremiah as the Hufflepuffs get pulled off to the left and I follow my fellow syltherins as we follow the tour guide to the right, towards the penguins and polar bears. There is nothing remotely magical or interesting about either of those things and I scowl to myself as we walk there. I follow grumpily as the teacher gives us a pamphlet on penguins and how cool they are or what not and we all stand around the glass enclosure as they swim in the water and stare at each other like the boring creatures that they are. I lean against a tree and I cross my arms in boredom as she tells us about their mating habits and the food that they eat. What's the point of being a bird if you can't fly? There is no point, I'll tell you that right now. Penguins are just about as boring as fish are... and fish are pretty flipping yawn inducing.... but at least they taste good. You can't even eat a penguin... Out of the corner of my eye I spot some movement and my heart leaps when I see Xavier standing there, looking around him with a furrowed brow.

He came!

I am totally ditching this.

I carefully take off my neon green cloak and I stuff it under a bench as the teacher goes on and on about nothing remotely interestin. I send one more sly look towards the group before running towards him. He finally sees me as I go barreling down the pavement and I must say he looks rather surprised to see me running after him in such a way. I'm just so happy to see him! When I get to him, I wrap my arms around his neck and I jump. Now, I know he and I have had our ups and downs... Mostly downs... and I know that we weren't that couple... but I just felt like being romantic. After having to listen to Jay and the leach for the past month I felt like I deserved a little sap.

"I'm so happy to see you," I tell him happily as I rain kisses around his face with my legs wrapped around his waist. He seems a little stunned, the poor thing, but he holds me securely by my waist so I won't fall.

"People are staring," he says softly as he looks around and I let my feet drop with a sigh.

"Was it hard for you to find? How did you get here?"

"We had a free day," he says softly as he looks around again, seeming to be embarrassed by my display, but I don't care.

"You must tell me everything," I tell him as I take his hand and start tugging him along. "I want to know all about what you've been doing and the people you've met. Oh, I bet it is wonderful. You must enjoy it so much. I bet..."

Someone interrupts me, some deep voice I don't recognize in a language I don't know how to speak. I stop talking and look behind me at the boy in torn up denims and a black t shirt. He has a short black Mohawk and a stud in his nose as well as a tatoo on his neck of a skull. He's very rough looking and the snob in me turns up it's nose at his attire. He says something again to Xavier and I crunch my eyebrows.

"Who is this?" I ask cautiously. I think he's speaking Russian. Now, Russian is one of those languages I don't happen to know.

Xavier sighs and then he looks at me. "Dzis is Josef," he says gently. "He is a part of dze company as well."

"From Russia?" I ask. Josef nods his head and then he makes a weird hand gesture as he sticks out his tongue before saying something with a smirk. I send a confused to look to Xavier who pales the slightest bit. "What does that mean? What did he just say?"

He gulps and then he smiles tightly at me. "He dzinks you're pretty..."

I pout because I'm pretty sure that wasn't what it was and then I realize why he was probably a little more than startled that I came running at him like a lunatic. "Hey," I say with my brows furrowed as I think. "Are you my boyfriend, then?" I've always been quite blunt. I can't help that.

"Oh, er..." he looks flustered for a moment so I decide to end the misery.

"Of course you are," I tell him because I have made the decision for him. "And I am your girlfriend and I want to go see the tigers."

I start tugging him and the rough looking Josef follows as well, mumbling Russian things I can't understand under his breath. He's not a pleasant person, but then again, neither is the boy I'm currently holding hands with so perhaps they compliment each other well. I nearly start running when we reach the tiger enclosure of the park and I drop Xavier's hand as I run over to the railing so I can look down at the rocky landscape that's supposed to be home to two white tigers and a small tiger cub. Oh, I want one so badly.

The boys behind me start speaking to each other in hushed voices and I hear Xavier tell Josef to be quite in a French so I look over my shoulder and raise my eyebrows as he walks over to me. "What's that all about?" I ask as Josef smirks and walks to another part of the fence.

"He is not very polite about women," he says quietly and then he tugs down on the bottom of my shirt. "And your panties were showing."

"Oh," I say and I don't even blush as I shrug it off and turn back to the tigers. "Oh, look, there's a baby," I say as I stand up on the railing so I can get a better look at it. "I want a baby tiger," I tell Xavier as I watch it bounce along the rocks below. "I would name him Jeffery and he would be my best friend and... oh damn!"

When I was messing with my necklace, I must have messed with the clasp, because it came off and fell down into the tiger in enclosure. "No," I say as it lands with a thud against the rocks below. "My brother gave me that," I say as I turn my eyes to Xavier who's looking at me seriously. That's one of the only things I own that actually matters to me. "Do you think if we tell someone they can get it out?" We all had to turn in our wands at the front gate because magic could scare the animals but I wish I had mine right now because I could just levitate that necklace out of there.

"I do not know," he admits and then he glances over my shoulder, widening his eyes in shock.

"What is it?" I ask as I look over my shoulder as well. My mouth drops open when I see that Russian guy climbing into the enclosure. "Your friend is insane!" I say as I watch him jump from rock to rock until he gets down to the pit where my necklace is laying.

The Russian looks up and smiles at us as he says something that I can't understand. "What did he just say?" I ask with a panicked voice as I watch one of the other tigers in the distance get up and start walking towards him.

"He's going to get your necklace." He comments and I widen my eyes as the punk picks it up and winks up at me.

"What is wrong with him?" I snap as people around us start to notice him and what he's doing. They gasp and one little girl screams as the tiger approaches the stupid Russian while he starts climbing back up the rocks. "Oh, hurry up, you. You are going to get eaten by a tiger and no one here has their wands!" I glance at Xavier. "Tell your friend to come out of there."

"He's coming," he says worriedly as the tiger begins to speed up his steps.

The Russian hops out of the enclosure with a smug smile on his face and I run over to him with my fists clench at my sides. "Are you crazy!" I yell when I'm close enough. I hit his arm as hard as I can. "That tiger would have eaten you!"

"Da," he says, or that's what it sounds like anyways, and he hands me the necklace. I snatch it away from him with a scowl. He says something to me, but I don't understand it so I ignore him. Stupid old Russian.

"_Don't you like it here?"_

I freeze when I here that familiar voice in my head and close my eyes as I try to think of something else.

_"I think it has a certain chic quality to it, wouldn't you say?"_

"No," I say as I shake my head. "No. No. No. No."

"Evie, what is wrong?" Xavier asks as I bring my hands up to my ears to cover them like that would do any good. I glance around at the all the people that are all already staring at us because of the Russian. I don't want to have an episode in front of all these people, so I look at Xavier with an uncomfortable smile.

"I have to go to the bathroom," I tell him before running off.

The closest place I find is the Aquarium, and I find a deserted corner by one of the large fish tanks towards the back. I make sure no one is around me as I slump against the wall. I stop and sink down to the floor with my head in my hands and my necklace gripped between my fingers as the voice hammers into my head. I'm stupid stupid stupid stupid. I should have told someone and now I'm stuck in the middle of the zoo with one of these terrible head aches. It would be embarrassing if someone found out this way.

_"Don't be frightened, Andromeda."_

"Not right now," I snap at the voice in my mind. "I'm at the zoo!"

_"It will only hurt for a second... or two."_ Bella laughs and when I close my eyes again, I'm in a dark damp large ceiling cave.

I see water and jagged rocks coming up from the freezing depths... and I see Bella. A demented looking Bella with a white streak in her hair is laughing at the woman across from her. The woman looks familiar. She looks like Bella only a little older with lighter hair.

"Stop this, Bellatrix."

"You know, sister, you really did get a raw deal in all of this," she says as she circles the other woman. The hem of her dress is damp from the water and her heels are clicking against the rocks. "Husband dead, daughter dead, son in law dead, grandson... dead."

The woman inhales deeply. "What did you do to Teddy?" She demands hatefully with liquid fire in her veins. "Where's Teddy!" She yells and it echoes off the walls.

"Don't you remember?" Bella asks with her wand tapping against her mouth. "Oh, you poor dear. You don't, do you?"

"What are you talking about? Stop messing with me, Bella. Where is my grandson?"

"Why, you killed him," she says flatly and the woman narrows her eyes. "I must say, you barely even fought the imperious curse, but your poor grandson," she clicks her tongue. "He fought. Who knew a toddler was so strong. You had to practically hold him down."

"Why are you doing this?" the woman asks in a broken voice. She crosses her arms in a protective gesture and scoots further back into the water until she's ankle deep. "What in the hell is wrong with you!"

"Nothing is wrong with me," she replies with her head tilted in a curious angle. "Why does everyone ask me that?"

"What happened to you, Bellatrix?" her sister asks fiercely. "What happened that you turned out this way? Did father not hug you enough? Wereyou that angry that I got the Lucy Lovely doll before you did? Why are you like this! Were you just born bad?"

Bella just stares at her and then she smiles. "He screamed, you know," she says and Andromeda glares. "Old Teddy Tonks screamed before I cut his throat."

"You stupid bitch," the woman sneers before attacking. They fall onto the ground and Bella's eyes widen in surprise as her sister starts to punch and kick at her.

The other woman freezes when they reach a bump in the water and I narrow my eyes as something floats to the surface. "What..." she says as she pushes away from Bellatrix and grabs the thing surfacing beside her. I cover my mouth when I see a little boy, a toddler, with blue skin and dead eyes. I feel like I a may throw up as Andromeda hugs the body to her chest as she begins crying. "What did you do?" she snaps as she rocks the baby and back and forth and I close my eyes.

"What did you do?" Bellatrix counters back with a cold smile she watches her sister holding the dead toddler.

"You killed him, you killed him... you killed him," the other woman cries as she holds the soaking child against her chest and cries against his neck. This is sad, and I feel tears prickling my own eyes.

"You killed him," Bellatrix repeats back to her. "You held him down, you killed him. You're a murderer."

The other woman stands up and carefully puts the little boy down on the dry rocks, combing his hair out of his face and tying his shoe laces. He's wearing denim over alls with a little train stitched on the front and she makes sure they're straight too.. I feel my lower lip trembling as the woman kisses his forehead.

"Aw, this is sweet," Bellatrix says as she stands and tilts her head to the side as she watches. I glare at her, and so does the other woman.

She attacks again and they roll around in the shallow water until Bellatrix finds her wand and blasts her sister under the chin with the killing curse, making her head snap back with a sickening crunch. When she slumps off, Bella stands up and dust off her dress with a little smile on her face and then she walks to one of the rocks and pulls out a white box from it's hiding place. She carefully walks back to the dead body of her older sister and opens the lid, smiling down at the lacy pearl wedding dress inside.

"Hello, darling," she says as she sets the box on the ground. "I have a surprise for you. You're lucky, Andromeda," she says. She stares at the dress as she talks to the dead woman on the floor. "You're going to be my first." She bends down, kneeling over her sister and gently smoothing a piece of hair away from her face. "I think I was born bad," she says conversationally as the dead body loses all it's color, lips going pale and skin turning blue just like the baby lying a few feet away. "But I don't want to go to hell. There's some humanity in that, don't you think? I don't want to go hell," she says with a decisive nod of her head. "But I know heaven won't have me... So I'm kind of stuck here, aren't I? I have to do something, don't I? I mean _he_ did and he is the greatest wizard that has ever lived. He will always live." She sits back on her heels and sighs loudly. "I believe he's afraid of hell too." She smiles then, like she was thinking of something pleasant and then she pats her dead sister's head before standing up. "Let's get started, then."

"Evie..." I blink. "Evie, are you alright?"

I feel hands cupping my face and I open my eyes. Staring right at me is Xavier and he looks very troubled.

"Are you okay?" he whispers as he looks over my face. "Tears," he whispers as he wipes a few away from my cheek.

My lower lip starts to tremble because I am most definitely not okay. "I'm tired," I admit with a sob. "I am so tired."

He kisses my nose, my forehead, my cheek, and then he pulls me close. He sits on the floor and pulls me on his lap as I grip the front of his shirt. "Shh.." he says like I was a child as I tuck my face into the crook of his neck. "What happened?"

"I keep on having this headaches," I say against his skin. "And I keep on seeing these things. I don't know what to do."

"'ave you told anyone?" he asks, his accent sounding thick to my ears because he seems frazzled.

"Who am I going to tell?" I snap as I try to control my breathing. "I don't even know what's going on and I don't want to be sent off to St. Mungo's like they did with Cassius."

"You need to tell someone," he says gently as his fingers curl in my hair. "It is not right what you said. Dzat does not happen to people."

"That's what Jay said," I mutter into his skin as I let him hold me.

"When did you tell him," he asks sharply, his i's sounding more like double ee's the more he speaks to me.

"About a week and a half ago." His muscles tense and I lift my head from his shoulder so I can see his face. My eyes are uncomfortably dry nowbecause I refuse to cry. "What is it?" He doesn't answer me. He just tightens his jaw and I bring my hand up so I can tilt his face towards mine.

"Why do you look so angry?"

"Evelyn, Jesus Christ, what are you doing?"

I snap my head towards the doorway as Jeremiah comes in, with Kendra trailing behind him, holding his hand. They're both wearing the neon cloaks that look terrible on them. Although, Kendra's is blue.... I sigh. I love blue.

"Everyone is looking for you," he sends an irritated look to Xavier as I climb off of his lap and we both stand. "They're sending out staffers to try to find you."

"Oh," is all I say as I look behind me at Xavier as he stares blankly at Jeremiah.

"Where's your cloak?" Kendra asks as she eyes the boy behind me. I remember when she used to have a crush on him... and I remember whenI tried to hook them up. I wonder what she thinks about him now. "Were you two back here snogging?"

"Non," Xavier says coldly and then he steps out in front of me, staring at Jeremiah with that odd blank face again.

"You seem upset," Jeremiah says as he studies my face and he frowns. My eyebrows shoot up in surprise when Xavier pushes him in the chest.

"Hey!" I say as he pushes him again until he hits the wall. "Stop doing that," I say as I pull back his arm but he shrugs me off as he gets in Jeremiah's face and spits out a few very angry words in French.

"What is his problem?" Jeremiah says as he tries to push him back. "What did he just say?"

"Get off of him!" Kendra slides in front of Jeremiah and punches Xavier in the arm. I widen my eyes again. "You leave him alone, you nasty old French brute."

"Don't call him that," I snap at her and then I look at the boys. "Everyone just stop fighting!" I yell as Xavier looks murderous. "It's fine. Everything's fine." I say as Xavier continues to mutter in French.

"What is he saying?" Jeremiah asks as he looks at me with a worried tilt of his brows.

"Hey," I say gently as I take Xavier's hand and I pull him back. "It's alright," I say because he keeps on saying that Jeremiah should have toldsomeone, that this should have been fixed. "It's not his problem. I convinced him I was fine."

"You are not fine." he snaps as he faces me. "You are not fine. You said you are tired. You look tired and you look very dzin."

"I always look thin," I admit and he shakes his head.

"Non, you look very dzin. Like a er..." he moves his hand as he tries to come up with the right world, his English failing him in his anger. "You look like... a skeleton."

"Thanks," I say sarcastically because that wasn't exactly the nicest thing for a boyfriend to tell me.

"We're leaving," Kendra the leach says as she glares at Xavier and I snort, remembering when he made her cry at my birthday party. She goes to pull Jeremiah away like she is want to do, but he shakes his head and tugs his hand back.

"No, now, you listen here, you French toad," he says and I'm so surprised right now that I think this may be a dream as well. "The world doesn't revolve around you," he says, trying to make up for the pushes he received a little while ago.

Wrong thing to say.

Now, Xavier is very muscular. He's a dancer, and darn good one, which means just about every part of his body is well defined and solid rock.... Jay, on the other hand... poor skinny Jay.... I don't even think he has any muscles. The fight was a little one sided, so I knew I had to do something when they started punching each other... well, Xavier started punching and Jay just kind of tried to avoid it while sending a few sparse kicks and slaps where he could. It would have been comical if I didn't believe that Xavier actually meant bodily harm.

"Stop!" I snapped as I tried to pull them away from each other. "Stop fighting. This is ridiculous. Oh! Xavier you're going to hurt him. He's sensitive!"

I try to pull him off but they're rolling around on the ground like maniacs now so I stand back and cross my arms. "I'm going to get someone," I say to Kendra, not that she cares what I have to say anyways, but still. On the way out, I run into the Russian guy who takes one look at the crazies rolling around on the floor and he smiles before taking off his shirt and joining in.

"Oh. No, no no!" I say because two against Jeremiah is not fair at all. I can fight better than he can for goodness sakes. "Stop!"

They don't stop. They just keep on freaking fighting so I step back and I plug my ears before I scream with all my might.

When I open my eyes again, all three boys are staring at me. They're still all tangled up with each other and Jeremiah's eye is starting to swell. I frown as I walk over to him and I push the stupid Russian to the side as I help him to his feet.

"Are you okay?" I ask softly as I move curls out of his eyes to see it. It looks bad and I cringe as he winces when I touch it. "We need to get you to a teacher so they can heal this."

I don't care what Kendra is doing, so I ignore her as I take Jay's hand and I start walking him out of the room. I stop in the doorway to glare at Xavier. "You're bigger than he is," I snap angrily, I look at him long enough to get my point across and he pushes the Russian off of him before I walk away.

"I can't understand anything he's saying," Jeremiah says as we walk out of the aquarium and onto the pavement outside. "Why did he attack me?"

"You called him a French toad."

"He is a French toad," he mutters angrily and I shake my head.

"Evelyn Malfoy, where have you been?" Professor Grubbly-Plunk snaps at me when she sees me and then her eyes widen when she looks at Jeremiah. "And what happened to you, Mr. McCabe?"

I look at him to see if he's going to tell the truth and he brings a hand up to his face. "I fell," he lies and I roll my eyes.

"Can you heal him, Professor? I fear it's going to turn into a black eye."

"Oh, yes, come on then, McCabe," she says. She grabs his shoulder as she starts steering him towards a bench so she can heal him. I cross my arms as I glance around at my classmates who are all looking silly in the bright cloaks. I'm glad I took my off.

"Evie."

I turn around and glare at Xavier. "What do you want?" He doesn't say anything, he just stares at me and I sneer at the Russian who's a few feet behind him, leaning against a fence and lighting up a fag. "Why did you do that? You know Jeremiah wouldn't have been able to fight back."

"It is not my fault he is a coward in every sense," he states seriously and I snort.

"Please." I say with an eyeroll. "You're stronger than he is. No matter what you think on the matter, it was not right for you to attack him like you did and then that thing back there," I state, nodding to the Russian who's flicking his ashes all over the park, "felt the need to jump in too. You know how skinny Jeremiah is!"

"If he knew you were 'aving nightmares, he should 'ave told someone," he states flatly and I frown. "Dzat is not normal. Not in our world."

"I have to go back with my class," I state shortly and he exhales slowly.

"I am fine, by dze way," he snaps at me and I glare. "You didn't even ask. You were too busy worrying about him," he says before he spins around and takes off with the Russian smirking at me as he follows.

"Hmf."

The rest of my zoo visit kind of sucked and I was angry with myself because I was so looking forward to this field trip. On the train ride home I sit with some Slytherin girls a couple years older than me as Kendra coddles Jeremiah. A lot of good she did to stop the fight, I think bitterly, as I slump in my seat and pull my knees up to my chest as I roll my wand between my fingers. When we get back, it's lunch time and we all go into the great hall where the other students are already seated and ready to eat. I stand at the head of my table and look around. I'm not really hungry. I don't feel like eating... so I turn around and leave the hall.

I walk around the school for a while until I reach a very large and ornate looking door that I have never seen before. I walk by it a few more times before curiosity gets the better of me and I grab the handle to pull it open. It's not locked and I smile to myself as it creaks open to reveal a very unimpressive junk room. I frown as I step inside and I kick over a metal disk that's by my feet.

"What is this place?" I ask outloud as the door shuts behind me.

I jump because of it and I send a little look to the closed door before walking into the room and trying to figure out what the heck it is. There are empty bird cages, covered portraits, shelves of books, and wardrobes full of clothes.... It's like a room full of forgotten things and I run my fingers over a small marble statue of an elephant as I walk past it. What neat room.

There's a silver box on one of the tables and I carefully open the lid to reveal an array of beautiful necklaces. Pearls, diamonds, and every other kind of gem under the sun adorn the chains and I pick up a strand of pearls and hold it up to my neck. I need a mirror. I find one hidden under a sheet and I pull it off, sneezing at the dust that flies off as well. I shake it off and I look in the mirror. Xavier was right...I do look pale and awfully thin, but I try to ignore it as I put the pearls up to my neck to see how they would look on. My mother has a set of pearls and they always class up every outfit she wears... I wonder who they belong to. I pull them back so I can look at them in my hands and I snap my head towards the door when it creaks open again.

"I'm glad you came back.... Wait, what the fuck is this?" I recognize Lillith's voice and I crane my neck around the elephant statue so I can see her. "This isn't what I wanted."

"Harry says it changes all the time," the girl behind her says and when she steps around Lillith I smile when I see Chloe Flint. I didn't know she came back to school. "It is a little messy in here, though."

"Yeah, it is," Lillth says with a snobbish tilt of her nose. "Oh well."

"So, what did you want talk to me about?" Chloe asks as she messes with her short black hair. I like her hair cut, it looks very modern and cool and I glance at Lillith's hair because she changed it again. Now it's a bright orange color with blonde highlights.

Lillith hops onto an empty counter and smiles at Chloe. I should announce my presence.... but I kind want to see what she has to say because I know that look on Lillith's face. She knows some good gossip. "I heard you had an interesting birthday party this summer."

"Yeah," Chloe says as she leans against a dresser full of bottle caps and she crosses her arms. "How did you know?"

"I'm sorry I couldn't make it," she says. "I was busy, but a little bird told me you got some action."

Chloe stiffens. "What little bird?"

"I had no idea you were a dyke." I raise my eyebrows as Chloe narrows her eyes. "It makes so much sense now. The hair cut, the obsession with Quidditch.... but Lavinia Malfoy.. Really?"

"What's wrong with her?" Chloe snaps and I furrow my brows at my sister's name.

"Well, first off, she's probably the straightest and most tight laced girl that ever went to this school." Chloe makes a face and Lillith smiles. "Come on, she used to measure her knee socks to make sure they were the correct height."

"She never did that," Chloe mutters as she pushes off the dresser and starts walking around, messing with the random things littering the room.

"Maybe not, but she did color code her clothes and she polished her shoes every night."

"She's just particular about things," she replies lightly. "But it doesn't matter. She's with my brother and she's still my best mate." Chloe looks over her shoulder at Lillith with a strange spark in her eyes. "And don't call me dyke again, you bitch."

Lillith smiles... Chloe smiles... and something weird passes between them that I don't understand because Lillith hops off the table and walks over to her.

And then they start kissing.

I widen my eyes and step back in shock because I've never seen two girls kissing before and they were getting into it. I didn't want to be stuck seeing things I knew I shouldn't, so I coughed loudly as Chloe brought her hand up to tangle in Lillith's orange hair. I coughed loudly again because they didn't hear me and it's ignored again as Lillith brings her hand down to Chloe's... .

"Okay, hey, I've over here!" I call and they snap away from each other as I wave my hand. "Sorry about wrecking the moment. I'll leave and then you continue doing... that..." I state awkwardly as I walk over to them.

Chloe looks a little bashful but Lillith just seems a little amused.

"So.... yeah..." I trail off and I realize I'm still holding the pearls, so I set them in one of the empty bird cages. "I'm just going to go. Have fun."

"Why are you in here, Evelyn?" Chloe asks as she takes a step closer to me and studies my face.

"Just walking around and such," I state because I really don't like the look Lillith is giving me. We're the same in a lot of a ways, mostly because of how rich and well known our families are, but other than that I think she's quite odd.

"I heard you got in a fight at the zoo today," Lillith says and I frown.

How does she know everything?

"I didn't get in a fight with anyone," I explain. "Jeremiah got in a fight with Xavier... who is kind of my boyfriend, I think... well, actually Xavier started the fight and I don't think what Jeremiah was doing really counted as fighting. And then this disgusting Russian boy got in on the fight too. I really want to know how he's a dancer because he doesn't seem graceful at all. He's more like a dirty punk with bad hair... Oh, and he smokes! Can you believe that? I doubt Madam Violet condones smoking at her company... I wonder how he got in..."I trail off as I think about it and I realize they're both staring at me because I was talking a lot and I smile. "Well, anyways, I think you two will be a smashing couple. Good bye!"

I go to leave by Lillith says my name. "We're going to skip out on afternoons classes," she says and I glance at her as she pulls something out of her pocket. "Do you want to join us?"

"What is that?" I ask as I look at the baggie full of green stuff she has in her hands.

"Do you want to try some?" she asks as she pulls out a pipe looking thing from her other pocket.

"Is that marijuana?" I ask dumbly because I wouldn't really know either way but I have sat through my fair share of Just Say No seminars.

Lillith laughs as she opens the bag. "She's so innocent. It's cute."

Chloe sighs. "You don't have to stay, Evelyn," she says as I watch Lillith put the green things in the pipe. "The bell is probably going to ring in a few minutes if you want to go."

"Are you allowed to go to class dressed like that?" Lillith asks as she throws her school tie over her shoulder. I'm still wearing the casual clothes I wore to the zoo and I nod my head.

"Today everyone who went on the field trip can."

"I knew I shouldn't had dropped that class," she says as she puts the pipe to her lips and she takes out her wand.

"Chloe, why weren't you at school when we started?" I ask, ignoring Lillith as she lights up the pipe and inhales the smoke deeply. "Where have you been?" She was my sister's best friend after all. I knew her by default and she is in my house.

"It's complicated," she says as she smiles a little. "How's your sister doing?"

I shrug. "I think she likes school," I state honestly because I really don't know. I need to write her a letter....

"And boning Byron Flint," Lillith says earning her a glare from both Chloe and me. She laughs as she hands the pipe thing to Chloe. "I'm only kidding, you know." she says as she coughs. "Chloe, wouldn't Evelyn be a good model?" she says as she smiles at me. "I was telling her just last week that she would make such a good model... She's so skinny."

"You are very pretty," Chloe says as she lights up her wand and puts to the end of the pipe as she inhales. She pulls it away and holds it in for a few moments before blowing the smoke out of the corner of her mouth. "All you Malfoy's are ridiculously goodlooking. It's almost not fair."

She offers the pipe to me and I shake my head so she shrugs and hands it back to Lillith. "Good genes," Lillith says as she puts the pipe back up to her mouth to take another hit. "Have you seen her parents? I think Draco Malfoy is the sexiest older man I've ever seen."

I cringe before being confused. "Wait, I thought you were..." I look at Chloe and then back at her. "I thought you liked girls."

"I like everybody," she says with a shrug. "I'm an equal opportunist snogger."

"That means she's bi-sexual," Chloe says with an eyeroll. "She's just greedy."

"But you... you're..." I feel bloody uncomfortable right now, but I'm trying to hold myself together. It's not a big deal, you know. I'm just in some strange junk room with two lesbians who are smoking pot. Just another Tuesday afternoon....

"Yeah," Chloe says softly, like it embarrassed her. "I am, and I still don't understand how you found out about it," she says as she turns her neck to glare at Lilllith. "Who told you? I thought Byron was the only one who knew."

Lillith shrugs again. "Rose Weasley told me. She said she followed you two to the creek so she could scare you or something and then she saw you try to rape Lavinia."

"I didn't try to rape her," Chloe says tightly and I raise an eyebrow.

"Right. Whatever you did made her throw up."

"She was drunk," Chloe says. "She couldn't help it."

"She's not gay, though. I don't even know why you tried."

"Well," Chloe says as she takes the pipe away from her. They're having a conversation about my older sister like I'm not standing right in front of him. "I thought maybe if she tried something new it would change her mind."

"It doesn't work like that."

"Shut up."

"You're sweet."

"Should I leave?" I ask and they both look at me again. The bell rings and I bite my lip. "Am I going to smell like smoke or something?"

"Probably," Lillith says as she eyes me up and down. "Just use a refreshing charm before you leave."

I turn around, but I stop myself as I face them again. "You do know that's illegal, right?" I ask and even though I know it's wrong and part of me does want to try it... just out of curiosity, of course.

They both laugh at me this time

"Are you sure you don't want to try it?" Lillith hops off the desk and takes the pipe from Chloe. She hands it to me and I stare at it as I bite my lip. "It's not going to kill you."

"If we get caught... Will I go to jail?" I ask and she laughs again.

"Of course not. Come on, we're both rich girls. The most we would get is a slap on the wrist. Daddy always comes to the rescue," she says and she winks at me as she lights her wand. "Just put it up to your lips and inhale when I light it."

I look at Chloe as she stares at me and I bring the pipe up to my lips. What could it hurt? It's just another experience I can put under my belt and I inhale deeply when she puts her lighted wand towards the opening. It burns and my eyes water as I pull back and cough all the smoke out. This isn't fun. I keep coughing as I hand it off to her and I bring hand up to my mouth to block my coughs.

"Here." Chloe hands me glass of water and I take it with shaky fingers.

"Where did you get this?" I ask quickly before downing the whole thing. It sooths my throat and calms my breathing back to normal.

"There's a sink over there," she says, pointing off in the distance.

"What is this room?" I ask as I wipe off my mouth and look around. Everything is probably hidden in here somewhere.

"It's the room of requirement," she says as she looks around. "Usually when you come here it turns into a room you can use for whatever... but I have no idea why it's this way right now," she says as Lillith plops down on a bean bag chair located by a taxidermied dog.

"How did you hear about it?" I ask because I found the room by accident. I follow her as she takes a seat on the ground by Lillith and I pull up a stool so I can sit beside them as well as Lillith smokes whatever is left in the pipe.

"My step dad mentioned it to me a couple of years ago."

"Oh..." I say as I cross my legs. It's too late to go to class now, I figure, so I'll wait it out. How very devious of me. I cough again and then cross my arms. "So do you guys smoke often?" I ask, trying to sound nonchalant about it.

"Not too often," Lillith says seriously. "What were you doing in here again?"

"Just walking around," I repeat and she nods her head in acceptance.

"Honestly, you have to tell me," she says as she pulls out the bag of weed and puts more into the pipe. "What happened to your brother? I know everyone is asking you that question, but it's so intriguing."

"I don't know what happened," I state honestly as I stand up and start walking around the room again, looking at the empty potion bottles and boxes full of clothes. "I don't think anyone knows. I'm just glad he's back." I smile as I think of Cassius. "I love him very much."

"How are your parents doing? That has to be weird, right?" she says and I nod my head.

"I guess they're fine."

"Your parents are another interesting story," she says as she lights her wand and slumps further back into the bean bag chair with her legs wide open, clearing showing off the pink knickers she's wearing under her school uniform. I quickly look away because I really don't care to see that "We all know how messed up that relationship is."

"They love each other," I say solidly. "No matter how strangely it came about, they do."

"Yes, and it's so interesting. I hope one of them writes a tell all book so we can get all the juicy details one of these days." she sighs and then she turns to Chloe. "What about you then? How are your parents doing?"

"Fine."

"Do you like Harry Potter?" I ask curiously because he's such a hated figure in my own household that I would like to know what someone closer to him thinks.

"He's an alright guy. My mother is bloody obsessed with him, though. It's kind of sickening."

"What do you mean?" I ask.

"My Mom is rubbish when it comes to guys," she says with a shake of her head. "Any man that pays attention to her, she ends up falling head over heels in love with and ever since she nabbed Harry she's been unbearable. You know, she was pretty old when she had James, but she went to a million fertility doctors just so she could make him happy because she knew he wanted a family of his own. You know what's funny?"

"What's funny?"

"It was Harry all along," she says with a laugh. "Someone had put a curse on him way back when, probably when he was an Auror, that made it impossible for him to get it up. They finally found a way to reverse it and then here's James!"

Lilllith laughs. "That is kind of funny. I would hate to be Harry Potter. If you don't hate him, you're bloody obsessed with him. There's no middle ground with him."

"Does Harry like your mother as much as she likes him?" I ask as I think of Potter and all the stories I have heard of him.

She shrugs as she takes a drag from the pipe. "I think he kind of likes her. I know Mrs. Weasley," she gives me an odd look. "You grandma, really tried to push them together in the beginning and Harry usually does what that woman says. I've over heard him talking about your Mom, though," she says as she looks at me. "You don't look anything like your Mom," she says with her brows furrowed. "Lavinia does... but you look like your Dad."

"Who is the sexiest older man in the world," Lillith repeats with a smile and I turn around and start flipping through an old magazine from the nineteen forties.

"What does he say about my Mom?" I ask casually as I flip through the pages on how to make your own dress robes.

"He's always worried about her and it annoys my Mom to no end," she says as she hands the pipe back to Lillith. "He's still carrying that torch, I guess."

I don't know what that means, but I nod my head anyways. "Why didn't you come to school at the start, Chloe?" I ask as I spot a shinny object behind an worn out, old looking hat. "I know you said it's complicated, but what does that mean?"

"Oh, well, when you are around Harry Potter someone is always out to kill you."

"Someone tried to kill you," Lillith says and then she coughs into her hand. "Oh, that just made you ten times more interesting."

"It's not so interesting when you have to hide in a muggle village in Germany for a couple of months. Believe me, not being able to do magic is not all it's cracked up to be."

I hop over a few clothes hangers and bed springs that are on the ground and I move aside the ratty old hat. Behind it is a well polished sword with a gold handle that has a rubies encrusted in it. I smile at it and pick it up. "Godric," I read the name carved into the blade as I swish it around. I should have taken fencing lessons.

"What do you have over there, Malfoy?" Lillith asks.

"A sword," I say as I come back to them while I study the details on the handle. "Isn't it pretty?"

"What in the hell is a sword doing in here?" Chloe says as she looks around the room with a shake of her head. "I have no idea which one of us wanted this bloody room to be in."

"I think it's nice," I say as I take the sword and put it through my belt loop like it was a harness. "I wish people carried around swords and daggers like they used to in olden times. Not to kill people, of course, but just because they look cool," I say as I stare down at the sword connected to my pants. Yes, I believe that looks very cool.

"Are you and that one curly haired kid dating?" Lillith asks and I glance at her.

"Jeremiah?" She nods and I shake my head. "No, he's just my mate. He's dating Kendra the leach anyways."

"Do you have a boyfriend?"

I think on it for a few moments. "Yes, I suppose I do. I mean, I told him today that he was my boyfriend and I haven't said otherwise... so I guess he still is."

They look at each other and then they start laughing.

"What?" I ask as they laugh at me.

"You told him that he was your boyfriend?" Chloe says with a smile and I nod my head. "You just told him. No body asked anybody?"

"Well..... no...." I say with a frown. "He's terribly obtuse and I knew he wouldn't answer me right away, so I did it for him."

"You are quite the character," Lillith says as she leans back in the bean bag chair and loosens her Ravenclaw tie. "Told him, indeed."

"Is he handsome?" Chloe asks curiously as she crosses her legs. I know she's my sisters best mate and she is in my house, but I don't think I've ever really spoken to her before.

"He's terribly handsome," I tell her. "He's a dancer and he's French."

"Oh..." They both say in unison and I nod my head. Even two girls who like to make out with each other can appreciate a handsome Frenchman.

The door starts to creak open and their eyes widen as Lillith blows out the pipe and tries to hide it under her skirt. "Who could that be?" Chloe snaps as she stands up straight and straightens her tie.

I just stand still, with the sword still stuck in my belt loop.

"Alright now," Professor Finnegan comes into the room with a lopsided smile on his face. He's an Irish born teacher around my mother's age and he teaches the dreaded physical education class that we're all required to take. He spots us and he shakes his head. "Skipping class are we, girls?"

"Did the bell ring already?" Lillith asks casually as she crosses her legs.

"Oh, yes, it did ring."

"How did you know how to get into this room?" Chloe asks and Finnegan grins at her.

"I was a student here with your step-dad, Miss Flint. I learned a trick or two. Now, I smelled a very specific smell when I passed by and I will give you one chance to hand it over."

I glance at Chloe and then at Lillith who has gone as white as a sheet.

"I know what you three were doing," he says as shakes his head at me. "You're already in trouble, so you might as well just cooperate." Well, shoot. I look at Lillith as she reaches under her skirt and hands over the pipe. The Professor sniffs it and then he looks at her. "What else is there?" Lillith sighs loudly before handing over the bag still half full of weed and he puts it all in his pocket.

"Now, we're going to go to my office to figure out a proper punishment for you girls. You're lucky I haven't decided to kick you out on the spot. Drugs are not tolerated at Hogwarts."

I have the insistent need to defend myself, to say that it wasn't my idea, to say I wasn't technically with them, but I keep my mouth shut as he opens the doors.

"Miss Malfoy," he says as we start following him out. "I doubt we'll be having any medieval duels in the hallway. Leave the sword."

"Oh, right," I say as I carefully remove the sword and gently set it down on one of the tables. I stare at it for a few moments because it is really pretty before the Professor calls my name.

"Alright, everyone follow me."

When we get to his office, I slump down in one of the seats as I wait for my punishment for skipping class and smoking pot.

Oh, my parents are going to be so proud.


	20. Chapter 20

**A/N: **It took me a while to write this chapter... And in that time I had received two updates from stories I had been following. It occurred to me, as I clicked on the link, that I had forgotten what story it actually was. That happened with both of them, actually. It had been so long since they updated that I didn't even know why I had wanted to read more of it in the first place. I read the description and I still couldn't remember, so I went back and skimmed through some chapters to figure it out. Once I found out why I had put it on my alert list, I was happy to go back and read the new chapter. To my disappointment, it was a dinky small one that didn't progress the story at all. If you take a year, or even a few months, to update... You need to have more than 6,000 words. I went through a lot of work to remember why I liked the story and I ended up just feeling... Blah. More than 6,000 words, people! It's only fair.

Anyways...

I try to write my chapters like mini TV episodes. That's the way I look at it, anyways. I _try_ to make every thing have a purpose and every chapter to be it's own little story in itself so it's entertaining to read and you don't feel disappointed at the end and think 'wtf' to yourself while getting annoyed that you wasted your time. There is a point to telling you all of this... If people are still reading... I thought I'd catch you up to speed if you forgot, or if you are a bit hazy about some details in the story. Everything after this little note that is center spaced is the play back. It's hard for me to read when everything is in Italics so I just did it this way. It will fill you in and let you know what's happening in the story up to this point.

Below that, the new Chapter starts so you can skip the first part if you have a great memory and don't need it.

Well, enjoy!

**Rrabbit. **

Btw: The 'catch up' part of this chapter is probably more than 6,000 words all in itself. See! It's easy, authors of fanfiction that I actually like!

_**Previously on: Life Goes On**_

Cassius was enticed by Dr. Bailey to go on an archeological dig under the Mediterranean sea in search of artifacts from the Island. The Island is an Atlantis like place of legend from the wizarding world and the holy grail for archeologist who find anything from that era. Accompanied by Paige Montgomery, they set into the ocean where a shot of magic from a giant statue head knocked both of them out and 'ended' both of their lives. Cassius soon found himself on that mysterious Island that was stuck in time, where nothing changed, and people thought he was Apollo. And then _everything_ changed. Statues started to crumble, it rained, people started to heal, and Paige turned out not to be who she said she was. A former resident and joint ruler of the Island, Paige was married to Gregorious, the stupid patriarchal leader who had wanted immortality. In his attempts to gain that, he doomed the rest of the inhabitants by making the first Horcrux that tore them all apart from the real world and trapped their souls in a Horcrux. Which turned out to be his treasured lions head necklace. Paige came back to kill Gregorious and take over under new management, but Cassius didn't want to stay. He found out that his body was still intact and he could still go back to it, if he got there before the window closed. Paige didn't want him to go.

Of course he didn't want to stay.

Finding out that killing yourself was the only way out, and that Gregorious was going to try to get off the Island by stealing his waiting body, Cassius took a leap of faith and jumped off a cliff side into the water below. He woke up in a casket with only minutes to get out before he really died. Luckily for him, Byron and Lavinia had already been working on getting him out with the help of Dr. Bailey who seemed all too eager to help resurrect their fallen friend. Every Malfoy family member ended up in the cemetery that night to help get him out and revive them, their plots overlapping to reach that point. Before going to cemetery, Bailey had given Byron a potion that needed one last ingredient: An illegal flower called the 'blood flower.' It would wake Cassius up and things would be back to normal. No one knew that Cassius was already awake.

Gavin had been having a hard summer. It started out well... He was going out and drinking with his friends with his pregnant fiancee at home waiting for him, then everything hit him at once. He found out that the girl he thought he loved had cheated on him with one of his friends right after finding out that Cassius had 'died'. After drinking most of the night, he made his way towards the Malfoy Mausoleum, where he heard noises coming from inside his brother's tomb. When Cassius was found to be alive and he would be well, Gavin didn't feel the relief and happiness he thought he should. Instead he felt angered and betrayed by every one around him.

He downward spiraled from there, drinking, sleeping with Pansy Parkinson White again, and joining the neo death eater movement. With the help of his father, he was able to get his head on a little straighter but not before practically enslaving Kelvin Marcello with a blood oath. After finding out Kelvin and his friends had defaced the memory of his brother by taking a photo at the funeral and writing terrible things in some back alley wall, Gavin had gone on a rampage and destroyed things that they had loved like Kelvin's prized guitar. In retaliation, Kelvin set a fire in Gavin's flat while Addison was still inside. Cornering Kelvin later proved to be beneficial and he demanded a blood oath by threatening force before he could get away. He's taken advantage of it. To blackmail Pansy White and eventually having Kelvin torture her for information. Gavin has known a darker side, but not one that he deals with directly. After Pansy turned down his offer to give him the Dailey Prophet in exchange for sex he became angry and decided to ruin her with the neo death eaters behind him. He couldn't torture two innocent muggles in front of the initiation group so his father took his place and promised his alliance if Gavin was able to go free. Humiliated by this, but not able to stomach the torture, Gavin went home and vowed revenge against Theo Nott and the others who had put them in that position. And that led him to the catacomb where Dr. Bailey and a creature in the pink dress made a proposition for him the night before his daughter was born. If he didn't find and retrieve Bellatrix Lestrange's wedding dress, then they would kill his mother. He finally gave in and told Draco, who gave him the dress, but not before putting a powerful curse on it that he warned Gavin not to mess with. The intention was to hurt the person who wanted the dress, but out of guilt and anger, Gavin went to Pansy where she was being held in a basement in Diagon Ally after her time being questioned by Kelvin. Reluctant to use his wand because of the regret he felt for asking Kelvin to hurt her, she was able to grab the dress and slip it on.

It blew up. Killing her and destroying the dress.

When Cassius came back, he had realized his little brother was in trouble and took to following him around to try to help. That was easier than dealing with his own problems and his thoughts on the people left on the Island. At one of the meetings he was spying on, he saw a familiar face. An old girlfriend from Hogwarts who was a shoddy character back then had joined the Death Eaters as well and Cassius, still attracted to her, managed to confront her after she kept him out of harms way during the stealing of the one of the Isand artifacts. They slept together and Daniella confessed to Cassius that she had joined the group because she was an undercover Auror sent on a mission to find out who was running things. Always the trusting type, but still hurt by Paige's betrayal and lies, Cassius was hesitant to believe her, but he accepted the necklace that Dorian Bones, Daniella's alleged partner, had brought him. It was the original Horcrux from the Island that Cassius and Byron had wanted to destroy so they could free the souls stuck there. Something or someone broke the wards the next day after receiving it and his mother was taken by peoples unknown.

Lavinia had been having a hard enough time with her tumultuous relationship with Byron Flint even before Conrad Foxworth was introduced. She had always harbored feelings for Byron, but he could be cruel and his self loathing and insecurities were hard to deal with at times. Being with Byron signaled her first serious relationship with a guy and the first time she had slept with or said 'I love you' to a person that was out side of her family. It didn't make the relationship easy and when Eva, a prior lover and coworker of Byron, gets thrown into the mix things just got harder for them. Lavinia had always been painfully shy and her own self esteem was set into question a few times which caused trust issues between the two to grow. Nevertheless, she was sure that she loved him no matter how frightened she could be by the darkness that was in him or how better looking she thought he was than her.

After a horse accident earlier in the summer that resulted in a broken back, Lavinia was introduced Conrad Foxworth. A Healer at St. Mungo's who she instantly felt attracted to. And he obviously was attracted to her as well. Turning out to be part of that Neo Death eater club, Conrad Foxworth was able to move forward after hearing Cassius' account of the Island and what his thoughts on the artifacts were. Meeting up with Conrad at a pub one night while out with her friends, Lavinia was relieved to have an actual conversation about mundane things with a boy. Her and Byron had started off their relationship while trying to help their brother and most things were centered around that, or the issues they had to work through with each other. It was like a breath of fresh air to talk about school and Quidditch, as opposed to Horcruxs, petty jealousies, and insecurities.

Conrad, having favor within his group and more power, had decided that Lavinia would make a good wife. Besides being genuinely attracted to her, he liked that she was from such a prominent pure blood family with a good history of pureblood support. He decided to pursue her and he finally got his chance one night after Byron had stood her up on a date. Depressed and upset over the last minute cancellation that had her sitting in a restaurant by herself for two hours, Lavinia decided to bring her new college friend to the club that Conrad had invited her to. Mostly out of spite, Lavinia showed up ready to have a good time, but not knowing exactly how deeply involved Conrad was going to try to get, she didn't know to watch out. Other Neo Death eaters were at the club, including Daniella, who saw the drink Conrad was trying to give Lavinia and tried to interject and convince her to trade. She was pulled back and Lavinia brushed the concerned looks aside as she drank the drugged cocktail.

After drinking the potion made for her by Byron's death eater grandmother, Lavinia had felt uncommon levels of desire towards Conrad. Mixed with her own genuine attraction and her anger still towards Byron for leaving her alone, she ended up going back to his flat and having a night of rough sex. Not knowing that a potion had been slipped in her drink, Lavinia told Byron of her infidelity and fell into a depression. Her friend, Jessica, had attended a safe sex seminar where she saw an orange potion that looked close to what Lavinia had been drinking and it carried the same symptoms. When Lavinia found out the truth, there wasn't much she could do to prove what had happened, but luckily for her, Byron had seen Gavin's memory where Conrad and his Grandmother had talked about the potion and the outcome from it.

With revenge in mind, Byron asked Lavinia to keep seeing Conrad to lure him into a false sense of security before he struck. She reluctantly agreed and stayed with Byron the night after being out with Conrad. Byron had a plan, and part of it involved going to one of the Death Eater meeting to join with his newly released uncle and Grandmother. Lavinia begged him not to go, but he left anyways and never came home. She received flowers the next day and her worries subsided. Thinking they were from Byron, she went back to her dorm to attend a class. Finding out that a murder had taken place that was similar to the foster home that Conrad had described to her, she knew the pieces fit, she just couldn't put them together until Conrad showed up and asked if she liked the flowers. Hinting that Byron hadn't gotten them at all and he was still missing.

Evelyn was living a pretty blissfully ignorant life for a while, with all the trappings of teenage drama and happiness that comes with adolescence. She was hanging out with her best friend Jeremiah, having her first real boy trouble, and going to ballet classes every week while enjoying what summer brought her. She had only one goal in mind at the start of the story: to have fun and to never be boring. The supposed death of her older brother shook her foundations and our once bubbly and naive youngest found herself a new friend in a the form of a cursed dress holding onto the image and memories of Bellatrix Lestrange. Things began to change after that. Her ideas on blood equality and fairness changed and she was disturbing the people who lived with her. After telling her mother that her magic was weak because she used to play with muggle things as a child, Draco and Ginny knew something was wrong.

Being punished and having to clean the ball room gave Draco and Ginny enough time to search Evelyn's room to find out why her attitude had turned nasty and her thoughts had turned dark. They found the culprit and when Evelyn was done with the cleaning she ran to her room to save her friend and the strange box with the red vials and journal inside. Claiming it had no significance, Ginny went to throw the dress in the fire. Evelyn panicked and grabbed it from the flames before sobbing and calling her mother every hurtful thing she could think of. Angered by what had happened, Evelyn destroyed her parents room, and when she found the wooden box containing Bellatrix's things, she decided to take a drink from one of the vials. Bella, the mirror memory, had been trying to get her to master a tricky and mysterious doppelgänger spell that Bellatrix had perfected in real life. When completed she was supposed to give the vials to the doppelgänger. She thought they would help her, so she drank one. After wards, When the dress was taken away and she was free of the influence of her cursed friend, Evelyn started to have terrible dreams that involved Bellatrix and the wicked things she had done in her life.

Worried, but not wanting to tell anyone, she ignored them. School started and Evelyn was trying to get back into the old habits of Hogwarts but things had changed, she had changed. No one wanted to really know about her anymore. They wanted to know about the brother who had come back from the dead and the one friend she had always counted, Jeremiah, had found himself a girlfriend and was absent from her life in a way he never had been before. Also trying out her feelings for the French ballet dancer, Xavier, she had a lot on her plate. The dreams just got worse until they were to the point where she was passing out from them. To get away from it, she took refuge in the room of requirement that she had assumed was an old junk room. Chloe, Lavinia's best friend, and Lillith, the daughter of a popular music producer had stumbled into the room not long after with pot and uncomfortable kisses that Evelyn witnessed. While in the room, and while smoking pot for the first time, Evelyn found the sword of Gryffindor that hd sparked her interest. Professor Finnegan caught them in the act, and sent them all to his office for a talk.

Things haven't been looking too good for the Malfoys recently.

_**Now back to our story. **_

_**Cassius**_

The last thing I saw before getting hit with a curse was Dr. Bailey, smiling at me from a few feet away with his chin tilted upwards and his glasses magnifying his large eyes in an almost comical way. I didn't get a chance to utter another question before I was knocked out by a curse to the back of the head. I saw nothing but blackness and then my body slumped over in a weak heap. I heard him tell the others to get the necklace before the darkness covered my ears as well. I thought it was rude and cowardly to hit me from behind. But I was too busy being passed out to really be pissed about it. When I gained consciousness again I found myself being dragged down a brightly lit hallway by two burly men in black cloaks and silver masks. My feet were scrapping against the ground and they had a painful grip on both of my arms that I knew were going to bruise later.

"He's waking," I hear one of the men hiss as they throw me into a room. I shake my head and sit up as I blink against the harsh light. I watch with dazed eyes as one of the men starts to fish through his pockets and pulls out a bright green key. I only noticed it because it was green, a strange bright green color, with a black chord laced through the hole that was long enough to fit around his neck.

"Who are you?" I ask with a cracked voice, still weak and holding onto the darkness as the man in the mask stares at me with dark eyes. He doesn't answer and I flick my eyes down his body. He's wearing a black cloak and black pants and that stupid silver mask, but his shirt is strange. It's white so it sticks out and it has a weird cat thing on it. I open my mouth again to question him but he slams the door and I hear it lock. I glance around me as I rub my temples and try to wake myself up a bit quicker so I can get an idea as to where I am. This isn't a dream, right?

The room is bare and cold, painted a bright clinical white that hurts my eyes. There are no windows. Just one large menacing door made out of metal and a depressing metal chair attached to the floor in the corner. On the opposite side is a small iron bed, home to a filthy looking mattress with nothing else on it but a raggedy blanket and one soiled pillow. A pathetic looking light with a brown shade hangs down from the ceiling and it flickers every other second like it was threatening to go out if I breathed too hard. It felt cold in here... Cold and depressing. I stand and cross my arms, trying to figure out where I am and why I'm here. How did those people get into Malfoy Manor? We have some of the best wards in the country. People don't just waltz into Malfoy Manor on a Tuesday whenever it strikes their fancy.

The only thing that was different was the necklace. What if that necklace that Dorian Bones gave me counteracted the magic and broke the wards, allowing them to come in? I've heard of that before. Where robbers would give people gifts just so it would break their wards and they could get into their house. I sneer. If that's the case then Dorian Bones is a fraud. He must have known what would happen. If we was fraud, that would mean Daniella was too... That does something disturbing to my chest and I don't want to think about it so I shake my head. I know Dr. Bailey had something to do with all of this... I obviously saw him in Gavin's memory with that weird beast wearing Paige's dress, but why was he at my house and why did they take my Mother?

Mom.

I panic and run over to the door, trying with all my might to open it. Nothing works and I end up pounding my fists against it in a lame attempt to force it open. All that ends up doing is hurting my hands and making me wince, but I have to do something. I pat myself down, looking for my wand. I don't find it and I clench my eyes shut for a moment. My brother is going to _kill _me for losing his wand. I have to get out of here. What they had said in Gavin's memory is seared into my mind now and I can't shake it. What if the deadline to return that dress has passed and they're going to kill her?

I can't stand it.

I hear a loud bang that echoes through my room and it makes me jump. I step back from the door and eye it cautiously.

It happens again.

I narrow my eyes and press my ear against the wall because it's coming from the other side. It keeps on happening over and over again, loud bangs of metal against metal that grate on my eardrums. I go back to the door and try to figure out a way to open it. There's a little slot towards the top and I scrap my fingers against it until the little bit of metal slides to the side. I stand on my tip toes so I can see through it and I furrow my brows at what I see. A hallway, just as bare and depressing as this room, is on the other side and directly across from me is another metal door identical to this one. I see a shadow moving around through the little seeing slot on that door and I squint my eyes as the bangs become louder.

The banging stops after a few moments and suddenly I see a pair of intense blue eyes staring right back at me. I furrow my brows. I would know those eyes anywhere. "Byron?"

"Cassius?"

"What are you doing here?" I ask as I lean up on my toes so I can put my mouth closer to the opening.

"I could ask you the same thing," he says softly and I nod my head in agreement.

"Bailey and a few men broke into my house and took my Mom," I explain to him. "They cursed me and I woke up here." I look around the room again with disgust curling my lip. "What is this place?" I ask as I watch the light flicker again like some cliche in a haunted house..

"I've been here before," Byron says and I look at him through the slot. "I hate it," he mutters so softly I barely hear him. "I was an idiot, Cass. That's why I'm in here."

I'm about ready to ask him what he meant by that, but voices and footsteps start to filter down the hallway. When I see that blond healer named Conrad stop in front of Byron's door with a big oaf of a man, I feel my temper spike. He's wearing green healer scrubs and his hair is a disheveled mess in an almost boy like way, but he looks pissed. Very pissed.

"You deliberately disobeyed me, Oden," he snaps as the Oaf takes a key out of his pocket. Instead of the green one used to unlock my door, that one was red. A bright red boarding on hot pink. "I told you to scare her, not hurt her."

The man named Oden shrugs and puts the key in the lock. "You got what you wanted, didn't ya?" he asks flatly. "Besides, that bitch was annoying me anyways."

Oden is larger than Conrad in width by about one hundred pounds, but Conrad has height and a more muscular body on his side. It was a toss up on who I thought was stronger. Although, It still surprised me to see Conrad snap and push Oden against the door with his forearm pressed to his throat, cutting of his air supply. I watch as the man's face reddens as he gasps for breath and claws at the arm that's hurting him. Conrad seems unaffected by his struggle and he even crushes his arm against his neck a littler more as he starts talking.

"That was a very foolish thing to say," Conrad says with his teeth clenched. It's funny to see him with his healer scrubs and his St. Mungo's ID hanging around his neck, nearly choking someone to death. I guess he's not taking that whole 'do not hurt and help them all' oath to heart right now. "I don't appreciate it when people take artistic license when I give them orders. If you do something like that again, I'll kill you and make it look like an accident." he lets go of him and steps back as he straightens out his shirt. The Oden guy keels over and tries to catch his breath with his hands on his knees as Conrad eyes him coolly. "Not like I'd have to do that, anyways," he adds cruelly as he looks him up and down. "No one would miss you."

"You little bastard," Oden growls out in between breaths and Conrad smirks in a demented kind of way. This is the man who wants to be with my sister and I feel my stomach twist painfully as I imagine them married and coming to family functions together.

"What is wrong with that mouth of yours?" Conrad asks as he gets closer to the man once more and puts his hands on Oden's head. Oden is still bent over, trying to catch his breath, and I wince as Conrad he brings his knee up and bashes it against the older man's nose. I hear a crunch and I cringe. "You need to learn respect, old man," he says and then he steps back as Oden cusses and clutches his nose. "You got blood on my pants," he says flatly before walking away as he tries to magic it out with his wand. "Put your wand away," he says over his shoulder as Oden puts his wand up to curse him. "You know what she'll do if you hurt me."

I look back at Oden as he cusses and lowers his wand, calling Conrad every bad name in the book while he leaves the hallway. Once he's gone, Oden kicks the wall and cusses a few more times before unlocking Byron's door and throwing a black bag at him. I can finally see my friend and I raise an eyebrow at his attire. He's just wearing a pair of navy boxer briefs. His body looks stark white and chalky against the material and his scars look terrible. I've never seen him so unclothed before and I never really realized how many he had. A part of me is sympathetic again for the boy Byron once was. I catch myself doing it and bat those thoughts away. If there's something Byron hates more than his father, it's sympathy.

"I hated being you as much as you do, kid," Oden says around a broken nose and Byron stares at him with a deadly look in his eyes.

"I could heal that for you," he says, sounding like he would do the opposite of healing if he had the chance. "Give me your wand and I'll fix it."

A short small rasp of a laugh leaves the Oafs mouth. "Unlikely. It was a nice try, though."

"What am I trying?" Byron asks coolly and then his eyes flick to mine as I look out the door. They rest on the man again as he balls his fists at his sides. "We are family after all, uncle."

"After that stunt you pulled last night I'd hardly call you family." I furrow my brows as they talk. Family? Uncle? What the fuck?

"You didn't give me a chance to finish what I was going to do," he says and Oden laughs. It's more like a bark, I note.

"You tried to sabotage that whole mission."

"That wasn't a mission," Byron hisses. "That was Foxworth's attempt at revenge. Those kids didn't do anything to him and they didn't deserve to die over a piece of jewelry."

"It doesn't whelp of a boy is the favorite right now."

"Why?" Byron asks earnestly. "Why is he so well protected and why is he allowed to beat you up? You were a great Death Eater once," Byron says, to win him over and it's an act that even I can see through. "How is he allowed to over power you?"

"He had a lot of good information and he's fucking the right person," he says and Byron frowns. "Not your girlfriend, although, I'm pretty sure he's fucked her a few times over judging by the way he acts," he says. Byron twitches. "I was wrong about your mother," he says as he surveys my half naked best friend. "And my misjudgment has hurt me in the long run."

"What are you talking about?" Byron asks, sounding genuinely confused.

"Ah, ah. All in good time, boy," Oden says as he starts backing away. I see an opportunity to take advantage of the blood lust in my friend's eyes and I tilt myself up on my tip toes again to put my mouth against the open window.

"Hey!" I yell and the Oden man turns his head. "Hey you!"

Byron takes advantage of the distraction and picks up the metal chair in his room and bashes it against the back of his head. That must be what was making all the banging noises when I first woke up. Byron banging that fucking chair against the door. It is not that Oden guys day because as he starts stumbling around, Byron hits him again, cracking his skull. He slumps to the ground then and blood starts seeping from the wound as Byron grabs his wand and the key. He walks into the hallway and slams the door, locking the man in as he gets dressed in the dark clothes that were thrown at him.

"Is he dead?" I ask seriously as blood comes oozing out from under the door, staining Byron's pale feet and creating a small pool in the hallway.

"I don't really care," Byron says flatly as he slinks into a shirt and begins buttoning it up. What's going on with him? After buckling his pants, he walks barefoot over to my door, leaving bloody foot steps on the tile as he tries the key in my lock. It doesn't work and tries to use the wand to unlock the door, but that fails too. He runs frustrated hands through his already messy hair.

"It's a green key," I state and his eyes snap to mine. I try to ignore the darkness I see there as I continue. "The key the guy had when he put me in here... It was neon green."

"Alright," he says with a sigh. "Stay here and I'll find it."

"Where else am I going to go?" I counter back and he gives me a look before taking off down the hall, with bloody foot steps trailing behind him. I wait for a few minutes before it gets to be too much and my body is too anxious to just stand here dumbly and wait. I go to sit down on the bed and I bring my hands up to my head as I let my neck drop.

Think.

How does this all fit together?

Think.

If Bailey was in the catacombs with that Paige monster, then did he know about the Horcrux? Did he knowingly send us down there with the pearl earring so it could kill us and send us to that place? Paige knew about it, obviously, so did she tell him? Did he know that the necklace he had originally found was the first Horcrux that made the Island disappear? Why would he do that if he knew? The thing in the catacombs was playing chess with Bailey and wearing that annoying pink dress that Paige had been wearing, but that doesn't make any sense that she would come back. She wanted to stay there, she wanted me to stay.

Body snatching.

I hit my head with my palm as I try to work it out. Gregorius had wanted my body. The only way to get off of the island was to kill yourself and once he found out exactly where my body would be buried he wanted to take it. To come back to life. To come back to the real world. My body was just an empty vessel waiting to be occupied and it was running out of time before it started to go bad. Dr. Bailey had helped Byron with that potion that helped bring me back but I was already awake when he came. He told Byron that Paige didn't make it. He lied. She didn't want to come back.

"Who is she?" I ask out loud as I remember the hissing and the weird voice that she used as she talked to Gavin.

When I followed Gavin to that Death Eater meeting after my drunken night at the pub, they had said 'she would be please'. Who is she? Is she in Paige's body? I hit my head again and rock forward. They wanted Gavin to get a dress or they would kill my mother. A wedding dress that belonged to Bellatrix Lestrange who was my father's demented Aunt who had died when I was a baby. Why do they want her dress? How is it connected? Is it Bellatrix Lestrange in that body? Is the dress another Horcrux? How many fucking Horcrux' can there be?

"Cassius?" I hear Byron whisper and I jump up and run over to the door. "I have the key," he says as I look out of the window.

"That's a yellow key," I tell him as he holds it up. "I told you the key was green," I say with impatience and he narrows his eyes.

"This isn't green?" he asks and I make a face.

"Of course it isn't green," I snap at him. "What's wrong with you?

"I thought it was green," he snaps back as he runs a hand through his messy hair.

"You thought it was green," I say back snidely as he shakes his head in anger. "Are you stupid?"

"I'm colored blind," he says hatefully and I blink a few times.

"What? Since when?"

"Since forever," he says as he runs a hand over his face. "I can usually tell the difference," he says as I watch his face. I learn something new about him every freaking day, but I guess the whole color blindness would explain his weird fashion choices and the fact that he's rubbish at potions. Usually the color of a certain potion will tell you what to add or when you stop stirring and he always messed that up. Ask Samantha Flint her thoughts on that. "This yellow and green are just too close in value for me to tell them apart," he says like it embarrassed him and I bite my lip. "I know red, though. Why couldn't the key just be red?"

"Alright," I say with a nod of my head. "Try again, the guy who locked me in, he was wearing a white shirt," I say because it stood out from all the black he was wearing. "A white shirt with a cat or something on it."

"A cat or something," he says and I nod my head.

"I can't remember what kind of cat, but the shirt was white. You can see that right?"

"I know the difference between white and black," he snaps.

"Okay, find him... Find him and find some shoes," I tell him seriously. "You're getting blood everywhere."

"Oh," he says like it never occurred to him before as he goes back down the hallway.

When he's gone I put my head against the metal door. Think. Assuming Dr. Bailey knew about Paige and they wanted Bellatrix Lestrange's dress, did they use her body in some kind of ritual to bring her back? Is that why she's decomposing and horrid looking now? What's the point and what's the gain out of all of this? I ponder it a few more moments, that feels like forever, until Byron comes back wearing that strange dark look on his face and holding the green key in his hand.

"This is green right?" he says as he puts it in the lock.

"That is absolutely green," I tell him and when the door pops open I have half a mind to hug him, but I know he'd just shrink away from me and then there would be awkward silence for a while. I opted to just smile at him. "We have to find my mother," I tell him seriously, letting my smile slide when I remember the soberness of this situation. "They threatened to kill her if Gavin didn't find a dress, and if they took her, I'm guessing he didn't deliver." I had a horrifying thought. What if she was dead already? "Come on," I order as a new sense of urgency fills my body and propels me forward.

"Just a wait a second," he says as he grabs my arm. "You are one of the most recognized wizards in the world right now," he explains. "You can't just go traipsing down a hallway being all Malfoy like with your light hair and pointy nose."

"Pointy nose?" I say, my vanity wounded, but he doesn't seem to mind as he walks over to a stunned guard at the end of the hallway. "This is the first guy I got the key from," he says as he reaches down and gets the man's wand. He hands it to me before unclasping the bloke's cloak and carefully taking off his silver mask. Dead eyes stare back at me and I force my eyebrows together as I look away from it.

"Did you just stun him?" I ask cautiously as I put on the cloak and pocket the wand after accepting the mask. "You didn't..." I trail off because I don't want to finish that sentence and Byron gives me a look as he unties the guys shoes and puts them on his feet. "He had better wake up sometime," I state as I look at the man on the ground.

Byron narrows his eyes. "I just stunned him, of course," he says as he ties the shoes that look a little too big for him. "I'm not a murderer," he says and I look over my shoulder at the puddle of blood that had gathered outside the iron door. "Intentionally, anyways," he adds softly before standing straight.

"It was kind of easy," I comment as I look around the hallway. "To get out of here. Do you think they underestimated us?"

"That," he says gently as he glances at me. "Or they wanted us to get out." I shrug that comment off because it makes me uncomfortable thinking about it. I put up my hood as Byron watches me closely.

"We're going to have to get a disguise for you too," I tell him as we begin walking down the hallway. I slide the mask over my face as we walk forward. I have no idea where the fuck we're going and I let my eyes slide to my friend. "You said you've been here before," I say and he nods his head. "What is this place?"

"I'd rather not talk about it," he mumbles and I roll my eyes.

"I would. I need to know about this place, Byron."

"It's a mental hospital," he says uncomfortably. "I was here once when I was a boy."

I recall what my mother told me about Byron and I look away. "When you hurt that muggle?" I ask, remember my mother saying that he snapped the man's spinal chord with accidental magic.

"You knew about that?" he says as he looks at me with worried eyes. I can't face him, so I remain looking forward. I nod my head and I see his shoulders sag the slightest. "It closed down a few years ago," he says softly. "There were shifty practices with the healers and nurses that were being investigated, so they shut everything down. I'm glad. They were terrible to me here."

"You know your way around here then, yeah?" I say and he nods his head.

I wanted to ask him about what that Oden guy had said to him about the mission and the kids... But I stop myself. Now is not the time and if someone overheard they would know who we are. Now, Byron and I are no Aurors and our sneaking skills are kind of on the rusty side. In reality, we're just a couple of nerdy blokes with history degrees, but we're trying our best and keep our heads down as we turn another corner, keeping our steps light and our faces hidden. I stop dead in my tracks when we come face to face with Daniella who is pointing a wand at my head.

"You," I say with my brows raised. She narrows her eyes for a second as she looks at my eyes through the mask and then she glances at Byron.

"Cassius?" She whispers and then she looks behind her as she lowers her wand. "They said you escaped."

"And you said you were an Auror," I state angrily as I think of my mother. I lift my own wand and she looks at me in surprise. "Your stupid partner gave me a necklace that broke the wards at my home. They took my Mom." I'm jumping to conclusions. But it's a good assumption to make.

She licks her lips and takes a step back as she shakes her head. "Dorian," she says softly like she was disappointed. "Jesus."

"What?" I ask as Byron watches me with a raised eyebrow.

"Dorian is a good Auror," she says softly. "He really is, and he's saved a lot of people... Your sister in fact. He saved your baby sister when Pansy wanted to kill her but..."

"But what?" I say as I let my hand lower so I can listen to her. I lift my mask and glare at her as she sighs and puts a hand up to her forehead. "You have to understand," she says. "Dorian hates this organization. He hates all these neo Death eaters and what they stand for because his parents stood against them. It's what got them killed."

"Okay, then why did he give me the necklace. That's what broke our wards, right?" I say and she nods her head.

"Probably... He's a good man," she says and something like jealously licks my insides because she talking so blatantly about him. We did sleep together, and I don't sleep with just anyone. I'm not like my little whore of a brother. "But your father murdered his mother and the crew that was with him took out his whole family in one night while he was still a baby. He's always kind of harbored a little hatred for Draco Malfoy."

"That I can understand," I say truthfully. I know my father has done terribly horrific things. I'm not going to cover for that. "But I'm not my Dad and my Mother has no connection with the things he did. He put us all in danger."

"He missed out on a lot of things because of what your father did. I think he's always been a little off because of it," she says and I glare even harder. She looks over my shoulder and widens her eyes a bit as she puts her fingers in the holes of my mask and pulls it down so it's over my face. If she knew this, she should have fucking told me.

"What are you doing?" I ask as she takes off her own mask and gives it to Byron, making sure it covers his features.

"Talk about something non important," she says as foot steps come closer and she tries to look nonchalant as she leans against a wall with her arms crossed.

"What?" I snap back as a group of hooded dead eater things pass by us. Daniella nods at them and I watch them out of the corner of my eyes as they go. When they're out of the way, I lift my mask again. "I don't fucking care about your partner anymore," I say in impatience and she seems surprised by my outburst. "Show me where my mother is."

"I don't know where she is," she says and I narrow my eyes.

"Liar!"

"Cassius," Byron scolds me softly and I glance at him. "I believe her," he says like it was proof enough that we should trust her. "And you know I've never liked her."

"Well, thanks," Daniella says sarcastically and Byron lifts his mask to give her a flat look.

"Do you have any idea where they would keep her?" he asks as I take a step back to control my temper.

"I'm not sure," she says softly. "They barely tell me anything here."

"Of course," I state and she snaps me a look.

"Be sweet to me," she says and I raise an eyebrow. "I risked a lot for you. You'll find that out one day."

"Not if my Mom's dead. Will you help us find her?" I ask her as I take a step closer, letting my brain go through our shag session a few days ago and how good she felt underneath me. "Please?" I manage to say softly and I notice her eyes warming considerably towards me.

She licks her lips again and looks at my throat. "Alright," she says and I nearly sigh in relief. "I'm not sure where they're keeping anyone but if they want them to be a secret, it's probably the basement."

"Did you know I was here?" Byron asks in a soft voice and she looks at him. "Why didn't you let me out?"

"If I let you, it would have alerted someone. You pissed off a lot of people last night, Byron," she snaps at him and I give him a look before listening to her. "The fact that you two are gone is now all over the place so we don't have much time."

"Did you know about Conrad Foxworth's intentions with Lavinia?" he asks sharply and Daniella gives him a tired look. "He said you were there the night she went home with him."

"He told you I was there?" she says. "Why would he do that?"

"You knew he slipped something in her drink."

She looks around the hallway and then back at him. He has that weird crazy look in his eyes again. "I suspected. I tried to get her to trade me drinks, but Chance pulled me back. I couldn't do anything or they would get suspicious."

"She left with him," he says as he takes an angry step towards her. I straighten my spine just incase I need to pull him back. Although I don't think Byron would ever attack a woman, I'm not sure if that crazy look in his eyes would let him tell the difference. "He took her back to his place and raped her," he says and my eyes narrow a the word. "She thought it was consensual because of the potion, but she wouldn't have done it other wise. Why did you let her leave with him?"

"I'm doing a million other things and I'm in a high risk situation right now," she hisses in a whisper. "I can't do everything at one time and baby sitting your girlfriend isn't on my to do list. I'm sorry, Byron, but girls know not to drink the orange potion."

"She didn't," he says hatefully and he takes another dangerous step. "She doesn't know that kind of stuff. She's only eighteen."

"Then she's a pretty dense eighteen year old."

"Hey," I snap and her eyes flick to mine. "That's my sister you're talking about."

Her shoulders sag and she shakes her head. "I'm sorry," she says, she steps back from Byron and rubs her head again. "I'm under a lot of stress. I didn't know she went home with him. They just went out on the floor to dance and she had a friend with her. I had assumed the friend would have taken care of her."

"You knew that he was no good, though. You warned me about him," I add and she gives me a look. "You told me to talk to my sister."

"I was just trying to help," she says like everyone was attacking her at once. "We all know that he's obsessed with her, but she hasn't exactly been giving him a reason not to. If she didn't want to go home with him, why did she show up at the club anyways?" she asks, sending Byron an accusing look.

He doesn't waver. "She was angry with me. I had stood her up," he says and I look at him out of the corner of my eye. "You know how sheltered the Malfoy kids are," he says and I'm a little offended, but it is true. We didn't have a lot of restrictions and Dad has been especially strict with my sisters. I'm surprised he ever let Lavinia out of the house when she turned into a teenager. "I was the only guy..." He trails off and bites his lip before resuming his hateful pose and glare. "She doesn't know that stuff. You should have helped her."

"If you've noticed, she's a grown girl," she says and Byron narrows his eyes even more.

"I've noticed," he states flatly and she raises an eyebrow.

"I'm sorry I have to say this," she says as she glances at me and then back at him. "But she is an adult now and she needs to take care of herself." Not a very Auror like thing to say. "Has it ever occurred to you that maybe she just likes him? She was flirting with him at the club and letting him get really close to her even before she drank the potion and Conrad is constantly talking about the things they do together. What if she just likes him?"

I grab Byron's arm and pull him back because he looks like he's about ready to attack. "Just show us the basement and get whatever you need to get to unlock the doors down there." I say to get them off this topic.

"Only one person has the keys to the basement rooms," she says and then we fall silent again.

"Okay, well, let's go then."

"Yes," she says with a nod of her head. "Yes, let's go. Just... Don't do anything stupid. Keep your masks on and your hoods up when you follow me."

We stay a couple steps behind her and I keep the mask on and the my hood up just like she demanded as I try not to think of my sister and the weird mess she's gotten herself in. Daniella was right, she is of age now and she can take care of herself, but Lavinia isn't like she is. She's soft spoken and shy and half the time she goes along with things because she's too nervous to say no. People take advantage of that easily. We pass a few random people in matching masks and then a bloke with a comb over and glasses carrying a stack of papers hurriedly down the hallway. When we turn to the right to go down another white washed hallway, I stop in my tracks when I see two men in cloaks in front of a door. They're holding up a portly man who's looking badly beaten with two swollen eyes and a bloody lip. Byron stops as well and Daniella sends an angry look over her shoulder as the men knock on the door and it creaks open.

"We found the vials and the person who had them." One of the men says as Daniella makes a motion for us to follow her again. "He only had two."

"Only two?" A female voice inside the room snaps back and Byron snaps to attention beside me. I give him a strange look as he straightens his spine and balls his fists. "There should be three."

"Malfoy only gave him two," one of the blokes says and they let the portly man fall to the floor in a loud thud that vibrates under my feet. "He said Malfoy's daughter drank one and he wanted to know what they did."

"Draco's Daughter?" the female voice asks and the hairs on the back of my neck stand on edge when I hear the mention of my father. I look at the man on the ground again, trying to figure out who he is and how he knows my father... And why he's bleeding to death on the floor. I reach into my pocket to get the stolen wand, but Daniella puts her hand on mine and shakes her head in warning. "Which one?"

"The youngest one, ma'am," the one on the left says before bowing his head in respect. "She's still underage."

"It's Evelyn, then. That explains much. Put him in cell bloke D," the voice says and there's a wresting noise on the other side of the door before a small figure decked out in a black cloak steps out. The hood is so far down that I can't see her face. "I have a field trip I need to take care of."

"I know who that is," I hear Byron Whisper as the dainty thing in the cloak passes by us and Byron follows her movements all the way down the hallway. "I know who that is."

"Who is it?" I ask and Daniella grabs my arm.

"No time for chit chat," she whispers as the burly men pick up the portly lump and start dragging him away. "We're lucky people haven't questioned you yet, now let's go."

"Come on, Byron," is say gently as I take his arm and start pulling him away because he's still staring down the hallway like that figure will come back. Something brushes up against my side and I stop for a second to see what it was. When nothing shows up I shrug it off and continue walking. "Let's go."

We follow Daniella down an empty corridor until we reach a rickety looking rusty lift with sliding glass doors. I give it an uneasy look as Daniella steps on it.

"Is that safe?" I ask seriously as Byron and I step on behind her.

"Safer than the stairs," she says as she presses the base level button. "They have check points there."

"And they don't on the lifts?" I ask as we begin moving down. "That seems like a weak point in security."

"Not really," she says. "They have a blood line spells on the lift. And you being a Malfoy and Byron being a Flint lets you pass."

"What are you then?" I ask as I glance at her and she shrugs.

"Just part of the club."

The basement isn't well lit and the guts of the walls are out for every one to see. Nothing is hidden behind plaster and dry wall like the upstairs area is. The walls are dark and dirty, showing pipes and electrical chords that run through them and the floor is pure cement, dirty with age. Dull light bulbs held together by wire line the ceiling, giving it an all together haunting feel as the musty air suffocates me.

"This is pleasant," I state as I look down the never ending hallway of darkness as the finicky lights flicker every second like a scene from a ghost story.

"Come on," she whispers.

The hallways are long and winding and the farther in we go, the more mysterious looking doors I see. They have ancient words etched into the wood and I get an ominous feeling as we continue to move. Byron seems all together cut off from the outside word as he walks woodenly forward, like he was trying hard not to look at anything that wasn't directly in front of him. Down on the twisting dark hallways, I hear a familiar voice and we all stop when one of those weird door opens. The blond healer with the green scrubs steps out and he has nasty sneer on his face. His wand is drawn, but when he sees Daniella he relaxes and puts his arm down as he eyes us. There's a wicked looking cut on the side of his neck.

"Why the fuck are you down here?" he hisses at Daniella and then his eyes slide behind her to us as he pockets his wand. "You know this is a warded area and you just tripped all of the damn alarms," he says angrily. "And who the fuck are you?"

His skin is white and his lips are pale, like he lost some blood and was sickly. I look at that painful looking cut on his neck and figure that must be why. I would shake the hand of who ever did that to him "I can be here," Daniella tries to distract him by stepping in front of us and his green eyes flame in anger. I see Byron clutch his wand and I give him a look to make him back down.

"Get back to your post," he snaps. "You know who's out. We need everyone on alert." Byron is creepily glaring at him and he must feel it because he looks at us again.

"You're not at your post," she counters back and he narrows eyes.

"I don't have a fucking post," he answers as his eyes glance briefly at her before turning back to Byron. I guess he's trying to figure out if he knows him. I wish Byron didn't have such bright freaking eyes.

"What happened to your neck?" she asks to get him to keep talking and he brings hand up to the wound before pulling it back down quickly.

"Mind your own business," he snaps. Byron makes a weird growling sound and he snaps a look at us again. "Who in the hell are these guys?"

I watch Daniella as her hand slips behind her into her pocket where her wand is and I smirk under my mask when I realize she's going to curse him. This should be fun to watch.

"Are you deaf?" he snaps angrily as he puts his hands on his trim waist. "Who the fuck are you?"

"Conrad?" I hear a sweet soft voice and we all look to the door the just opened, spilling light into the dull hallway. Lavinia comes out holding a small vial in her hands and she looks a little taken a back by the scene in front of her. She swallows hard before focusing on Conrad. What is she doing here? "I found the potion," she says as her eyes slide to Daniella before snapping back to the blond healer. "I can heal you now... If you want."

He faces us again. "I'll be there in a minute, babe." Babe? How disgusting. I make a face under my mask and look over his shoulder at my sister. She doesn't look too thrilled with the name either. "Go back in the room. The alarm will go off in a second." I couldn't hear any alarms, so I guess they only went off in the rooms. She doesn't listen to him. Instead she takes a step further into the hallway and when her eyes lock with mine she tilts her head to the side. Like she knew me and was trying to place it and then her gaze lands on Byron's. After making eye contact with him, she went pale. His eyes are more memorable than mine, I guess. "Take off your masks." He pulls a wand from his pocket again. "Now. Show me your faces."

"No hesitation," I hear Byron mumble as he brings his hands up to his mask with his wand still gripped in his right hand. He stops when Lavinia makes a whimpering noise.

"What's wrong?" Conrad snaps as he looks over his shoulder and Byron stills. "What did you do?" he asks seriously as he turns around and walks towards her.

"The vial broke," I hear her whisper as she holds out her hand showing the broken glass that had cut her palm.

"Come on, this way, " Daniella whispers as she tugs on my hand while Conrad is distracted. "To the right," she says as she pulls me along while I watch Conrad kiss my sister's hand. She's bleeding and he sucks the blood from her fingers. "Think about your mother," she says and I look at her again. Conrad won't hurt Lavinia I tell myself as I start to jog to keep up with her.

Byron doesn't follow and I look behind me only once to see him lift his mask and let it fall to the floor. When we turn down another winding dark hallway I hear a scream and I stop jogging because that's my sister.

"Don't stop," Daniella says breathlessly. "Everyone is going to be rushing to that spot anyways so that gives us time."

We skid to a halt in front of a big wooden door that has runes carved into the it and Daniella pushes me in a dark alcove. "Stay," she says like I was a dog and I sneer mentally before sulking back into the shadows and watching as she gently raps her knuckles against the door.

The door opens and I hold my breath. "What do you want?"

"I have something you want," she counters and whoever is on the other side pauses.

"Do you?" The manly voice says and she nods her head. I can only see her from the position I'm in and her eyes flick to where I'm so bravely hiding.

"Yes," she says. "I know where Cassius Malfoy is," she says and my ears burn but I trust her so I'm going to assume that she's leading them on a wild goose chase or something along those lines.

"Really?" A tall man with dark hair that I recognize as Theodore Nott steps out of the room and looks down at her. "Where is he?"

She lifts her hand and points right me. "Right there."

What the fucking fuck.

For the second time of the day, I get hit with a curse with out being prepared and when I wake up I'm tied to a chair in a room that looks like some physiologist's office. There's a large mahogany desk and shelves lined with dusty books detailing theories on the mind and consciousness . There's a rather comfortable looking leather couch to my left, though. I look at it longingly for a dream like second because the chair I'm in is so hard against my body. I shake my head off the thought and snap back to reality. I fight with the bonds that have me tied to an uncomfortable wooden chair as I cuss to myself and try to figure out what in the hell I did to deserve all this bad karma.

"That's not going to help any." I snap my head up as Dr. Bailey turns the chair around behind the desk and smiles at me. The desk comes up to his chest and I would laugh if I wasn't so confused. "All that will do is give you rope burn and put you in a bad mood."

"I'm already in a bad mood," I state and he smiles.

"Betrayal tastes bitter, doesn't it?" he says and I think he's referring to Daniella and Dorian, but I refuse to rise to the bait as he hops off the chair and walks around the front of the desk to stand right in front of me. "You know, I was quite in impressed with Malfoy Manor. I'd venture to say that your family has one of the best private libraries in the country. I wonder if you have ever taken advantage of such a gift... Or is it so common it goes unappreciated?"

"Let me go," I state as I tug on the ropes one last time only to fail and collapse my arms in exhaustion as he watches.

"No," he says simply and I glare.

"Where's my Mom?"

"Wrong question," he says with a smile turning his old face like a crinkled map. "Try again."

"Why am I here?" I try and he leans against the desk.

"That's closer to target," he says with a laugh and I think of all the various ways I could kill him with objects in the room. Like that bust of a torso, I could bash that over his head if I get my hands free. "The most peculiar girl came to me last year," he says as he takes a fresh apple from the desk and he throws it up and down in his hands a few times. "It was fascinating the things she was telling me. I was so very interested in knowing everything about her. I believed her, you know, when no one else did," he says and I make a face as he bites into the apple, making a loud noises and causing water to fly all over the place. "She told me she was from the missing Island, the beginning of our organized magical awaking, and she explained to me what had happened to it. I nearly had a joyous heart attack when she told me where we could find some artifacts from it. I'm sure you felt the same when I showed you the necklace. It holds a power that speaks to our souls, doesn't it?"

"Paige," I say as I eye him critically and he nods his head in approval as he chomps away on the fruit.

"Yes, yes. As you can imagine, as a historical academic I was intrigued, but all she wanted to do was go back. I was disappointed, but I said I would help her because I saw an opportunity."

"What opportunity?" I ask flatly because I don't really like where this is going.

"Do you know what makes a society great, Cassius?"

That a weighted question, but I say the first thing that comes to mind. "Equality and democracy," I say half because I believe it and half because I know every one in this building doesn't. He laughs. He laughs long and hard and I stare at him. He was once my favorite professor when I was at University and now I barely recognize him.

"Of course not. As much as we hate to admit it, people are stupid and easily manipulated. Equality and democracy are just an illusion created by the people who have been in power and who always will be. Money and fear rule every society. And even 'free' societies like Ancient Greece all the way up to modern America fall under that category. You'd be a fool to believe otherwise."

"What's the point," I snap and he grins again.

"The point, dear boy, is that to have a great society, you have to have a great leader."

"Right," I state sarcastically and he lets that stupid smile drop.

"You don't believe me?"

"Ask Julius Caesar how that Great Leader thing worked out for him," I state and he stares at me for a few moments before laughing again.

"You know, I've always liked you," he says as he takes a chair and scoots it so it's right in front of mine. "You were my favorite student, you know."

"Do you treat all your favorites this well?" I ask as I make a motion to my tied hands and feet. He smiles as I look around the room, looking for ways of escape. "So are you aiming to be the great leader?" I ask to stall and he shakes his head.

"I am not that great," he says with twinkling eyes. "But thank you for thinking so. No," he says with a sigh as he sits back. "I learned my lesson on greatness a long ago. When I was a young man I went to Hogwarts with a boy named Tom Riddle and I knew... I knew he would rule the world one day."

I know who Tom Riddle is and I roll my eyes because he never goes away. "He's dead," I state. "Quite the ruler he is."

He smiles again, in an odd kind of way before sitting forward. "Can you tell me about the Island?" he asks as he puts his chin in his hands as he crosses his legs. "I would love to know what it was like from a first hand account."

"I'm not telling you anything," I say and he sighs.

"It's not like we don't know the story," he says softly. "Conrad Foxworth told just about everyone. Tell me. How was it that you were alive before the potion was given to revive you? That messed up a lot of things, you realize."

"What are you talking about?"

"Did you know that it is impossiable for someone to get into your cemetary plot with out having Malfoy blood in your system? Can you believe that? Goodness, it was quite a challenge. We had to work a few things differently."

"What?" I snap again and he smiles.

"What was it like to die and then come back?"

"Shut up," I snap and he looks taken aback. "Did you bring Paige back?" I ask and he raises an eyebrow. "Is that the thing in the pink dress. I thought she wanted to go back and stay," I say to get him off the subject and he sighs again.

"Muggles are tricky," he says softly. "I didn't take into account that she was raised by muggles," he says with distaste. "Do you know how muggles perform an autopsy?" he ask and I shake my head because I honestly don't. "With wizards it's just a flick of the wand over the body and we know everything but with muggles, oh they are horrid things that defile the body. They cut open the corpse with a knife and they break open the rib cage so they can remove all the organs."

I have a disgusting visual of that and I crinkle my nose in disgust.

"After they're done with them they put them in plastic bags and put them back in after stuffing the body with cotton and wool to make it look real. Then they slice open the skin around the head and peel it away so they can saw open the skull. They remove the brain and put it in a jar while they put the head back together a sow the body all up like some demented puppet master. Then at the funeral home they pump them up with chemicals and glue their mouth and eyes shut after putting pounds of make up on them to make them seem alive. People actually come to look at the versions of these people, stuffed up and sown together like depressing rag dolls."

"Why are you telling me this?" I ask as my lip curls back in disgust.

"I'm telling you all of this because I didn't think it would happen and it fucked up my plans" he says and spit goes flying all over the place as he bangs his hand against his knee. He takes a deep breath and runs a hand over his bald head. "No matter," he says to himself like it was calming him. "We're going to fix it."

"Is Bellatrix Lestrange in that body?" I ask and his large eyes look into mine. "Is her dress holding a part of her soul and that's why you need it?"

"Look at you," he says, giving me a surveying look. "Trying to put things together. You and Mr. Flint are an awful lot alike, I'd say."

"So you knew all along then...You knew what it would do if we went down to that stupid statue head?" I state angrily and he nods. "You knew what it would do but just because you wanted her body you made us go." I stomp my feet. "Why are you doing this?" I snap in frustration because he's talked a lot but didn't tell me a damn thing and I strain against my confines again while he watches.

"You're still not asking the right question," he says. "You're getting warmer."

"What's the right question, then?" I snap back hatefully as he gives me a serene smile.

"Haven't you wondered yet," he says and I furrow my brows. "Haven't you wondered why I sent not only one... But _two_ people to the bottom of the ocean that day?"

"What?"

"You know that someone took Paige Montgomery's body," he says and I feel something uneasy pooling in the pit of my stomach. "Haven't you wondered... " He says as he watches my face. "Who was supposed to take yours?"

_**Evelyn **_

"Hogwarts has always held a zero tolerance policy when it comes to drugs and alcohol," Professor Finnegan says and I slide further down in my seat hoping to become part of the furniture. This isn't fair! It wasn't even my idea. "I could expel you right now and be totally justified. The rules are in the handbook," he says as he lifts up said handbook and waves it around. "I am very disappointed in you girls," he says, eyeing each of us with a very successful disappointed look on his face.

"Are you going to expel us, Professor?" Chloe asks softly. I know it's an act and I wonder if the fact that Finnegan is friends with her step Dad will help us out of this. "It's the first time we've ever done anything like this."

I nod my head in agreement. For me, that's not a lie. "I was young once," he says with sigh. "I know what it's like. So, no, I'm not going to expel you." I smile a little. I can't help it and I sit a little straighter. "But." Oh, darn, that's never good. "I can't let this transgression go unpunished."

"Punished," Lillith replies sorely. I doubt that's a word she hears very often.

"As the three of you know, Professor Sprout has terrible arthritis in her hands." This is going no where good. "She could use some after hours help with the garden and helping other students with their garden plots. I'll sign you three up for it tonight."

"But," Lillith sits forward and we all look at her. "But that's working with dirt," she says and I roll my eyes.

"I don't mind," I say, because, honestly, it's better than some boring detention or being kicked out of freaking school.

"I could add more," he says and we all shake our heads with wide eyes. He smirks. "I thought so. Now, What I want-"

"Excuse me, Professor Finnegan," Someone peeks their head in through the door and I turn in my chair. Mrs. Rosenthorpe, one of the school aids, looks uncomfortable. "We need to see Evelyn Malfoy in the headmasters office immediately.""

"What?" I say as my eye brows shoot up in surprise. I snap myself back to Finnegan. He looks confused too, so that doesn't mean I'm in trouble with the big guy, right?

"Alright," he says as he looks a little taken aback by the worried nature of the secretary. "Miss Malfoy, you may be excused."

"Why do you I have to go to the office?" I ask as I turn in my chair again and put my hands against the back of it. I stare at Mrs. Rosenthorpe, but she doesn't let her beady eyes meet mine.

"It's a personal matter, please follow me."

I send a worried look to the girls before I reluctantly get up and walk slowly to the door. This feels weird and I hate that everyone is staring at me. "What did I do?" I ask innocently. I mean, besides the whole smoking weed on school grounds thing... "Why must I go to the office?" I say as we begin the trek down the long dark hallways.

"It's a personal matter, Evie," she says and I slouch my shoulders and start chewing on my nails to cover my nervousness. What if they did find out about the whole pot thing and they expel me! But, that wouldn't be fair! Chloe and Lillith should be gone too. I blink rapidly as I think on it and I don't look up until we're in front of the statue that hides Headmaster Spinnit's office. "Here you go," she says sympathetically as I she ushers me onto the stairs and she says the password.

Why does she look like that? Why is she looking like she pities me?

The stairs start to creak and spiral upwards and I sit down on one of the steps as it snakes up to the second floor where his office is. What is this all about? It's worrisome for me and I don't like that it's all secretive. When I reach the door to his office, someone opens it for me as I sit up and dust off the bottom of my pants. Ancient Spinnit is sitting at his desk with his hands stapled in front of him. To the right is a broad shouldered woman with a boy haircut and to the left is my uncle. Ron Weasley. Both of them are wearing plum colored auror robes and I gulp and mess with my hair nervously before stepping inside.

"Please take a seat, Miss Malfoy," Spinnit says and I don't like the way he said my name. I don't like that the others are here and staring at me and I don't want to sit down! After a moments hesitation, I trudge to the high backed seat across from his desk anyways and plop myself down with my arms crossed tightly in front of my body. "Evelyn..."

"I didn't know they were smoking weed," I say quickly and his eyebrows shoot up in surprise as I sit up straighter. I will defend myself to the death if I have to. "It's not fair that I'm being singled out. It wasn't even my idea!"

"Miss Malfoy..."

"I've never even smoked weed before. I didn't know!"

"Miss..."

"I just went somewhere to be alone and then they showed up and I didn't know what they were going to do and they started kissing and I was confused... And I give into peer pressure really easy! Please don't send me to jail!"

"Stop talking," he says and I flinch and slouch back again. "I don't know what you're going on about, but we're not here to talk about that."

Oh.

I feel my cheeks heating up in embarrassment and I slide even further down in my seat. Stupid me. "Then why am I here?" I manage to ask, trying to keep as much of my dignity as I can.

Weasley and Spinnit share a look before the red haired uncle that I've never really met before clears his throat. "There's been a disturbance at your home." he says and I frown.

"My home?" I ask and he nods his head.

"Sometime this afternoon the wards at Malfoy Manor in Wiltshire were broken and the aurors were called to investigate," he says mechanically, pretending that we're not related. "The place had had obvious trespassers and a couple of the residents were missing."

"Residents," I repeat back flatly. "My family? Who is missing?" I ask, sitting up and giving them my full attention. This doesn't mean what it thinks it does, does it? "What are you talking about?"

"We haven't been able to locate your mother or oldest brother," he says. "They were both allegedly in the house at the time of the break in. We think they were taken."

"Taken?" I repeat like an idiot because none of this is sinking in. "What about my father?" I ask. Daddy fixes things. He could fix this. "Where's my Dad?"

Another look is exchanged and that makes me feel uneasy. "He's being held for questioning."

"Questioning for what?" I mutter softly and Spinnit is starting to look sympathetic for once. "What... What does that mean?" I ask desperately. "What happened to them?" I ask as I look pleadingly at Ron Weasley. He blinks a few times before answering me.

"We don't know yet, but with your father's connections with the up and coming death eater movement, we don't think it's safe for you to be here."

"Safe?" I repeat again. I realize I'm starting to sound like a moron, but this is so confusing for me. "Where else am I supposed to go?" Isn't Hogwarts supposed to the safest place on the planet?

"Your parents will didn't list any other guardians if something were to happen to them." Will? Why are they talking about a will? I feel like throwing up. "So, we're going to have to place you with your next of kin."

"Who's that?" I ask softly, unsure of what that answer will be.

Spinnit sits forward and looks into my eyes. I stare at his chin. "Molly Weasley, your mother's mother."

Oh, hell no.

"What about Gavin?" I ask because he's the oldest next of kin I have if the other three are gone. "And what about Lavinia? I can stay in her dorm room!"

Spinnit looks uneasy and when I turn my eyes to Ron Weasley, he looks away as well. "I'm sorry, Evelyn," Ron says and he sounds anything but sorry, that old troll. "We haven't been able to get a hold of them either."

"Where is everyone!" I yell and I resist the urge to stomp my foot. "I don't want to go with Molly Weasley. She is mean and she doesn't even like me." I don't care if that's his mother, she's hateful. "I want to stay here!"

"I'm sorry, but it's not safe here," Spinnit says and I scowl at him. He sighs. "This is only temporary Evelyn, and Mrs. Weasley was kind enough to offer up her home for your safety. It would be easier on everyone if you just accepted the situation."

"Then why can't I stay with Daddy when he's done being questioned?" I ask fiercely and another aggravating look is exchanged.

"That's not a good idea right now," Ron Weasley says like I was a slow girl in the post room and I sneer. "Our job is to protect you and this is the best thing we can do right now."

He's not exactly the greatest at handling a confused and upset teenage girl, because that just made me angrier. I decide I'm done talking to them, so I cross my arms and sit back in my seat as they tell me more things. Try as they may, I'm going to give them the silent treatment because I hate this situation that they are telling me to accept and no one was telling me how or why everyone was missing.

"Why don't you go get your trunk packed and ready," Spinnit says and I narrow my eyes.

"I have to leave now?" I say. What about my schooling? What about my friends? What about Jay? Oh, Jeremiah is going to be so lost with out me here to boss him around.

"You can take your time," the girl chooses to speak for the first time. She actually sounds sympathetic and I shake my head. "I know it's a lot to take in. We'll be here when you come back."

I pick myself out of the chair and I spare them one more irritated glance before leaving the office. I take my time going down the hallway, passing classes that are full of students learning and listening to lectures. I can't even wrap my head around this and my mind is going a mile a minute as I try to put the pieces of this puzzle together. Where could everyone have gone? Why did the wards go off and why is Daddy being questioned? Better yet, who is questioning him?

"How terrible this is," I say to myself as I take the dark stairs that lead to the lowest level of the castle where the Slytherin dorms are. When I get to my dorm room, I sit down on the bed for a while and just stare at the wall. The bell sounds and I can imagine everyone is packing up their books and heading towards their next class. I wish I could be with them. Instead I'm here, on this bed, staring at the wall and wondering what the heck is going on.

Like a person under a spell, I get up and gather all of my things, throwing them into my trunk without care and gathering all of my toilet trees from the bathroom, stuffing my toothbrush and bath things into a plastic bag so they don't ruin my clothes. I stand on my bed and peel down the pictures I had hanging above my head board. A majority of them are of me and Jeremiah but I have a few with my dorm mates and one of me and my sister riding our horses. I gently place those on the top of the trunk and gather up the shoes I had stuffed under my bed. This is kind of depressing. I wonder what my dorm mates will think when they come back and all of my stuff is missing. Once my trunk is packed, and I check and double check my things, I finally decide I'm ready to go. I go to pull out my wand from my pocket and I frown when it's not there.

As I think about the various places I could have left it, I remember where I was last. That strange room with Chloe and Lillith. I must have left it in there. With a sigh and a glare at my heavy trunk, I grab the handle and start pulling it along the floor. With out magic to help, it was hard to get that freaking thing all over the place. As I was going up the stairs, it clunked heavily against each flipping step and my back was starting to hurt because the weird angle my body is in from dragging it. It keeps on hitting the back of my ankles and I end up stopping in a random hallway to give it a good kick out of frustration.

"Ow," I hiss as I stub my toe and it starts to throb painfully. I grab my foot and hop around on one foot for a while, cursing under my breath and blaming everyone under the sun for my misfortune before I finally take a deep breath to calm myself. "Get yourself together," I whisper and with a decisive nod of my head I start towards that weird room again.

It takes me about half an hour to find the door and I'm pretty sure it just popped out of no where because I could have sworn I walked passed it a few times before it actually showed up. I drag my stupid old trunk into the room with me and I find my wand laying among some old news paper clippings at the bottom of a gold bird cage. I have no idea how it ended up there, but I don't really care to find out. Not right now when I'm so worried about other things. I pocket it quickly and go to walk out of the room but something shinny catches my eyes and I stop and walk back a few paces to stare at the sword.

I like it.

And no one else can claim it, really, since it's in this old fuddy room with all this forgotten junk.

I glance at my trunk.

I glance at the sword.

I'm taking it.

I don't care how weird it is, that is a cool sword. Maybe when this all blows over I'll hang it in my room. I think it would look cool. I pop open my trunk and I have to push down a few things to get it to fit, but I manage it. I make it fit. With my wand in my pocket and the stolen sword in my trunk I head to the headmasters office once again. When I get back in there, they all seem annoyed with how long it took me, but I don't really care. The woman did say to take my time and it didn't hurt them any to wait.

"We're going to floo," Ron Weasley says after I drag my trunk in. No one offers to help me and I think that is quite rude to do. There are two men in this room and I am a lady. They should offer regardless of what they think. My Daddy would. "Do you have everything you need?"

"Yes, I believe so," I say tiredly because I'm not looking forward to this at all.

We floo to Mrs. Weasley white washed kitchen and I grip the handle on my trunk a little tighter as the grandmother I never knew approaches me with a grim smile. "Evelyn," she says and I glance around her small kitchen, taking it all in. "I'm sorry we had to meet again under these circumstances."

"Me too," I say gently.

"Let me show you your room." She makes a motion with her head, signaling me to follow her and I grab my trunk again. Annoyed once more that no one is offering to help me with it, or at least using magic for me considering I can't because I'm out side of school... Wait a second. "Am I allowed to use magic?" I ask as we get to the small stair case off the living room. Ron Weasley says something about getting back to work. I don't even bother looking his way as he leaves. "Since I'm technically in school and all."

"If you're still here after this week then we'll have a government appointed tutor come to help you," she says, never once looking back as my trunk slams against each step. "You can use magic then, but no other time. If you need anything, just ask."

"Okay then." I mumble because that doesn't sound like much fun.

"Here's where you can stay," she says as she stops in front of a bedroom door. "The bathroom is across the hall and my bedroom is right down there if you need anything."

She opens the door and I step inside. It's a small bedroom, barely a fraction of the size of my old room at the Manor and it's so impossibly boy that I can't help but make a face at how dull it is. The walls are a weird beige color and there's a small wooden twin size bed against the wall with red and blue plaid bed clothes. There's a small beat up wooden bedside table with a small lamp on it and an empty closet. That's about it.

"Are you hungry?" she asks as I drag my trunk into the room. It skids across the floor boards loudly until I finally let it bang down. She jumps.

"Maybe a little," I say honestly because it is almost lunch time.

She nods her head. "I'll make you something to eat. Come down to the kitchen when you're ready."

"Thank you," I say softly as I look around me once more with my arms crossed tightly over my chest. "Mrs. Weasley?" I say before she closes the door.

"Yes?" she asks in surprise like she didn't expect me to talk to her.

"Do you know what happened to my family?" I feel much younger than I actually am right now and I'm feeling very vulnerable. I want to be comforted, but I don't know how to get that from a woman I barely even know.

"I have a pretty good idea," she says and my hope perks up a bit.

"You do?"

She nods her head and eyes me for a few moments. "I'm going to be completely honest with you, Evelyn," she says and I nod my head. "Your mother wanted a divorce from your father." What? "He's always been controlling and I think he has something to do with all of this."

That's not right. Daddy wouldn't do anything like that and they love each other. "Is that why he's being questioned?" I ask. My voice sounds desperate and I don't like it.

"Yes."

"Am I here because they think he'd do something to me?" I ask and she eyes me once again before answering.

"Yes."

I shake my head. "No, you don't understand," I say as I walk closer to her. "My father isn't like that. He wouldn't..."

"I know it's hard," she cuts me off shortly and I frown. "Unpack your things. I'll be in the kitchen."

With that she leaves and I sit down on the small bed and pull a pillow to my chest. I blink back tears until it becomes too overwhelming for me and I curl into a ball and start sobbing. I'm hoping that this is one of those weird dreams and soon I'll wake up and be fine, but a part of me knows that's not going to happen so I just keep crying. I don't know how long I laid like that, it could have been hours or minutes, but I eventually pulled myself up and I looked around the dull boy room once more. Even though I am hungry, I know I won't be able to eat, so I go to my trunk instead and start unpacking my things. I hang up my shirts and fold my pants to put in the closet. I carefully tuck the sword under the bed after wrapping it in a pillow case and I put all my panties and bras in the drawers in the bed side table. Once I'm finished with that I sink to my knees and stare at the ceiling for a while. There's a crack running from one of the corners of the bedroom right to the middle and I follow it with my eyes for a while before a knock on the door makes me jump.

"Evelyn," It's molly Weasley and I look at the door. "You didn't come down for lunch so I know you're hungry. I just made dinner and we have guests. Please come down."

"Oh," Guests? Wtf? "I'll just be down in a minute," I say as I wipe my eyes off with the heel of my hand, getting rid of unwanted tears that keep on falling without my permission.

"I'll wait," she says and I frown again. There isn't a mirror in here, so I can't look at my reflection as I take my hair down and unbraid it, tugging a brush through my curls so I don't look like a mad woman when I go down stairs. I tie it back up in a neater pony tail and I try to dry out my eyes before I open the door and step outside. Molly is leaning against the opposite wall with her arms crossed.

"What guests do we have?" I ask and she looks down at her watch.

"Just a few family members," she says and I sigh.

Bloody wonderful.

"Okay then," I say because I'm a team player and I follow her down the stairs and back into the kitchen. I really don't know any of these people crowded around the table and I sit down at an empty seat when she tells me to.

Hermione Weasley, Bill Weasley, Fluer Weasley, a few kids and some other redhead I don't know are all sitting down and eating already and I can feel their stares as I look at my empty plate. This is weird. Why are they all here and why did Mrs. Weasley think this was a good idea? This is bad taste, I'd say. I feel like a circus attraction that everyone came to stare at.

"Fill up your plate, Evelyn," Mrs. Weasley says, making a motion to the food set out on the table. Oh, I guess they don't have elves. I grab the spoon that's dipped into a large bowl of mashed potatoes and I put a lump on my plate and then I get some corn because those are the two things closest to me and I don't want to ask anyone to pass me anything. This is an odd dinner no one seems to care that there is only one fork by my plate. There's a salad too. There should be another fork!

I take a sip of water, but I don't touch my food. I'm finding my appetite gone.

"Do you need anything else?" Molly ask me. "You're not eating."

"I'm not hungry," I snap and she blinks a few times before shrugging me off. Honestly, who would do this after a girl lost her whole family? I decide that I'm not happy with this turn of events, so I slouch back in my seat and cross my arms as I stare at everyone else. Hopefully I make them uncomfortable.

"Evelyn, I haven't seen you in ages," Hermione Weasley tells me and I look at her blankly. "You've grown up."

"It happens," I tell her with a bitter smile and she matches my uncomfortable grin.

"Of course it does."

Shouldn't these people being doing something else other than eating? How can they eat? My whole family is missing. I feel my eyes narrow and I stand up. "I'm going back upstairs," I announce to anyone who cares and no one bothers to stop me as I stomp all the way back up to that pathetic bedroom. I watch the sun disappear and I take out my music player and blare my music so loud that my ears sting when I use my headphones. Mrs. Weasley comes back a few hours later to check on me I don't really care. I don't feel like eating.

I don't want to stay in this stupid old boy room any longer so I tuck my music player into my pocket and I keep my ear buds in as I go to explore the house. Malfoy Manor is so big a person could get lost there, and there are things even I haven't seen because the place is so huge. There is so much to see at my home, but Molly Weasley's house is of a modest size. There are a bunch of pictures hanging on every wall, but none of them have my mother in them and when I reach a mysterious looking clock with peoples name on it I squint my eyes to read them. George Weasley, Charlie Weasley, and Aruther Weasley's names are all pointing towards the word dead and I crinkle my nose. What a morose clock to keep around. My Mother has a hand as well, but her name has been etched out. It's still working, though, because it's pointing towards mortal danger. That makes me uneasy, but at least she's not in the dead category yet. Two stories and a bit of magic to stretch some of the rooms make the house and I look into two bed rooms and a supply closet before finding the door that leads to the attic. A wall of humid air hits my face as I stare up at the narrow stair case and darkness. I take out my wand and light the end with a lumos spell before holding onto the railing and making my way up. Interesting things are always in attics and I find a dangling light chord and pull it, illuminating the small area in a warm glow.

Molly's attic is like everyone else's, really. It holds junk you don't really want anymore but for whatever reason you're holding onto it because you just can't let go just yet. I found an old box of plus sized dresses that looked just terrible and I found some kitchen appliances as well that looked like they had seen the worst part of the first world war. In one box I found toys and board games. In another I found some old records and a broken radio. I sifted through some other dust covered things before finding a small cardboard box crammed under a few other heavy plastic containers. It didn't have anything written on it and I was too curious to not open it. I sat down on the floor with my wand secure in between my teeth as I took off the lid. Inside was a pink baby blanket and I held it up to the light as I took out my ear pieces, letting them rest on my shoulders so my music was like a soft whisper in the background. A small G was carefully stitched into the corner and most of it was covered in blackness like parts of it had been burned and had smoke damage. I put that to the side and found a photo album full of pictures of my mother from the time she was a baby up until her teenage years. This book looked eaten by fire at the corners as well and I took a few moments to study the pictures. I never knew what my mother looked like as a child, really. We never had any pictures and Mom said they must have gotten ruined during the fire that burned down her childhood home. But somebody had saved them and here they were. She reminded me of a mix of Lavinia and Cassius, with Gavin's smile and Molly Weasley's eyes. I wonder if there's any of me in there.

My mother was once a cute little girl who loved her brothers and parents. That much was obvious from what I was seeing in the album and I felt bad for her all over again for having to be cut off from them. You would think time would heal that wound, but I guess it never did. I found a few more things that were once my Mom's in the box and then I pushed it to the side. How strange that this house was full of so many things, but my mother's life was condensed down to this tiny little box. To be honest, I was surprised they kept it, and I decided that she would want these things. It was just wasting away in an attic here where no one liked her anymore. I took the box and put it under my arm as I walk around some more. I found another more recent box on my way out and it was marked odds and ends. I figured odds and ends could be interesting so I popped the lid off.

There was a picture of Cassius, and I pulled it out as I set my mother's box to the side. It was an article the Dailey Prophet did about him while he was studying abroad in Egypt during his second year at the University. I furrow my brows and pull out another piece of paper. Mom had won an art award last year and here was the exert from the magazine announcing it. There were a million other things in this box, some recent and some that went back years. There was my birth announcement and Lavinia's graduation notice... One of Gavin's team schedules from the one year he played summer Quidditch and Cassius' obituary... Along with a whole stack of his coming back articles.

Why does she have all of these things?

Buried along the side of the box is a pink booklet and I pick it up. It's a playbill from Sleeping Beauty... That was just last month. I flick through the pages of the book and see that my name is underlined. Did she go to the show? What is all of this?

"Evelyn?" I hear Molly call and then I hear her footsteps. I don't even bother to try to hide what I'm doing as I pull more things out of the box. An Article on Cassius' volunteer history, a picture of Lavinia during a piano recital, a photo of Gavin getting ready to board the Hogwarts Express... All having to do with my family. "What are you doing up here..." She trails off when she sees me and I look over my shoulder.

"You don't hate us," I say flatly as I hold up a stack of photographs of us taken from magazines.

"Of course I don't hate you," she says as she flicks her eyes to the box I had gutted, looking at it like I had discovered some dirty secret that she was trying to hide.

"Why do you act like you do?" I ask boldly as I set the pictures on the floor. "Why do you keep all of these things?"

"I always have," she says as she walks over and starts putting things back in the box. I pick up my mother's measly little box and I stuff it under my arm. "I'm not totally heartless you know," she says as she tidies up the mess I had made. "You are my grandchildren, of course I'm going to keep track of you."

"Were you at my dance recital?" I ask as I take the play bill and show it to her. "Did you go?"

"Why does it matter?" she asks as she snatches it away and stuffs it in the box. I blink a few times before pursing this further.

"Why did you go? Did you see me fall?" What a terrible thing that would be.

She puts the lid on the box and pauses a second before looking at me. "I thought you danced beautifully," she says and I stare at her for a few moments.

"Why didn't you let me or my mother know that you were there... That you were paying attention to all of theses things?" I ask as I make a hand movement towards the box. "Why do you hide that?"

"I'm not going to lie to you," she says as she stares at the wall and then her eyes flick to mine. They're like my mother's, I notice. "I hate your father. I hate him more than I have ever hated anyone in my entire life."

I swallow hard before replying to that pleasant comment. "He's really not so bad," I say and it sounded lame even to my own ears, but I was going to keep going with it. "He can be very loving and he's funny sometimes too," I add, grasping at straws. "You might even like him if you gave him a chance. He's not bad at all and he never says anything bad about you." Maybe.

"Evelyn, I have memories in my head that are not my own," she says as she touches her temple like it physically hurt her to think. "Because of your father I spent the better part of two years believing my daughter was the reason why my Charlie was dead. I have memories of her confronting us, telling us she hated us and how disgusted she was. I remember her helping set the burrow on fire. They're not real," she says sadly. "I know that now. I believed it because of a curse Draco Malfoy put on us to make us hate our baby."

"Oh," I say because I didn't know that and I look down at my hands.

I feel her grab my hands and I look up. She's staring right into my eyes now with a brutal intensity. "What he did to your mother is unforgivable," she says and I hold my breath. "I know this is hard, but you need to hear it. Your father forced your mother to marry him, he forced her to stay with him, he forced her to have his children, and he forced her to love him," I try to pull my hands back, but she pulls tighter. "He abused her, he threatened her, and he raped her." I try to pull back even harder because I don't want to listen. "He cut her off from everyone that ever loved her just so she would feel alone and have no one else but him. He wanted Arthur and I to hate her so we wouldn't try to help her, but he was wrong. We never stopped loving her, even when we thought she was the evil person he wanted us to think she was.

I feel tears in my eyes, but I blink them back. I want her to stop talking now. I want her to let go of my hands so I can run away.

"I hate him and I'm angry that he's been given so many chances in life. He doesn't deserve them. He doesn't deserve your mother and I'm mad, Evelyn," she says as her old eyes stare deeply into mine. "I'm so mad that your Mother could have left him many times. We were in the position to help, but she refused time and time again and Draco has too many powerful connections for us to do much but hope she comes to her senses. I thought she never would. She's sick, Evelyn. I can't blame her, but there is no way that she truly loves him. There is no way. You have no idea what she used to be like before him." she says and she looks away again, like she was remembering something nice. "She was always shy, but she always said what was on her mind, and she was kind and funny..." She trails off and her hold loosens on my hands. "And she loved Harry. Being with Draco for so long has totally changed her that sometimes I can barely recognize her. I try to tell myself it's not her fault. It happens to women in her situation, but I get so angry."

She inhales deeply and then exhales through her nostrils.

"And now I think that bastard did something to her again because she was trying to leave," she says, spitting out the words like it was venom. "She wanted a divorce, she was going to tell him, but he couldn't handle it because he wasn't in control of her anymore."

I shake my head and wipe my eyes after I snatch my hands back. "Cassius was gone too," I say as I remember what Ron Weasley told me in Spinnit's office. "And the wards were broken. Dad wouldn't of had to break the wards to get in... And why take Cass too? He's a full grown wizard now."

"One thing I've learned through all of this," she says as she stands up and dusts off her dress. "Is that nothing in life makes sense. Now, come on. It's getting late. You should go to bed."

I follow dumbly behind her. The weight of her confession to me weighing down on my chest as I clutch at the box under my arm, making it difficult to breathe. "I know this is a lot to take in," she says when we reach the bedroom door. "But you need to know the truth about things."

"Okay," I state softly as I stare at the door.

She opens it and I step inside and put the box under the bed. I feel weird now. Like I know things that I should have never known. I shake my head to rid it of those thoughts as I shut the door and I strip out of my clothes to get into my pj's because I have nothing else to do. The room looks menacing in the dark and I pull out the white tee shirt that I had taken from Jeremiah and I slip it on to sleep in. It still smells like him and that's comforting to me. I crawl under the covers and curl into a ball again as I try to clear my mind and go to sleep. Sleeping can be peaceful.

If I could sleep.

Shadows creep across the walls and I end up staring at that crack on the ceiling. When a spider crawls out of it I grab the pillow and blanket from the bed and march down to Molly's room. I've never been the loner type, especially when I'm upset, and I just want to be by some one so I gently knock on her door.

"Yes?"

"Can I come in?" I ask softly and she hesitates for a moment before saying I can.

When I open the door I see her sitting in bed with a few candles lit. She's wearing a white night gown with a pair of spectacles perched on the end of her nose, and resting on her lap is a book. She must have been reading. "What can I help you with?" she asks as she looks at my pillow and blanket. I walk over to the rug in the middle of the floor and start making camp there. "What are you doing?" she asks as I start to make my bed.

"Oh, I guess I should ask first," I mumble to myself before glance at her. I never really asked Mom and Dad when I stayed in their room. I just went right in and either climbed in between them or put a few blankets down by their bed because the couches were too far away. "Can I sleep in here?" I ask. I don't think I need to give an explanation, but I'll give her one anyways. "That other room is too dark."

"Too dark?" she repeats and I nod. "You could leave the light on," she says and I look at her before realization dawns on her face. "Oh, I see." she scoots over and folds back the covers. "I have plenty of room in here if you don't mind sleeping with an old woman."

I look at the rug and then at her bed. The bed is the better option. I slide into bed beside her as she blows out the candles and I turn my back on her as I tuck my hands under my pillow and close my eyes.

"Thank you, Mrs. Weasley," I say because I do feel safer with someone by me. Even if that someone hates my father with a passion.

"You're welcome," she says as she gets comfortable under the covers.

We lay in silence for a while. I hate the silence.

"Mrs. Weasley?"

"Yes?"

I bite my lip in the dark and open my eyes to stare out the window. It's a starless night. "I love my father."

She sighs. "I know you do."

"I love him so much and I don't think he was the one who took Mom."

She doesn't answer for a few moments. "Then for your sake, I hope I'm wrong."

You are wrong, I resist saying. "Mom was eighteen when her and Daddy got married," I say as I play with the edge of the covers. "He's only a year older than her, so he was young too. Maybe he didn't know any better," I say as I try to explain to myself the things that she told me, trying to make sense of them. I always knew my parents had a shady past, but I always tried to ignore it.

"If he didn't know any better than he's more messed up than I originally thought," she bites out and I scrunch up my nose. I let the conversation die off and then she sighs loudly. "You know, sometimes I find myself not blaming him either," she says softly, like it was a secret. "Lucius Malfoy was not a fun man to live with, I'm sure."

"You knew him?" I ask as I raise my brows and turn on my back to give her my attention.

"I knew him well once," she says, with her back still towards me. "He had a terrible temper. I was glad when he died."

I mentally flinch. That was my grandpa and my grandmother had loved him. "That's not very nice," I mutter and she sighs again and turns on her back as well.

"I know, I'm sorry," she surprises me by saying. "Life has made me bitter." She pulls the covers further up her chest. "You're right, Evelyn. Draco was young and someone should have stopped him. Someone should have taught him right from wrong instead of spoiling him and making him believe he could do whatever he wanted. Lucius probably let him get away with being awful like that because he was making up for the love he couldn't give."

"How well did you know him?" I ask curiously. No one I've ever talked to has admitted to knowing him well besides Dad and he doesn't like talking about him too much.

"Well..." She trails off again, like she was debating how much to tell me. "We dated for three years in Hogwarts."

"Three years?" I repeat back. It seems silly really. I mean, she's Molly Weasley... And Lucius was always a put together, handsome aristocrat.

"I know it's hard to believe but I was young once too," she says and I hide the smile I was starting to form. "And I thought the sun rose and fell with Lucius Malfoy."

I don't know how to tread in this conversation. I want her to keep talking about this, but I don't want to seem too eager. "Three years is a long time," I settle on saying. I can not believe she's talking to me about this! How curious. "What happened?"

"I grew up," she said simply. "I realized that you didn't have to be mean to people to make you feel better. I realized that looks were no judge of character and I found out that when he shouted at me, it wasn't because he loved me, but because he was just a bad person who I didn't want to waste my time on."

"So you broke up with him?" I ask. I bet Grandfather Lucius was not pleased with that.

"Well, Arthur, my husband," she says like she didn't think I would know who he was. "We were always friends through school, a fact that Lucius despised, but I woke up one day and realized that he was what I wanted. He loved me, he was kind, and he didn't have warped ideas of superiority. Lucius was always hanging out with a very spiteful crowd and when..." She trails off and shakes her head. "Nevermind that. Anyways, I made my choice. I wasn't surprised when his son came to Hogwarts, just as snooty and terrible as he was but a part of me always hoped that he would get better... But people don't change like that. Lucius didn't have much of a childhood, and I doubt Draco did either."

I think on that for a few minutes and I close my eyes because it's so dark that there's not much of a point to keep them open. We don't talk again after that and eventually she starts snoring. I frown at it and cover my head with the pillow as I try to go to sleep. It's hard, but I end up dozing off before daylight comes. I was expecting the dream though, so I just went along for the ride when I found myself in an old house in the middle of the night, standing next to some masked death eaters. I sigh tiredly and lean against the wall, waiting for it to be over with. These are starting to get tiresome.

"Bellatrix, what are you doing?" One of the masked men snaps hatefully at the death eater that's randomly wondering around like she was lost. "Get back in formation."

"What?" Bella's voice sounds airy and strange. Some one grabs her and pulls her back with the others as I slump against the wall like the surly tired teenager that I am.

"Now," One of the men says. His voice is deep and gruff. "Remember what we're looking for. Kill everyone else."

The house they're going into is dark and I follow them as they break up into small teams to search it. Belltrix takes off her mask and squints against the dark. Her eyes look strange, like they're glazed over and hazy. Someone hisses at her again and she blinks a few times before following a few of the Death Eaters up the stairs. I follow as well and duck when a stream of curses get sent our way by hidden people unknown.

"Fuck!" One of the Death Eaters calls as more curses go flying. Bellatrix looks surprised by it and she drops her wand and starts running the opposite way. She's acting very strange. I follow her as she goes into one of the bedrooms and shuts the door tight, trying to get away from the fighting. Hiding. I didn't know it was prudent for her to hide. She was always such a smug hateful thing.

I hear shuffling around in the room and Bellatrix's head snaps towards the noise. She looks frightened and her eyes widen when a young boy around my age steps out from behind the bed with his wand drawn.

"You're a death eater," he says and she doesn't say anything. She just keeps on staring at him. "You killed my father." Again she says nothing and then the boy surprises me by throwing the killing curse at her chest. She slumps against the wall and the boy climbs out the window.

Is she really dead? I walk over to her as her body slides down the wall. The Death Eater mask falls back down on her face as her arms and legs go limp. What a anti climatic way to die. I kneel in front of her and study her face through the mask as time passes. I hear the fight out side die down and then footsteps carry in front of the door as I stand up and back away.

"I'm proud of you," I hear a man's voice say. "You've done well tonight."

"Thank you," I hear a soft woman's voice answer and then someone opens the door.

"Beatrice Potter?" I say outloud as I look at the younger face of Harry Potter's wife, all decked out in Death Eater robes with a mask resting on the top of her head. She looks around the room and a smile curls her lips when she sees Bellatrix slumped against the wall.

"Anyone in there, Bea?" A gruff voice asks and she shakes her head.

"No, but I'm just going to take a moment, if you don't mind," she says as she walks into the room and closes the door behind her. I raise my eyebrows at her as she walks into the room and kneels in front of Bella's body. "Oh, my my my, what have you done, hm?" She takes off leather glove from her right hand and presses two fingers against Bellatrix's pulse point on her neck. "Well, that boy didn't curse you strong enough. Still hanging on there, are you?"

She takes out her wand and lifts the mask. Bellatrix isn't under there anymore. It's Beatrice and I blink a few times as the live Beatrice looks at the almost dead version of herself. What is going on? "Do you know how many hairs are on the human head?" she asks as she pulls out a bag from inside her robes. "About 110,000. Do you know how many poly juice potions that will make?" she asks as she takes out her wand and starts cutting the hair off of the woman. "You had the right idea, Beatrice. When people think you're weak and stupid, you can get away with so much more." She puts all the hair in the bag and sits back on her haunches. "I hope you had fun being me," she says as she points her wand at her chest and blasts her with a curse. She really is dead this time and blood dribbles from the corner of her mouth as her body slumps once more against the wall. I watch as the woman masquerading as Beatrice Flint takes a necklace from under her shirt and pulls it out. I know that black stone necklace. It was in that box with the potions and book!

"Second time is a charm, darling," she says and she does a few weird things with her wand and a complicated curse that hurts my eyes because it makes the room so bright. "Now, we can't leave you looking like this," she says to the newly bald corpse of Beatrice Flint when she's done with whatever curse she just cast that made her look tired and drawn. She puts the necklace back under her shirt and she lifts her wand again to do a masking spell, making the dead girl look like Bellatrix once more.

She smiles at her handy work and lowers the mask once again, then she stands up and dusts off her pants as I stare at her with a slack jaw. This can not be real. She walks over to one of the mirrors and smiles at her reflection. "You were goodlooking. I'll give you that." Whatever spell or potion she was taking seems to be wearing off and Bella's features begin to appear on her face. She smirks again at her changing reflection before taking out a flask and taking a sip, making Beatrice's features come back again.

This can't be real.

This can't be real because if Beatrice really died that night so long ago... Then that means that...

The dream jumps and I find myself in a brightly lit peach colored bathroom. With Beatrice/possiablyBellatrix giving a baby a bath in he sink. It's a sweet looking baby with black hair and bright blue eyes. I look down. It's a boy. Could it be Byron? I take a step closer and look at the Beatrice imposter with wary eyes.

"He promised me it would only be for a little while," she spits out hatefully as she washes the baby. "He said only a few months." she pours water over the baby's head and he starts crying. "I hate this fucking place, I hate pretending to be this woman, and most of all..." She stops talking to herself and looks down at the crying baby. "I hate you."

She looks at the little baby for a few moments as he cries and then she takes him by the shoulders and pushes him under the water.

"What are you doing?" I snap as I run over to her and try to pull her hands out. My hands go right through her so I won't be much good as she holds him under water and tries to drown him. "Let him up!" She doesn't and I start to panic. "Let him go!"

"What are you doing?" Both of our heads snap to the door way where a man with crooked teeth is glaring at her. "What the fuck are you doing?" he snaps as he runs into the room and pushes her hands back, picking the baby up and putting him against his chest. The dark haired baby starts coughing and crying and I sigh in relief. "You tried to kill my son," the man looks fierce as he yells at her and it scares me. "What the fuck is wrong with you?"

"Oh, you don't even like him," she snaps hatefully and he gives her a hateful look before he leaves the room. I don't know where he put the kid, but when he came back he was looking deadly.

He hits her hard in the jaw and I gasp. "If I have catch you trying to hurt him again. I will kill you. Do you understand?"

She clenches her jaw a few times before nodding her head and he leaves the room with a slam of the door. She cusses a few times before destroying the whole bathroom in a fit.

I get pulled again to another place. Fog flows into the room and when it clears I'm in a cave, a dark cave with Bellatrix and a scary looking snake man with pale skin.

"Why is this taking so long?" she snaps and then she reels in her anger as she looks at the snake man. "I apologize for my outburst, my lord, but you told me that it would only take a couple weeks, but it's been a year already."

"Patience, Bellatrix," He says. "Soon our plan will be set and we'll have two new beautiful bodies," he says as he lets a bony hand travel down her arm. "And we'll live forever. I was foolish with my first resurrection," he says seriously as he taps his fingers against his non existent lips. "This is not a body fit for a leader," he says and I would agree because he looks like a monster. "With the things turning as they are and Potter still free we need to be careful. He has to live. He can't die... Do you understand, Bellatrix? You are my most faithful servant, aren't you?"

She smiles.

The fog comes again.

I hold my stomach because the move hurt me and I blink a few times when I find myself in a bedroom. A little boy with black hair is crying as he lays face down on the floor. All he's wearing is a pair of white briefs and his back is bleeding terribly. I run over to him and get down on my knees to see his face. He looks no older than four.

Beatrice is in the doorway... Or Bellatrix... With that flask in her hands and she watches the boy cry with an eyebrow raised. "You shouldn't have pissed the bed," she says before taking a drink and walking away.

The child keeps crying and I try to touch him, but I go right through. "Bywan." It's a little girl voice and I look to the doorway where a little girl with black hair is standing. "You okay?"

"Go away," he sobs and when I realize that it is Byron Flint I sigh in sympathy.

The little girl, who I bet is his little sister disappears and when she comes back she has a wet wash clothe. She shuts the door and walks over to her. She looks so young but her hands are steady as she bends down and puts the clothe on his back. He hisses and arches as she wipes away the blood.

"Did Father punish you?" she asks and he nods his head as he tries to relax. "Mother said she wouldn't heal you."

"I know," he says and his voice sounds thick with tears.

"Where did your bed go?" she whispers as she looks around the room, apparently noticing that there is no bed anymore.

"Be quiet, Sam," he says and then he hisses again when his clothe goes across one of the long gashes across his back.

The fog comes and I find myself in a strange living room. I'm done with this now. I want to wake up!

"Why do you have this!" The man with dark hair and brutal teeth is yelling at her as he holds her flask. "Why is there poly juice potion in here!" She doesn't say anything she just glares at he grabs her arm. "Answer me!"

"Fuck you," she says and then she spits in his face.

His eyes flame in anger and he hits her a few times before taking her arm and snapping her wrist. I cringe and look away while little Byron comes running into the room.

"Stop!" he says as he runs closer to her. I cover my mouth when he gets hit by the big guy too. His nose makes a sickening crunch sound and blood starts gushing from his nose.

"Who are you?" the man asks Beatrice as he glares down at her. "You belong to me, so tell me who the fuck you are!" She pulls back her unbroken hand and aims a punch right at his crotch. He lets go of he and doubles over and the Beatrice Bella thing grabs her flask and picks up Byron as she goes running out of the room. She grabs Samantha as well and they run towards one of the fireplaces where she puts some powder into the flames and floos away.

She ends up at Malfoy Manor. I watch as my mother heals her and her children. I watch as a little Byron sneaks out of the room that night and I watch as Bellatrix follows him to the top of the stairs. She hangs back as Byron hides behind the banister and she looks on with an odd smile on her face as the big man with black hair and crooked teeth tries to rape my Mom. She looked positively ecstatic when Daddy came out. She hides more in the shadows as Mom comes running up the stairs and then she reappears as she watched my Dad... My Dad...

"Oh, God," I whisper as I cover my mouth with my hand. My father was doing something terrible and I just couldn't bare it like the Bella creature is, or the way little Byron Flint is as he holds onto the railing of the stairs. I turn around and cover my eyes as I listen to the terrifying noises that are coming from down stairs and when they're finished, I peak over my shoulder at Byron's little body. He stands up and turns around to head back to the bedroom. His face is as white as a sheet and he looks glassy eyed... Like a dead person.

Before he reaches his room, though, Bellatrix takes him by the arm and pulls him towards her, looking right at him as he stares up at her. "That's what happens to bad boys," she hisses at him and I frown. "And you're just like him."

I go to chase after the poor boy, but that aggravating fog comes again.

I move to a place I recognize again. The Manor. In one of the upstairs guest rooms Beatrice, or Bella under the polyjuice potion, is standing in a tight blue dress and she glances down at some old trunk before going downstairs. I follow her. On the way she passes a little Cassius and I smile at my brother in his smaller form before we stop outside of my father's study. She cracks her neck and pats down her hair before walking into the room.

"Umm, hi."

Dad looks young here and he's sitting behind his desk. I try to pretend like I didn't witness what he had done to that man with the terrible teeth. I try to pretend that I'm not picturing his handsome face covered in blood right now. When he looks at her he raises an eyebrow, which is his usual greeting when he's not really thrilled to see someone. "Yes?"

"Could you help me?" she asks softly, looking down at her hands in a false sense of shyness. I crinkle my nose at her. "I was able to get one of my trunks from my old home, but I can't get it open."

Dad looks reluctant and he makes a face before nodding his head and standing up. He follows her all the way up to one of the guest bedrooms where an ancient looking trunk with brass handles is sitting on the bed.

"Do you have a key?" He asks, looking at the thing with disgust. Daddy has never been good at hiding his feelings of revulsion.

"Yes, and I already tried it but the lid is stuck. The hinges must be rusted or something."

He sighs before bending down and trying to open it. "Will magic not work on this?" he asks as he tries to pry it open again, only to fail.

"No," she says and when he tries to open again and she smiles, only to let it fall when he glances at her. "It's charmed to repel spells and whatnot."

That does not please my father and he lets out an annoyed breath before trying again. With a frustrated grunt he puts the trunk on the ground. Then he unbuttons a few buttons on his shirt and rolls up his sleeves before trying again. His cheeks are flushed and he's starting sweat as he tries to get it and after a few moments of work it finally pops open. Beatrice watches him with interest in her eyes as he sits back on his knees and wipes the sweat from his forehead.

"Oh, thank you so much!" she says after he backs up and she starts sifting through her things. One of them is the dark wooden box that looks familiar to me.

"No problem," he says as he goes to leave.

"Wait," she says as she stands, when he turns around to face her she looks down at her shoes. "I just wanted to thank you for everything you've done for me and my family," she says softly. "I wish I could pay you or something."

He shakes his head. "That won't be necessary."

"You know," she says as she takes a step towards him. Her timid eyes look predatory now. "Ginny's really lucky to have a guy like you."

He sneers and then his eyes flick down her body, like he just figured out a complicated puzzle. He takes a step back. "What?" he snaps hatefully and she takes another step closer.

"You know I've been with Marcus since I was... Sixteen," she says like she had to think about it. "I don't think I've ever met a guy as nice as you," she says as she pushes her body right into his. I scowl.

"Yeah," he says and then he coughs uncomfortably as he takes a step back. "I need to go find Ginny."

Something like lust flashes in her eyes and she smiles at him. The she tilts her head and kisses him. Ew! That's her nephew! He keeps his eyes open and he blinks a few times before grabbing her arms to push her back.

"What the fuck?"

Dad spins around to find mom in the door way. Mom and Daddy exchange words and Beatrice/Bella tries to apologize, but she ends up storming out of the room with Daddy chasing after her. Beatrice smiles and goes back to her trunk where she pulls out the box. Inside is a necklace, her small journal, and three vials of that red potion. I watch as time passes. Dad comes into yell at her and she pretends to cry and then she sneaks downstairs to the dungeons where she buries the box in one of the cells for me to find years later. What the hell is going on?

I go through more memories of her life as Beatrice Flint. How she convinced healers that Byron was unwell by giving him potions that would make him sick. How she gave birth to Chloe with Mrs. Weasley there holding her hand as she cussed and raved like a lunatic, saying things that would damn her if she wasn't in that situation. I watched her life with the muggle men that she was slowly poisoning and convincing everyone they had hit her. I saw her abuse of Byron that she covered by altering his memories, and her marriage to Harry Potter. It hurts my brain and when I finally wake up my nose is bleeding so badly that it's covering my lips and staining the top of Jeremiah's shirt. I look over at Molly Weasley to make sure she's real and I bring a hand up to my nose. Blood is on my fingers when I pull back and I drag myself out of bed to take a shower to wash my body and my mind from all the things that I've seen. It can't possibly be real.

After an hour long shower where I scrub my body until it's raw, I go back to the room that was meant for me and I sit in the middle of the floor, waiting for morning to come as I hug my knees to my chest and stare at the wall. The sun finally rises and creeps through the windows as I hear Mrs Weasley get up and start her day. After a couple hours she comes into the room.

"Oh, there you are," she says and then her smiles falls when she sees me. "What's wrong?"

"I'm hungry," I say softly. It was a bad lie, but I didn't feel like talking about it.

"Well, get dressed and come on down," she says, eyeing me worriedly.

"Okay," I say as I stand up on shaky legs.

I sort through all the clothes I brought after sending a look out the window. It looks like it's going to rain, so I put on some black leggings and a long sleeved black shirt. Over it, I throw on a sleeveless gray dress to match my mood and the sky outside. Bright colors will just depress me more, I bet. I open the window and feel the chill from the morning on my face. It's actually kind of refreshing, maybe after breakfast I'll take a walk to clear my head. In preparation for that walk, I tug green bucket hat on my head and I pull on a pair of cherry red rain boots that make a funny plastic sound when I walk. I send one more look out the window before I walk down to the kitchen. Molly gives a me a funny look because of my attire, but I ignore it as I take a seat at the table. She had made toast, bacon, and eggs and I filled up my plate and attempted to eat some, but I wasn't having much success with it. I felt like throwing up everytime I looked at the food and I couldn't help but think about what I saw last night. It was just a dream right? Just a dream. Mrs. Weasley doesn't talk to me, which I'm grateful for, and I just spend my time staring at my reflection of my silverware. I jump when someone knocks on the door and the fork I had been holding for the past half hour clatters to the ground..

"That must be Harry," she says as she puts her napkin down to answer the door. Must be Harry? Why is Harry here?

When she opens the door, Harry Potter walks in and I recognize him immediately from the magazine articles and stories from the paper. He looks tall and his face is drawn out from years of exhaust. I give him a curious look as he walks in and greets Molly Weasley with a hug before I bend down to get my fork so I can avoid his gaze when it falls on me. "How are things at home, Harry?"

"They're fine, Molly, thanks for asking," he says politely and then his bright eyes turn to me once I come out from under the table. I smile uncomfortably and pull down my hat a little further to cover my curls that I'm sure are a mess because I didn't bother to tame them this morning. I put the fork on my plate and put my hands on my lap. "Hello, Evelyn," he says and I nod.

"Good morning." It wasn't a good morning. I don't actually know why I said that.

He nods his head tightly and then takes a seat in front of me. Scratching the wooden chair against the floor in the most annoying and loud way. I cover my ears with my hands and he notices, but doesn't say anything.

"Did you not sleep well last night?" he asks and I shake my head as he puts his hands on the table. "No, I imagine I wouldn't sleep well if I were you either. I'm sorry about your family."

"Do you know where they are?" I question and he sighs.

"No, I don't," he says and I slump in my seat. I have no idea why he's here and talking to me. It's not like he's an Auror any more. I pull my sleeves over my hands and bite the insides of my cheeks as he stares at me. "I'm sorry," he adds after a few moments of silence and I make a face at the table.

"You're not sorry," I mutter, but he ignores me.

"I wanted to ask you a few questions," he says as he takes a notepad from his pocket and a pen from behind his ear.

"Why? You aren't an Auror," I say and it must sting him where it hurts because he winces.

"I know I'm not," he bites out like he was angry. "I just want to ask you some questions, okay?"

"Okay?"

"Have you been receiving any odd owls or letters from anyone recently?"

"No."

"When you got on the platform for school, did anything strange happen, where people there that looked out of place, or that you felt shouldn't have been there."

"No."

"Where you aware of the decline of your parents marriage."

"No, you old loon." I snap and he raises his dark brows. I stand up and the chair scoots against the wooden floor. I have no patience for this right now. "For your information, your wife isn't who you think she is," I snap hatefully before turning to Molly Weasley. "I'm going outside."

I don't even bother to ask for permission as I open the front door and go stomping out. "Stay with in the wards!" I hear Molly call after me as I walk aimlessly forward with my rain boots squeaking with each step. "Don't go past the large boulder out there!"

"Whatever," I say with an eyeroll as I cross my arms and go stomping off.

There isn't much to Molly Wesaley's yard. Just some pitiful grass and an old oak tree that looks like it's seen better days. And a boulder. A really large and ridiculously out of place boulder that marks the end of the ward. Talk about class difference. We have a large ornate looking gate with our last name on it... and Molly Weasley has a large rock. There is a tire swing attached to the oak tree, though, and I take advantage of it and slide inside as I let my feet push against the dirt. It's obviously been used by the Weasley grandchildren for years because no grass grows underneath it and the rope looks dirty. I grip it with my hands anyways. I'm not a prude like my sister, and I hold on to it as I let my feet swing me back and forth.

It starts to sprinkle as little water droplets land on my hands and shoulders. I sigh and I put my chin on top of the tire and frown at the leaves in the yard. Fall is officiously coming and most of the trees around here are brilliant shades of oranges and yellows that make the landscape look beautiful. I wonder where my family is... I hope they're not hurting or scared. I look up at the branch that holds the tire swing and a rain drop falls on my face. I flick it off before looking at the trees again. I hope they are safe enough to enjoy the leaves changing colors on the trees. I do so love Autumn. I don't know how long I've been sitting on the swing. The dirt under my rainboots turn to mud and the sun moves across the sky as I stay, trying not to think about anything but thinking of absolutely everything. Stupid things are popping up on me now. Like all the fights I used to have with Xavier at Ballet.

We really used to hate each other.

I remember one time I had bumped the corner of my mouth on a kitchen cabinet and had a red mark when I came into class. Xavi convinced everybody that it was a cold soar and told me I had mouth herpes and it was contagious. Half the class avoided me until it went away and in retaliation I started the rumor that he had lice. I might have even put a few little bugs on his shoulders to solidify the rumor and he never figured out why people stopped talking to him. Not that he cared. He's so grouchy with people. He cut holes in one my leotards before a performance once and I put a live frog in his water bottle. I don't know how we ever ended up kissing.

"Evelyn."

I sigh when I hear Potter say my name and the leaves crunch under his shoes as he approaches me. It's stopped raining "What is it?" I ask, trying to sound polite, but failing.

"Mrs. Weasley had me check the house, just in case," he adds as I look up at him when he stands beside me. "Just in case you were being tracked."

"Yeah?" I say and he nods. "Well, am I being tracked, then?" Stupid Potter.

"No," he says as he sighs and puts hands in his pockets. "But... I did find a sword under your bed."

Oh, that. "Is it illegal to have a sword?" I wonder out loud. Does that count as a concealed weapon if a sword is stuffed under a bed inside of a pillow case?

"Where did you get it?"

"I found it," I say as I lift my chin from the tire so I can start swinging again with my hands on the rope.

"You just found it," he says and I nod my head.

"Are you going to take it away from me?" I ask as I glance up at him. "I thought it was pretty. I wasn't going to use it on anyone. I just thought it would look nice hung up on a wall or something."

"You found it at school?"

"Yes, I found it in a room full of rubbish. I didn't think it belonged to anyone," I state honestly as I face forward and let the wind slide through my hair as I swish front and back... Front and back... "I quite like it."

"That's the sword of Godric Gryffindor," he states, like it was some proud knowledge that he possessed. "It had helped me a few times when I was at Hogwarts."

"A sword?" I question as I look up at him. When he looks down at me, I face forward again. "Sounds like your school time was hardly boring."

He smiles. "Hardly."

"So..." I trail off and make a face at the sky. More clouds are rolling in from the west. A storm is coming. "Are you taking it from me, then?"

"You didn't find that sword," he says and I stop the swing and glare up at him again, thinking he's accusing me of stealing.

"Yes, I did. It was laying right in that room. I didn't steal it from anyone."

"Of course not," he says as his green eyes look into mine. "No one finds the sword of Gryffindor," he states and I frown. "It finds you."

I narrow my eyes. "That sounds stupid."

"Yeah, well it's the truth."

I start picking at the rope. "Can I tell you a secret, Mr. Potter," I ask and he nods his head. "I've been having terrible dreams," I tell him and his eyes become serious. "Terrible terrible dreams," I mutter as I remember them. I think of the series I had last night and I shiver. "Do you believe that dreams can be real? Like, you're seeing someone else's life that you were never supposed to see?"

"Yes, I do," he states seriously. "Who's life are you seeing?"

I bite my lip. "Do you ever notice bruises on your new baby?" I ask and he faces his body towards mine and furrows his brows.

"What are you talking about?"

"How well do you know your wife?" I ask and he narrows his eyes.

"Just get to the point. What kind of dreams have you been having?"

I inhale deeply and squint my eyes because my head is starting to hurt. "I don't think your wife is really who she says she is. I could be wrong," I mutter as I bring a hand to my temple. "It's just a dream."

"Jesus, your nose is bleeding," he says as he hands me a handkerchief from his pocket. "Here."

"Thanks," I mutter as I take it and bring it to my nose. I look down at my dress and pout at the mess I made. "Does blood stain?" I ask and he sighs.

"Come back inside," he states as he helps me out of the swing while my blood saturates the handkerchief he gave me. "Do you get nose bleeds often?" he asks as we start walking towards the house and I shake my head, causing my curls to bounce in front of my face.

"Never."

When we get into the house, Molly widens her eyes and rushes over to me. "What happened?" she asks as she pulls the hanky away to look at me and takes off my hat so she can tilt my head back. It's still bleeding and it dribbles down my lips. "Did you get hit?"

"I need to lie down," I say as I start to stagger away but she grabs my arm.

"Not until we stop that bleeding, you don't."

"But I just..." I close my eyes as drowsiness comes over me. "I'm just so tired."

I must have fallen asleep just standing there, because I woke up in a nice warm bed with a cover up to my chin. I stretched out my arms and then quickly brought them to my nose. Clean, no blood. I sigh in relief and turn on my side, blinking my eyes slowly in an attempt to wake myself. I was in Molly Weasley's room and I buried my head into the pillow because it was comfortable. It was nice to sleep and not dream. I wonder how long I was out.

"Good, you're awake."

"Molly?" I state drowsily as a cloaked figure walks towards me. The bed sinks down when whoever it is sits on the bed and I try to sit up.

"Nope," the thing says as I reach for the bedside light and turn it on. The figure is wearing a dark cloak and pale hands come up to push back the hood. I swallow the scream in my throat when I see Beatrice there. After the dreams I can't picture her any other way. "Hello, darling," she says with a charming smile and I gulp.

"Um, hi," I state weakly as I grip the covers a little tighter.

She smiles again as she studies my face like she's never seen me before and then she takes my hand. "Get your things," she says and my heart stops beating with fear. "You and I have a lot to talk about."

"Oh." is all I say and I look to the bedside table where my bucket hat and wand are laying. "Can I bring my hat?"

That's all I could say as she dragged me from the comfortable, warm, and safe bed.

_**Lavinia **_

"Where is Byron?" I ask stupidly as I let him pull me towards the Apparation point. Why did I give him my freaking hand in the first place? "How did you know where I was?" I ask as I think about the flowers left at Byron's flat.

"You weren't at the first place I checked, so there was only one other option. I must say," he says as he drags my reluctant body. I wonder if other people are watching this and wondering what's happening. Shouldn't a good Samaritan see my reluctance and try to help me? Saying something along the lines of 'the lady doesn't look like she wants to go with you' or something noble like that before brandishing a wand and hexing the hell out of him. Or does that only happen in books? "I am not pleased with you."

"Where's Byron?" I ask again and he snaps me a glare that makes a chill go down my spine.

"Do not ask me that again."

When we get to the blue Apparation sign, he slings an arm around my waist as he takes out his wand. This is a terrible idea. I'm not bloody doing this. I won't leave with him to some unidentified location. God knows what he wants to do with me and he's obviously angry. I need to stop obeying people with out thinking it through.

"No," I state as I push at his chest and I try to get away from him. "I don't want to go to lunch with you."

"You're going to make me splinch you," he says as he holds on tighter to my waist, crushing my chest to his so that I can barely breath.

"Let go," I snap as I try to pry myself away.

"Stop. Fighting. Me." he says through clenched teeth, trying to limit my struggle while keeping his voice down so he doesn't bring attention to us.

I'm going to start screaming for help if he doesn't let me go. I try to fight him by myself one more time and when he doesn't let up, I bring a hand up and smack him across the face. My heart freezes as he glares at me and I deflate because of the fear I feel after he grabs my arm so hard that it makes my eyes water. All thoughts of screaming and fighting are washed away as he stares me down with his eyes fierce and his body strong against my own. His cheek is red from where I hit him, but it's no match for the fire in his eyes that's threatening to burn me up. I've never felt more like the weaker sex than right at this moment. He is bigger, and older, and stronger, and way more powerful than I am and I can _feel_ it. It scares the hell out of me.

"Are you done?" he asks flatly after a few moments of just staring me down and intimidating me. I felt like a primitive animal being shown my place by the bigger alpha male and I didn't like that at all. "Well?" he snaps and I sealed my fate by looking down in submission. Our weird little tug of power was over and he won. "Good. I'm hungry," he says as he lifts his wand and pops us away.

We land in front of an old looking mansion with blue siding and an iron widows walk lining the top of it. Stain glass windows from the top floors stare down at me like a menacing haunted house and as soon as he lets me go, I step away from him and wrap my arms around my middle in a weak attempt at comforting myself. I resist crying as I glance at the house and then at him. He's staring at me, so I look at the ground.

"I know Foxworth hall isn't as grand as Malfoy Manor," he says as he pockets his wand. I look around timidly at the well kept landscape and the flower bed of red tulips that surround an old looking well made out of stone. "But it has it's own charm to it."

He keeps on staring at me and my palms start sweating so I uncross my arms and rub them against my skirt. "So, this is your home?" I don't know why I'm trying to make conversation by asking that stupid question. I just get nervous and being polite is my go to plan in those cases.

He nods and looks at the house as well. "Do you like it? It's still going through major renovations, but it should be done before Christmas. I think we're going to paint it white"

I look at the house as well. I hate it. It gives me a bad feeling. I know the Manor is like a museum. It's big and old and cold, but this house gives me the creeps just from looking at it... Like the skeletons in their closets were probably overflowing and walking around in the bedrooms. "Yeah," I lie because he won't stop freaking staring at me.

"Good," he states simply. Let's go eat, then."

He starts walking towards the front stair way, but I can't find it in me to move. I stay rooted to my spot with my stupid sweaty palms and bad feelings.

"What are you doing?" he snaps when he reaches the stairs and he glares at me over his shoulder. "Come on."

"Stop being so mean to me," I say as I blink back tears. Why wouldn't he answer my questions about Byron? Why is he bringing me here? "I'm not hungry and I don't feel well."

"Don't make me do it like this, Lavinia."

"Do what?" I ask as I take a step back. "Force me to have lunch with you. What are you?" I snap, finding some bravery because he's so far away. "Who does this?"

"I do," he sneers and I look down again. "I do because I can, now come here."

"No," I state bravely as I search around for my wand. Where did I put it?

"I have it," he says as he takes a step away from the stairs to get closer to me. "Don't even bother."

"Give it back."

"Come here," he counters and I shake my head like a child as I take another step back. "Stop acting this way," he orders and I make a face because he just keeps on demanding me to do things. "Now, come on," he keeps walking towards me, and I keep walking back. "This is silly. I just want you to have lunch with me."

There is no chivalrous gentlemen who's coming to save me. That just doesn't happen in real life, so I take a deep breath and tilt my chin up. "I don't want to have lunch with you," I state, trying to sound courageous before turning around and running away from him like a coward.

It was stupid. I'm not good at running. I get winded easily and hate being all hot and stuff,but I'm finding that, when being chased, I can be quick. I could probably lose twenty pounds if I had a workout routine that incorporated running for my life and trying not get hit by curses. A wayward hex hit's a tree that I'm running by and it cracks the bark. I can't believe he's actually firing at me! What a jerk! I detour off into a small forest and I weave in and out of the tall trees and small plants that littler the floor. I wonder if this is how a deer feels when being pursued by a hunter... I'll never go on a hunting trip after this, that's for sure. I lose one of my sandals halfway into the forest, and my foot gets cut up by the rocks and tree roots on the floor, but I ignore as I keep going forward.

The fact that I'm not in any kind of shape creeps up on me and I get such a bad pain in my side that I have stop running all together. I'm breathing so heavily I think I may faint and I am starting to feel light headed as little dots appear in front of my eyes. It really isn't funny how bad I am at this. I am not made for this kind of activity. I hear crunching of leaves and I reluctantly look up as I lean against a tree to catch my breath. Conrad doesn't look out of breath at all. In fact, the only thing to attest to the fact that he just sprinted a long distance would be that his cheeks are a bit flushed. He doesn't look like he's in pain, or like he's miserable like me. He actually looks thrilled and there's a lustful smirk in his eyes as he approaches me. I guess this puts the whole 'thrill of the chase' thing to new heights for him. Jesus, I wonder if my poor women ancestors had to deal with this. Running for their lives from a man who wanted to marry them and drag them off to their cave. It wasn't something I wanted to share with them.

I want to tell him to leave me alone again, but I can barely get anything out because I'm breathing so hard. I push off the tree and try to stay on the defensive to appear in charge. Maybe I can pick up a rock and throw it at him. He smiles and laughs a little and I look for that rock.

"I would like to see you try," he says and I shake my head.

"Stop doing that," I snap because I hate that he gets into my mind and knows what's there. That makes me nervous... Just about everything makes me nervous.

He starts circling me like a wild animal getting ready to pounce on it's prey and I feel helpless. God, I wish I wasn't in this stupid position. "You tried to curse me!" I yell in between deep breaths as I back up against another tree, successfully trapping myself as he gets closer and closer.

"I wasn't actually aiming for you," he says nonchalantly, not winded at freaking all. "I just wanted you to stop. If I wanted to hit you. I would have."

I open my mouth a few times, but think against it as I lean against the tree and lift my foot from the ground because it hurts. I know eventually he's going to win this. I don't have my wand and I can't get away from him because he's in better shape, but I'm still going to make it difficult for him. I pick up a stick and throw it at him. It's embarrassing, really, how non-athletic I am. It really borders on pathetic. Even though he's only a yard or two away from me, the stick misses him by a mile and it lands somewhere to the right of me in a bush. He laughs and I try to run again, but he catches me around the middle before I even make three steps.

"I don't think so," he says as he turns me around. My left foot is so torn up from the ground that I stumble back and I end up falling on my backside. Conrad takes advantage and he's on top of me in a minute with his hands holding my wrists down as his body settles on top of mine. How can he move so freaking fast? My legs part to accommodate him because it hurts to have his knees pressing against me, but I realize that was a stupid mistake to make as his hips cradle between my thighs. It was too intimate and too suggestive and I could tell that he was a little turned on. Ugh.

"You caught me," I say so he'll get off. A rock is digging into my back and it hurts.

"Of course I did," he states smugly and when I glare, he smirks. "You're an indoor cat, baby," he says and I bristle at the name yet again. "You weren't meant to play outdoors."

"You can get off now," I say as I look away, angry that he got the better of me.

"So you can run away again?" he ticks his tongue at me. "I think not."

"I'm not going to run away," I snap back and he smiles at me like I was a kitten doing something adorable. Indoor cat, indeed. "I'll go inside your scary house and eat freaking lunch with you, okay?"

"You're not being very respectful," he says with a brow raised and I sneer.

"I don't respect you," I state honestly. After what he did with the potion, that went out the window.

That angered him, but he covered it. "Well, if you don't respect me, then let's see if we can make you feel something else towards me, hm?" he says as he reaches his hand down and starts creeping up my skirt.

"No," I snap as I bring my free hand down to claw at his wrist as he gets closer to _my_ place that he does not have _my_ permission to touch. "Stop it, Conrad," I demand as he starts outlinging my knickers with his finger, shifting his own hips to the side to give him more room. "This isn't funny."

"Not funny at all," he agrees with darkness in his eyes as he bends down to kiss me.

He presses his lips to mine and I bring my hand up and yank on his hair. He pulls back and gives me a lustful look and grinds his hips against my leg. I forgot he liked it rough and fear shoots down my spine like ice. How do you fight off a guy who likes it when you fight? When I say no, he'll stop, right? He's not _that_ bad of a guy. Hopefully. I look at the golden watch on his wrist as he turns my face to the side so he can kiss my neck. Yeah, not bad at all.

"I don't want to do this," I state seriously.

"Yes, you do," he says and I narrow my eyes. "Stop ignoring... Hey!" he snaps at me when I go to smack him again. He catches my wrist and hovers above me with a dangerous look on his face. "You don't get to hit me," he says angrily.

"You don't get to rape," I snap back equally as hateful as he glares down at me.

"I wasn't going to rape you, you stupid girl," he says and the word girl stings me when I think of Byron and my fears on our age gap. "You want me just as much as I want you, but you're just too focused on that stupid boyfriend of yours to care. I saw him last night," he says and my eyes snap to his as I search his eyes. "I did. Did you know he was joining my group?" he asks and I nod my head. He raises an eyebrow as he looks over my face. "Did he tell you he was going with Eva Bones?"

"Do you know where he is?" I ask and it must have killed the mood before he nearly growls at me before sitting up on his knees so he's above me. I sit up as well, but he holds on to my legs when I try to scoot back and put them together. I stop moving in hopes that he'll answer my question. "Is he okay?"

"He is perfectly fine. I don't understand why you even like him. There is something very wrong with him," he states as he takes out his wand and runs his fingers long my left leg until he reaches my hurt ankle. "He's kind of an asshole to you too."

"No, he's not," I say as he takes my injured foot and puts it on his lap so he can heal it. I cringe when I see it. It looks dirty and a little worse for the wear. I need to take a shower.

"Yes, he is. I don't understand why you won't even try to like me," he snaps like a pouting child as he heals the cuts and bruises on the bottom of my foot.

"Because you scare me," I state honestly and he stops healing to look into my eyes. When he's sure I'm telling the truth he goes back to the spells that will mend my foot.

"And he doesn't?" he asks carefully as he puts his wand behind his ear and starts massaging my ankle.

"No."

"We both know that's a lie," he says as he flicks his green eyes to mine.

"He never put a potion in my drink to make me sleep with him," I say boldly and he raises his brows again. "Like you did."

"You think you wouldn't have slept with me otherwise?" I glare and he laughs. "You wanted to. I could practically smell how horny you were. I could tell... Just like I can tell that you don't really hate me as much as you want to," he says as he searches my eyes with a weird little smile tilting the corner of his mouth. "It wouldn't have worked if you didn't want to, sweetheart. Does your precious Mr. Flint know that? Does he know how turned on you get when you think about me," he says as he puts his hands on my knees and he forces my legs apart. I try to snap them shut and push his hands off, but he's stronger than I am and I fail. "I know it. I know a lot about you."

"No, you don't," I say, trying to keep my voice steady as I rest back on my elbows. That was just giving him more room to molest me so I sit up straight and mentally scold myself for the stupid move.

He bites his lip, in an odd impression of what I do, and he leans back again. "Do you believe that?"

I look at him and I remember last night, when I really thought he read my mind. "You scare me," I admit again in a whisper and he tilts his head to the side.

"And Byron Flint doesn't?" he asks again.

I shake my head. "No."

"Now," he says as he puts his hands on my waist and leans over me again. I try to push him off but he grabs my hands as he stares into my eyes. Why is he looking at me like that? "You're lying."

"Let go of me."

"How many times have you said that to him, hm?" he asks as he presses himself against my legs so I can't move them. "How many times has he grabbed you or pulled you, Lavinia?"

"Stop it."

"What about when he hit you?"

"He didn't mean to. It was an accident," I say and then I stop myself because how did he know about that. "How did you know?"

"You're like an open book," he says. I try to bring my hands up again, but he clamps down against and tightens his jaw. "Have you seen his mind, Lavinia? I have and you would be surprised to see what goes through his messed up head."

I can't help but be interested by that, even though the situation is strange. "And you have?" I say and he nods his head with his brows high.

"Do you want me to tell you what I've seen?" I don't say anything, but he smiles. "I thought so. He is terribly twisted."

"No, he's not."

"You don't think so?" he says with a curious tilt to his head. "You don't really believe that. Would you like to know what he fantasizes about? Do you want to know what your lover really gets turned on by?" I send him a troubled look and he smiles again. "He wants to have control, total control, of you." I lay back against the grass because it hurts my body to try to sit up against him and he lays more on top of me. I hate this position. It makes me feel weak and conquered, butt I guess that's what he's going for. "Sometimes he fantasized about tying you down and cutting your clothes of with a knife."

I stare at him and shake my head.

"He gets really hard when he cuts you and he licks the blood as you beg him to let you go."

"You're lying," I tell him and he shakes his head.

"I saw it all, Lavinia. He actually wishes he was bigger," he laughs and I close my eyes while shaking my head. "Because in this fantasy, he actually forces himself on you. Oh, you end up liking it of course, begging him for more, ...all Rape fantasies turn out that way.. But he wants it to hurt just a little bit. It's all true. I couldn't even make that up."

"Those are his personal thoughts," I say, trying a new tactic as I open my eyes to glare at him. "Those are his thoughts and it's rude to go diving into someone's mind. That's mean."

"Mean?" He say as he leans most of his weight on his elbows to give me more room. He laughs again and I narrow my eyes. "Do you want to about something else I saw in his mind?"

"No."

"I'll tell you anyways." He ignores me. "He wants to know what it would be like to kill someone. He thinks about it constantly. When he's at work, when he's eating... When he's fucking you. That would be the ultimate control for him. He just really wants to kill someone. Maybe he already has... Probably... But he wants something more intimate."

"Stop it."

"And after he does, he imagines you'll being pleased with him."

"Stop it."

"He wants to bend you over and ram into you."

"Shut up."

"He'll bite you and make you scream and you'll love Every. Fucking. Minute. Of it."

"Shut up! Shut up! Shut up!" I yell as I kick my feet and yell into his face. "Leave me alone!" I try to move my arms again, but he doesn't let up so I end up looking down at his throat. "Let me go." I start crying as feel trapped and claustrophobic with him pinning me against the ground. "I want to go home!"

"Tell me," he says as I try to block his voice out. "If you would still love him so much if he were ugly."

"His looks have nothing to do with it." I state sharply and he laughs again.

"Come on, now. What else does he have to offer? I'm a heterosexual man, and even I have to admit that he's good looking... But that's about it." I can feel him staring at me and he lets one of my arms free as he brings his hand up to my neck. "Look at me."

"No," I say as I flex my fingers and think about hitting him.

"I won't say it again," he states seriously. "Now, look at me."

"Why are you doing this to me?" I ask pitifully as I reluctantly turn my eyes to his.

He smiles and leans in to kiss me. I let him because I see no other way to get away from it. I part my lips when his tongue slides against them and he smiles. "Good girl," he whispers before letting his hand travel to my hair.

I feel like crying again and when I start kissing him back I think a few tears actually do escape, but it doesn't seem to bother him very much. I bring timid hands up to his shoulders once he finally lets my other hand go and he pulls me closer to deepen the kiss. "Such soft lips," he whispers as he pulls back and then he looks down at that golden watch. "It's getting late," he says as he sits back on his knees again. I take the distraction to back away from him and bring my knees up to my chest. "I've wasted half of my break chasing you around. Let's get back to the house."

When I go to stand up, I just crumple to the ground again and he stares at me. "What's wrong?" he snaps as I hold onto my leg. "I healed your foot."

"I think I pulled a muscle," I say as it tightens and hurts. "I'm not made for running!" I snap like it was his fault and I hear him laugh as he kneels down beside me and pushes my hand away, I'm reluctant to do so, but he is a healer and he did heal my foot. "How do you justify it?" I ask as I watch him massage my leg and put his wand in between his teeth.

"Justify what?" he asks as he tries to determine which muscle is tightening.

"Being a healer when you're part of that group," I ask seriously. "You hate so many people, but you take an oath to help everyone."

"I don't hate any one," he states and then he pauses with his hand on my leg. "Well, that's a lie. I hate some people, but not a whole group. I just believe in evolution and natural selection. I think there is meant to be one master race and muggles are not supposed to be running everything."

"So, if a muggle came to you, you would just let him die?"

"If a muggle was dumb enough to come to me, he'd be dead already," he states darkly and I swallow the lump in my throat as he heals another part on my body.

I look at his watch again as the light catches the gold and makes it shine. "You killed that woman didn't you?" I state softly, afraid to say it too loud.

"What woman?" he asks carelessly as he bends my knee and moves his wand against my calve some more.

"That foster care lady who had taken your watch when you were a boy," I say and his eyes snap to mine. I nod to the watch. "You took that back from her, didn't you?"

He stares at me for a few moments, and then he goes back to my leg. "I think you're all finished. I'll carry you back. It's going to be a little soar still."

"I can understand why you wanted your watch back," I say seriously. "But why did you kill the kids too? They had nothing to do with that woman being mean to you. Why did you let them die?" He doesn't say anything to that. He just stands up and dusts off his pants.

My leg is still hurting when I stand but not as bad as before and I gasp when Conrad scoops me up bridal style. I do not want to be carried like this but when I tell him that he just tells me to shut up. I accept my fate and let him carry me as I relax against his chest because he threatened to drop me if I fought him. I don't want to get hurt again, so I just let him do all the work.

"How are you ever going to be a good father if you kill kids?" I question seriously and he pauses a second before continuing to walk with out a word.

Conrad is an odd Monster. Although he does despicable things and is really mean and scary sometimes, he also has this good old boy side to him that makes him hard not to like and that bothered me. If the pieces fit as I thought they did, then he did kill that old woman, and he did burn down that house with all those kids inside of it. How can that be the same person? I tried to ignore those thoughts and when we reached the house he finally let me down. I started pulling twigs and leaves out of my hair as we reached the stairs. Then he said something that made my heard skip a beat.

"My Mother is going to have a good introduction to you," he says as he walks beside me and takes a key out of his pocket to unlock the front door. "You're presentable," he says sarcastically as I pluck a fuzzy nature thing off my shirt. I hate nature.

I stop in my tracks and look at him with wide eyes. "Mother?"

"You look like a homeless person with that stuff in your hair and one shoe on." his eyes travel up and down my body. "You're filthy."

"So are you," I respond because I will not let him make me feel bad about my appearance when it was his fault I look this way. "What did you mean Mother?"

"She wants to meet you," he says as he pops the key in the lock and twists it. "Stop looking like that. She's nice."

"She was in Azkaban," I state and he gives me a look like that hurt his feelings but I don't freaking care. He stares me down again, so I admit defeat and look at my feet.

"Hey, chin up," he says as he puts his finger under my chin and tilts my face towards his. He's pleased that I'm going along with him. I'm sure. "I know she'll like you."

"Unlikely," I state and he tilts his head. I don't care if his Mother likes me or not. What is his problem?

"You are going to be a good girl, aren't you?" he asks, something like a threat lining his voice and I nod my head. "Don't forget," he says as he opens the door. "I can easily imperio you or make you drink a love potion. I could spend the rest of my life with a compliant wife who did as she was told. So remember how nice I'm being to you."

Nice. Right. Thanks for not putting an unforgivable on me. What a dick.

"Let's go inside."

Lunch was as weird and as awkward as I anticipated it to be as soon as I learned his mother was going to be there. I haven't even 'officially' met Byron's mother for that matter and the handful of times I was around her she wasn't very pleasant towards me. I was kind of nervous to meet the woman who had given birth to the maniac who wouldn't leave me alone and who had been in Azkaban for twenty plus years. She wasn't as demented looking as I had pictured, though. She actually looked pretty put together, to my surprise. She had the same honey blond hair that Conrad had, only hers was more frosted along the edges from age and she was also very tall with broad shoulders and nice bone structure. I suspect that the Foxworths were Vikings at one time because I felt dwarfed and weak next to mother and son as they conversed with one another and ate the odd lunch that was placed before us by human servants.

"Do you not have house elves?" I ask as a servant girl fills my glass with water. It's odd having human servants. "Thank you," I tell her as I try to make eye contact. She keeps her eyes on the ground and walks off with out saying anything. Hmf. They're like waiters in your own home and I always feel bad when I ignore my waiter. It's really uncomfortable to ignore another human being.

"Unfortunately ours were killed after I was sent to Azkaban," Alicia Foxworth says. She's one of those women that has a cold, deep voice that never changes pitch or key and I could never imagine her as a loving mother... I wonder if she was different before she was in jail. "So we have to hire our help from outside camps."

"Oh," I say and then I pretend to eat a roll for the next twenty minutes. I don't talk much anyways, but for the first half hour I think Alicia Foxworth thought I was handicapped because she kept on giving me sideways glances that made me feel stupid. Finally, she asked Conrad is a I was a mute and he told that I was just a shy girl. I wish they didn't talk about me like I wasn't here, sitting with them.

Conrad has been staring at me the whole time as well. It didn't help that the dress that Alicia had let me borrow kept sliding off my shoulder. She looked terribly disgusted when she first laid eyes on us after we had walked in and Conrad told her we had been horsing around outside, playing some sort of game that involved quidditch stuff. She wasn't amused by that either, but she bought it. Playing around... I nearly snorted out loud when he said it. He made me running from him and him trying to force himself between my legs sound like innocent fun. She had offered to give me clothes because I didn't have anything to change into and the stains in my skirt wouldn't come out with a spell. I couldn't even find my voice when she handed me a heavy looking dress that looked like spring had puked on it. The skirt part went well past my knees and it had shoulder pads that made me look like I was on some old woman quidditch team. The neck line was so wide that it kept slipping and it looked like this dress was probably in fashion decades ago.

Who was I kidding?

This mess was never in fashion.

She handed me beige sandals to slip on after that and they were too big as well. I had the suspicion that Alicia Foxworth was once a large man or an Amazon woman because no normal lady could possibly be this big. Conrad tried not to laugh when he saw me, but I ignored him the best I could and resigned myself to the awful lunch I was going to have to sit through. The whole time I had to focus on keeping the dress up because I saw the look in Conrad's eyes when he saw my bra strap once and I do not want to go through with what happened in the forest again.

"So, Conrad tells me that you go to Antioch University," she says as she looks at me with hooded eyes.

I nod my head.

"Do you have any idea what your major is going to be?"

I look down at the roll I'm tearing apart and shake my head.

"What did you like to do, then?" she asks an open ended question, hoping I'll finally talk, but I refuse to be his 'good girl'.

So, I shrug.

"Well, can't say I didn't try," she says as she focus' back on her son. "At least she's pretty."

"She's very pretty," Conrad says and he winks at me when I catch his eyes.

They start talking about some book I've never read and when I cough they both look at me. "May I be excused?" I ask polity and Alicia nods her head. I stand up and put my napkin on the table as Conrad watches me.

"Where are you going?" he asks as I start walking out of the room, lifting my shoulders to stop the shoulder pads from slipping off.

"To the restroom," I answer and he raises an eyebrow.

"Really?" I nod my head and blush at the conversation. "Do you know where it is?"

Oh, I guess I don't. I shake my head, embarrassed, and he gives me a suspicious look as he stands as well.

"Let me show you," he says like he thinks I'll take off running again. He holds onto my elbow and steers me into the hallway as his mother watches us with a raised eyebrow.

"You could just tell me where this is, you know," I state harshly and he pulls me along.

"I don't want you to get lost. We're doing a lot of construction stuff around here and I don't want you getting hurt."

When we get to the bathroom, I shut the door in his face and lock it as I take a seat on the sink. I turn on the water to stall time as I begin biting my nails. I don't know what to do or what I'm doing. I'm scared, but not afraid and my thoughts are all messed up. I look down at my watch. Dad. I stand up straight and bring the watch up to my mouth. Maybe he'll come and straighten this all out. He would make Conrad leave me alone. I send a look to the door before pressing the button on the side of the watch.

"Dad?" I say softly. Nothing happens and I frown. "Dad, are you there? I need your help."

Silence.

I bite my lip. My father has never not answered when I called him.

"Just say something... Please..." I inhale deeply and blink a few times before trying again. "Daddy, please?"

He didn't answer. And I even said Daddy... And please...

Where is my Dad?

I stall for a few more moments before Conrad knocks on the door. "What's taking you so long?" he asks and I turn off the sink.

When I open the door Conrad is standing on the other side of the hall with his arms crossed. "Take me home now," I tell him. "I don't feel very well."

He checks his watch, and to my surprise he agrees to take me back. That was odd. I say an uncomfortable goodbye to Alicia Foxworth, who I am completely positive does not like me and when we reach my dorm I wrestle my way away from him and keep walking with out looking back.

"I have your wand," he calls out to me and I wave him off.

"Send it to me or I'll buy a new one," I snap with out even turning around. He doesn't chase after me and when I get to my room I strip out of that ridiculous dress and take an hour long shower. As I'm getting dressed into simple little dress I hear a knock on our dorm door. Kim answers it and then she bangs on mine afterwards as I towel dry my hair.

"Your boyfriend is downstairs," she says and I furrow my brows. I know two people who would probably call themselves my boyfriend.

"Did they give a name?" I ask carefully and I hear her sigh. She has no idea what I've been through today. You would think she could be more sympathetic.

"How many boyfriends do you have?" she snaps before walking away.

"Just one, hopefully," I say as I tie my hair back in a knot and I slip on some shoes before cautiously making my way down stairs. In all honesty, I had expected to see Conrad there with my wand, but it was Byron and I know my face lights up as I go running towards him. I rain kisses over his face as I hold onto his neck and I find myself grinning in relief. "I was so worried," I tell him between kisses as the people at the front desk stare at me. I have the decency to blush and I pull him outside to get away from the stares. "Where have you been?"

"I could ask you the same question," he says flatly. I step back to get a good look at his face. He looks different, there's something odd about the level way he's staring at me and I furrow my brows.

"You never came home. I was worried. Byron, Conrad knew about where..."

"I don't care what he knew," he snaps at me and I step back. "Did you leave with him?" he asks and I blink a few times before answering. "Did you leave with him?" he repeats again, slower this time and sounding so unlike Byron that I keep on staring at him to make sure he's real. "Answer me."

"He made me," I say carefully because of the wild way he's looking at me. "I didn't have a choice."

"You always have a choice," he snaps at me and I can't believe he's actually speaking to me this way.

"What's wrong with you?" I ask. "What happened last night?" I gasp when he grabs my arm and pulls me around the building. I am tired of being man handled today and I tug away from him and rub my arm as I glare. "Stop this."

"Did you fuck him?" he asks and I widen my eyes before looking around the empty alley we're in. The windows facing this side of the dorm are all closed and blocked off because the dumpsters are back here.

"Excuse me?" I say because I can't believe he asked me that and in such a hateful way.

"I asked if you fucked him," he says in a deadly calm voice and then he takes a step closer to me so I take a step back. I've done this way too many times today. "I don't really know why I'm asking. I already know the answer."

"Why are you doing this?" I ask as I search his face. I barely recognize him. Even when Byron is at his worse I've never seen this look on his face.

"I bet you fucked him," he says and then his eyes change as he looks over my body. I cross my arms and furrow my brows as he smiles and takes a step closer. What is going on with him? "You look like you'd be good at it."

"Good at what?" I ask because I'm so confused that I'm not even following the conversation. Why is he smiling now?

"Show me your room," he says as he takes his hand and lets it travel up to my shoulder.

"You've already seen my room."

"Show me again," he says and I raise my eyebrows.

"Are you drunk?" I ask because that's the only way he could be acting like this.

Then he put his hands on my breasts and it was really weird and really awkward so I smacked his hands away. He didn't like that and his jaw tightened as he grabbed a hold of my arms.

"You love me, don't you?" he asks and his voice holds anything but love, but I nod my head anyways. "Then show me to your room," he says and I shake my head.

"I'm not going to have sex with right now, if that's what you think." What is it about to day? Do I just have a sign above my head that says please sexually assault me?

"Come on," he says with a low voice. "I want to see what color knickers you have under your clothes."

I make a disgusted face and push past him to go back inside. The more steps I take, the angrier I get, and I spin around to face him. He had been following me and he was way closer than I anticipated. It suprised me for a second before I remembered I was mad at him.

"Where you with Eva last night? Is that why you never came home?" I ask with a hand on my hip. If he can ask questions like that, so can I. "Did you sleep with her?" I speak pg-13, though, not rated R.

"You don't get to ask me questions like that," he replies and I roll my eyes.

"Fine," I snap. "Goodbye then. I'm glad you're alive."

"Don't walk away from me," he hisses when I go to do just that. He grabs my arm again.

"Let go! I told you already not to pull on me like this," I remind him angrily and he pulls me against his chest.

"I hate you," he says and I blink a few times. That kind of took the wind out of my sails and I feel my shoulders sag the slightest bit.

"What?"

"I hate you, and you were right. I was with Eva last. She's better than you'll ever be," he says and it stings me, but I try not to let it show. He sends a cruel look down my body. The body that he wanted to have sex with just a moment ago, mind you. "She's not as fat as you are."

What.

I stare at him for a few shocked moments. No matter how messed up it is, you can call a girl a bitch, you can call a girl a slut, but nothing seems to cut deeper than being called fat... And he just hit a nerve.

"What did you just say?" I hiss in a whisper because I can't even wrap my head around it.

"You heard me," he says and I furrow my brows. "I don't even know why I bother with you. All you do is complain and cheat on me."

"That's not true."

"Yes, it is, and you're not even worth it." He sends another cruel glance at my body and I tighten my fists.

"You know what?" I state harshly, hoping to hurt him. "I'd rather be fat than a broken little boy with scars. I'm tired of babysitting you and putting up with these mood swings of yours. Everyone was right about you. You are crazy." I narrow my eyes and tug away from him again. "You're a jerk, Byron Flint."

"Fuck you, bitch," he says and my eyes narrow again.

"You come from a trash family," I tell him to hurt him and his eyes flame with anger. I don't know why. He knows his father was a monster. "And you're acting just like them."

I hope that hurt him, but it doesn't register on his face as he brings up his hand to slap me.

The sting of the contact and the shock of actually getting smacked across the face by someone I thought I loved makes it impossible for me to move, or even blink.

"You don't talk to me that way," he says as he brings up his hand to hit me again. I catch the glint of a ring on his finger as brings his hand down and I turn my head to the side to get away from him. "I don't need you."

I had my eyes closed so I couldn't even see his fist coming, but I felt it. I had never been hit before...on Purpose anyways... And it felt weird, like I had been smacked up side the head with bludger. It just felt tingly before it started to hurt. I guess it was my body pumping endorphins to my brain because I slide down the wall and let my hair fall over my face to hide myself more from him. I thought he said he never would hit me. He promised.

"I hate you," I hear him say before he walks off. Once I'm sure he's not coming back, I let my shocked body curl up and cry. My face now feels like it's on fire and I bring a hand up to my hurt cheek and pull back to see blood. Did he cut me too? Why was he wearing a ring? I can't recall him ever wearing one.

"Oh, my god, Lavinia."

I try to curl up more when I hear my name because this is embarrassing and I really don't want to be found by him. He puts his hand on my shoulder to push me back and I flinch as he tilts my head up.

"Jesus," he whispers as he studies my face. I refuse to open my eyes, because if I open my eyes then it makes it real. "Did he do this to you?" I hear him ask and I nod my head with out even knowing if he knows who it was. "Fuck,'" I hear him swear as he moves hair away from my face. "He shouldn't have hit you. I'm going to kill him for this." He touches my hurt face with a critical hands and then me pulls me to my feet.

"Can you heal me?" I ask with a sob. He is a healer, might as well get some use out of him.

"Yes, but I need to get you to St. Mungo's. I'm going to give you a potion to take down the swelling first."

"Fine."

When we get to St. Mungo's, Conrad uses his little healer pass to get me a room and I slump down on the paper sheeted bed as he moves about the room. "It's not in here," he says as I can feel the side of my face swell up and throb. I can not believe he hit me.

I can not believe he actually hit me.

"Let me go grab one real quick," he says.

I get up and walk towards one of the mirrors that's hang over the sink. Ouch. My reflection is not kind. Not only are my eyes puffy and blood shot from crying, but a harsh looking bruise is already forming on the right side of my face.

"Take a seat, babe," I hear Conrad say as he walks into the room with a small potion vial in his hand. I glare at my reflection because of the pet name before I do what he says.

"It's bleeding too," I say as I bring my hand up to the small cut on my cheek.

"His ring must have cut you," he says and I shake my head.

"He doesn't wear a ring."

"Well..." Conrad gives me an uncomfortable look as I sit on the bed. "He does now."

I drink the potion, and when the swelling goes down he runs his wand along my cheek and heals the bruise. "Thanks," I whisper as the warming tingle of healing runs through my body. He holds my face for way longer than is necessary and I finally look up at him to convey how awkward he's being.

"I'm sorry," he says and I frown in confusion. "He shouldn't have hit you. I've healed you more times in one day than I would have cared to."

"It's not your fault," I say as I move my head to get away from his hand and I cross my arms as I stare out the window. What do I do now? Do I tell someone? Do I get him in trouble?

"Do you want to file charges?" Conrad asks as I narrow my eyes against the sun.

"I don't know. I just want to go home and lay down in my bed." Today has been weird enough. I just want to take a potion and sleep like nothing happened for a while. "And I don't need you to Apparate me. I can do it myself."

I slipped off the bed and I started to walk away. I could feel him staring at me. Halfway across the room, I stop and look over my shoulder. I look him over once more, feeling a little bolder. He's wearing his green healer scrubs, that glittering gold watch on his left wrist, and his honey blonde hair is a tousled mess ontop of his head. It looks like he gelled it today.

"Thank you, Conrad," I whisper before leaving the room.

I make it all the way to the front door when I spot another familiar face. "Gavin?" My brother turns around and faces me and I look down at his arms. "Why are you holding a baby?"

_**Gavin**_

"I had sex, obviously," is my answer to her question, but she doesn't even crack a smile.

"Is that your baby?" she asks as she leans up on to toes to get a better look at the baby girl that's sleeping in the crook of my arms with a pink hat on her head a pacifier in her mouth. "Did Addison finally..."

"Her name's Emma," I say after she trails off, and I watch as my sister pulls back the covers a bit to get a better look.

"She's cute," she says and I smile smugly. I feel and odd sense of pride right now and that's weird to me.

"Of course she is," I state and Lavinia gives me a little smile before looking at the baby again. "You're an Aunt now," I say and it sounds strange to me. "That's weird, isn't it?"

"Are Mom and Dad here?" she asks as she looks around the waiting room like they might be standing around somewhere. She spots Addison with her mother at the front desk. Addie is sitting in a wheel chair, filling out papers. When I shake my head, she bites her lip. "Have you talked to Dad lately?" she asks and I raise an eyebrow as the baby moves against my chest. I smile down at her and then look at my sister again.

"I talked to him yesterday, why?"

"I haven't been able to get a hold of him," she says worriedly and then it strikes me that she's actually here.

"Why are you here?" I ask as I hear Addison's mother's voice filter over the waiting room like the bloody harpy that she is.

"No reason," she says with a shrug. It was a bad lie, and she knew it because she wasn't looking at me.

"You're just hanging out at St. Mungo's for no reason," I state flatly and she nods her head. "Right, and I'm Harry Potter."

"Don't be rude," she says and then she looks at the baby again. "May I hold her? She's just so small."

I smile. "Yeah, sit down."

She falls into one of the waiting room chairs and I look over my shoulder once to see what is taking Addison so freaking long before I carefully set her down in my little sister's arms. "Don't drop her," I state seriously and she gives me an amused little smile before looking down at the baby.

"I can't remember the last time I held a baby," she says as I kneel down in front of her just in case something happens and I need to help. "They're so fragile."

"Yeah," I say seriously. "The first time they handed her to me, I thought I was going to break her if I breathed too hard."

Lavinia smiles and then she looks at me. She looks sad, but trying to cover it with pretend happiness. "I think you're going to be a good father, Gavin."

I smirk. "Probably not," I state honestly and then I look back down at the baby again because I can't stop staring at her. "Here," I say as I put my hand on the small little cap and I pull it back slightly. "Look at that."

"Aw," she says softly as she looks at the thick blond hair on top of my baby's head. "Like yours," she whispers like talking too loud would hurt the baby's ears. "What...What are you going to do now?" she asks as her eyes flick to mine. "I mean are you and Addison going to move in together... And what about the wedding?"

"I don't know," I state honestly with a shrug and she bites her lip.

"Lavinia," I say after a few moments and she looks me in the eyes.

"Yes?"

"Why are you here?" I ask and she looks down at the baby again. If she would have intentionally said she had come to see me, I would have understood that. But she was just here in the lobby, wondering why I was here. That doesn't make any sense. "Did something happen?"

Her eyes start to water and I furrow my brows. She turns her head away and sniffs, freeing up one of her hands to wipe tears away.

"Hey, what's wrong?" I ask softly and when she doesn't say anything I get up and sit in the chair beside her so I can put my arm around her shoulders. She is my baby sister, and even though I'm not as affectionate or as.. Nice... As Cassius is, I still feel bad when one of my siblings is upset. "What is it?" I ask as I rub her arm. "What happened?"

"Have you ever..." She trails off and sniffs again while running a finger over the baby's smooth cheek. It's hard not to touch something so new and soft. I know that for a fact now. "Has someone ever done something to you that you never thought they'd ever do?"

I look at Addison, remembering quite clearly the pain I felt when I found out she had cheated on me with one of my friends. "Yes," I state flatly and she looks at me. Her face is starting to get blotchy from crying and her eyes are swimming with tears. She must be really upset and squeeze her arm. "What happened?"

She shakes her head, signaling she doesn't want to talk about it, but I won't let her off that easy. "What did Byron do?"

"Why do you automatically assume it was him?" she asks with her voice sounding shaky.

"Because you love him," I state simply and she looks at me. "You're not pregnant are you?"

"What?" she snaps fiercely and the baby opens her eyes. "No, I'm not pregnant. Why would you ask that?"

I shrug, but inwardly sigh in relief. Having a baby is tough work. I know that. "I'm just trying to figure out why you're crying in the waiting room at St. Mungo's is all."

"Well, that's not it," she says and I sit back a little further, retracting my arm because I think she's done bring upset about it.

"Do you want me to beat any one up?" I offer, half joking and she sighs.

The corner of her mouth tilts up and she glances at me out of the corner of her eye. "Violence is never the answer," she says and I snort.

"It's always the answer," I joke, but she looks sad again and she turns away.

"We're ready to go," Addison says as her mother wheels her towards us. I don't know why the staff insisted she be taken out in a wheel chair. It's not like she's going to use one at home or anything. "Everything is filled out, they just need your signature on a few things, Gavin."

"Okay," I state and I look at my sister. "Are you okay?" I ask referring to the baby she's holding and she nods her head.

As I'm walking off, I hear Addison greet Lavinia and I feel the prickling on the back of my neck signaling I'm being glared at by the grandmother of my child. She hates me now. Ask me if I care.

"Hi," I state when I reach the desk. "I have to sign some papers..." I trail off and the nurse behind the counter hands me a clip board.

"Sign here, here," she turns the page. "Here, here, and here."

"Am I promising you my kidney's or something?" I ask as I take the quill and start signing. Usually someone giggles at that and I glance up at the nurse as she stares blankly back at me. No courtesy smile or anything. "Oh, I see, you're boring. Okay then. I guess I'll sign until I get carpel tunnel."

"Thank you, sir."

"You're welcome, sir." The nurse was clearly a girl, but my response clearly got a reaction out of her, and a funny one at that.

The ink I'm using to sign my soul over to the hospital is red, and the tip of the quill breaks on my second signature. "Fuck," I whisper only to be chastised by the nurse as I watch the red ink saturate the paper and expand. Like blood. Like the blood that covered me after that dress blew up and killed Pansy. I might gag. "Give me a new fucking quill," I demand heatedly because I don't want to have a panic attack right here in the middle of the waiting room.

She glares at me and hands me a new one and I don't even bother reading what I'm signing as I fly through the papers and lay the clip board on the desk. I turn around and start walking away with out another word. Addison is holding Emma now, stroking her cheek and looking warmly at her. I close my eyes to get Pansy out of my head as I walk closer.

"Everything signed," I state and Addison's Mom raises a sharp eyebrow in my direction as I loosen my collar. "We can leave now."

"Finally." Addison's mother chirps and I give her a look that Lavinia catches and she raises her brows as she stands up. "Let's go, Addison."

"Wait," I say as I stop the chair from moving with my foot in front of the wheel. I look down at Addison earnestly, trying to ignore the hippo in the flower dress that's sneering at me. "I really wish you would come home with me," I state, sending a thick look to the mother. "I have a bedroom for you and my father bought me all of the baby things we would need. We would be set," I tell her. For some reason, I don't want to be apart from them. I don't want them to be unattainable to me. I know Emma's new, but she's grown on me in the past couple of days. "Let's just try it."

"Mr. Malfoy," Addison's Mom says sharply as she maneuvers the wheel chair so it's free again. "You don't have the capabilities to deal with a baby and a healing mother at this time," she says and my blood flames in anger. I can not curse her...Not here, anyways. "We need to go home and get Emma settled. You can stop by tomorrow."

"Mom..." Addison says but she gets cut off by the banshee.

"No, he can not decide to just come back into your life now that all is said and done." I give Addison an annoyed look because it's her fault her mother thinks that way. When they leave I feel something weird weighted down on my chest and I bring a hand up to rub my eyes. I didn't even kiss her or say goodbye.

"Are you crying?" my sister asks and I scowl.

"No, I'm not fucking crying," I snap and I glare at her. "I have to talk to Dad anyways." I whisper to myself to justify why it's okay for the hippo to take my child away.

"Are you going to find him?" she asks and I look at her. "Can I go with you?"

"No," I state as I stuff my hands in my pockets so I can walk outside. She follows.

"Gavin, please. I need to talk to him too."

"What do you need to talk to him about?"

"What do you need to talk to him about?" she counters and I stop and glare at her. Tears are still stuck in her eyelashes and her eyes are still red rimmed.

Oh, for fucks sake.

"Okay, come on!"

The first place we look is his office. Dad has been working over time lately and he is always at Malfoy Enterprises for one thing or another. When we get there, a blond little secretary with boobs way too big to be natural looks up at us with an eyebrow raised. The retarded one. "Is there anything I can help you with today?" she asks as she puts her quill down.

"Yes, there is," I say as I stop in front of her desk and she tilts her head to the side. "I need to speak to my father."

"I'm sorry, but Mr. Malfoy has already left the building."

"Then why are you still here?" I ask seriously as I eye her up and down. "There's no point for you to hang around if he's gone."

She blinks a few times before smiling at me. "You should come back at another time."

"Do you know if he went home?" Lavinia asks. We could easily go back to the Manor and find him if that's the case.

"No, I'm not sure where he went," she says, waving a polished dismissive hand. "Go run home, Gavin."

That triggers a memory in my mind.

_Go run to mommy, Gavin._

The cemetery, the muggles, my father and his wand...

I'm not in the fucking mood for this. I put my palms down on her desk and lean down to look into her eyes. Lavinia gives me a curious look because of the odd movement, but I ignore it because I'm glaring at her. Her voice seems familiar to me. I didn't notice it when she was at the Villa, but I notice it now and I'm pissed.

"You know what I'm good at," I say and I raise my eyebrows as she stares right back. "I'm good at lying. Guess what you're not good at."

"I have no idea what you mean," she says tightly as she takes out a nail file and starts going to town on her nails. I glance at Lavinia, she looks down at her own bitten fingernails and then hides them behind her back self consciously.

Another reason not to like this girl.

I snatch the file away from her and suddenly I'm more serious than I have ever been before. "I didn't catch on before," I says as I throw the file over my shoulder, letting it fall where it may. It barely misses Lavinia's head and she swerves to the side to dodge it. "But I have heard your annoying voice before."

"Have you?" she asks and I furrow my brows. "Of course you have, you were there when I was dropping off sweets to your father."

"Not only that time. Before. You were there that night, weren't you? In the cemetery."

"I don't know what you mean," she says in a way that states she knows exactly what I fucking mean. I stare her down and she scoots her chair back with a devilish smirk on her face. "I have no idea, but if you were wondering if I would laugh if I saw you shaking in your boots until your Daddy came to rescue you then the answer is yes. I would laugh if I saw that."

I take out my wand and it takes me a second to realize it isn't mine. That's Cass' cherry wood unicorn hair based wand from when I swapped him mine to get into his place. I sigh because it's not going to work as well as my own, but oh well. I know her. She was that fucking girl who mocked me at that Death Eater initiation when I couldn't torture those muggles. Does she know about the whole get the dress or your mother die's deal? I point my brother's wand at the blonde's inflated chest and she frowns.

"What is happening?" Lavinia asks worriedly as she takes a step back.

Why does this fucking blonde look so pleased?

"Lavinia," I say and she looks at me with a worried tilt of her lips. She looks so young sometimes that it's almost painful for me to see her.

"Yeah?" she whispers timidly like she was afraid. I don't want her to get caught in the cross fires if I end up dueling this bitch, so I spare her a stern glance before turning back to the blonde.

"Step outside and wait for me."

"Yeah, okay," she says quickly before scurrying out of the room. She must have known I meant business because she didn't hesitate or bother to argue with me.

I turn back to the blonde who raises an eyebrow at me.

"Where is my father?"

"Have you listened to the news today?" she asks and I narrow my eyes as she scoots her chair back and crosses her legs. The skirt rides up her thigh, exposing more of her smooth skin. She looks like a slag. "I bet not. If you did, you'd be asking a different question."

"What are you talking about?" I snap, annoyed with her.

"Here," she says as she rolls her chair back to the radio resting on the table behind her. "I'm sure someone's talking about it now. It's big news, you know." She clicks on the radio and bites the corner of her glossed red lip as she tilts her head to listen. She goes through the channels with the turn of the dial before stopping on one station. "Ah, here we go."

"_It's said that Draco Malfoy has a history of abuse..." _She clicks her tongue as she looks at me while the man on the radio speaks. _"He's been called into questioning for the disappearance of his wife and eldest son after Aurors were alerted to a ward break earlier this morning. One of the first to arrive on scene..." _

I lift the wand and splinter the radio with a well learned spell. She jumps back and then glares at me. "What did you do that for?" she questions and then she stands up. "It was just getting good."

"What happened to them?" I ask seriously and she smiles.

"Weren't you listening? Why, your father has a history of abuse. He probably did something terrible to them. Probably something like he did to those muggles in the cemetery. Do you remember? Hm, I don't know if you recall what happened... You did run away with your tail between my legs."

"What's your game?" I ask as I point my wand at her chest. I saw a woman blow up yesterday, I really don't care about her. "I thought you wanted to fuck my Dad."

"Crude words," she says with a head shake. "It's not a secret that your father would have been a great asset to our cause. Even when he agreed to help after your failure, his heart still wasn't in it. Did you hear his latest press conference with Greengrass? It was a nightmare. He started talking about equality and mutual understanding... Oh, it was vomit inducing to hear such things come out of someone who used to be so great. It was my job to..." She trails off and smiles again. "Well, you can imagine what I was supposed to do but your father didn't give in even though I gave him my best. I question his sexuality, but it doesn't matter, I've been given a great mission to achieve now."

"What's that?" I ask flatly.

"After all of this goes through, I get to kill you," She confesses as her eyes light up.

She can't possibly be real.

"You really are stupid," I say as I remember how much my brother detested her when she showed up with brownies.

"I am not," she says haughtily with her nose proudly tipped in the air.

"You haven't killed me yet, though?" I say and she furrows her brows and shakes her head. I almost feel bad for her. "Okay, well this is going to be easy then." I state as I stun her. She didn't even have her wand drawn and she fell with a thump on the floor. I go over to where she's laying and stand over her body with my head tilted to the side. "Everybody knows you don't reveal your game plan until the end. If you read books you would probably know that." I tell her before dragging her into my fathers office and locking the door.

No one will dare go inside his office with out permission and the curse I put on her is pretty strong. She might be here a while. I make sure she's watching as I take her wand and snap it in half, letting it fall to the ground in separate pieces. When I leave the office, Lavinia gives me a puzzled look.

"We're going to the Manor," I tell her as I grab her arm and pull her along.

"What?"

"No talking," I snap because I'm too annoyed to listen to anything or to answer any questions she may have. The front gate of the Manor is all taped up with yellow and black Auror tape and I give it a look before flicking through it and running up the walkway. Lavinia trails behind me and she's out of breath when we get inside. She really isn't a running kind of girl.

"What's going on?" she asks in between deep breaths. "Why is there Auror tape around here and what did that girl say to you at Dad's office?"

"Hold on," I say as I speed walk to dad's study. I dig into one of the drawers of his desk and I pull out a location sphere. I point Cass' wand at it and say my mother's name. Nothing happens, the ball just turns cloudy and I frown.

"Why are you looking for Mom with that thing?" She asks as I shake the ball and tap my wand against it a few times just in case.

"Ginny Malfoy," I state firmly, a little louder. The ball spins and turns right back to a cloudy black. That makes my stomach uneasy. I tap the ball again and try a different route. "Cassius Draconis Malfoy," I say as I think of my brother.

The ball lights up and turns a golden yellow. I stare at it and read the address that pops up. I have no idea where that is.

"Lavinia, do you know where the Golden Meadows health facility is?" I ask as she looks around the room like she had never seen it before.

"No, what is that?" she asks as I stare at the ball. "Where are the house-elves?" she whispers quietly, but I ignore her.

I tap the ball a few times so it will give me the coordinates and I'm pretty sure I can apparate there. "Okay," I mutter to myself. What do I do? Do I go and get them? I glance up at the fireplace.

"Look," Lavinia says, but I don't look. Out of the corner of my eye I see her bend down and pick something up. "My mood manipulator. I haven't seen this in ages."

I spare her an irritated glance as she picks up that fucking ball and then it hits me. My Invisibility cloak. They probably took my Mom because of the dress and I was for sure they were intent on their threat. Did they know it's totally ruined? Did they know Pansy is dead? Is that why they did this? I don't buy that bullshit about my father being the culprit because I know him too well. This is all my fault. I need to fix this.

"Stay here," I say to my sister as I go over to the fire place and turn on the floo network. I'm glad Dad's is always working considering he and mom block all the others.

I floo to my town house and two seconds later, Lavinia bumps into my back before I step out the grate.

"What are you doing?" I ask in a sharp voice as I turn around and glare at her. She bites her lip with soot covering her face.

"Where are you going?" She asks softly, like she knew I was on a mission and she wanted to be part of it. She kind of looked like lost little puppy following me around, begging for affection. It was kind of sad.

"Just stay here," I tell her as I find the shiny material of my cloak in the bottom of my closet and I put it on, hiding my body. Lavinia looks a little stunned. I guess she's never seen my cloak before.

"What is that?" she asks as she walks closer to me and pokes a finger where my chest should be. That fucking hurt.

"What does it look like? Now, just stay here. There's food in the fridge."

"I'm not fat," she says and it surprises me to hear the venom in her voice. "I don't need to eat all the time."

"Okay, I don't know what fucking girl thing is happening with you right now, but I need you to stay here."

"No, I'm going with you."

"You don't even know where I'm going." I counter and she plants her hands on her hips.

"I know you're going to that Golden Meadow place. Do you think I'm stupid? Why did you use the location sphere for Cassius and Mom? What do you know that I don't?"

She deserves to know the truth, but I'm not going to tell her right now. I put the hood up so she can't see me and I go to leave with out her, but before I get to the apparation point I feel something heavy on my back. When I land out side of the abandoned looking hospital building, I push her off of me and push the hood of the cloak back. "What the fuck, Lavinia?" I snap angrily and she dusts off her dress.

"The door was blasted open at the Manor and there was Auror tape everywhere. Something is wrong and I won't let you just leave me alone at your place." She looks down for a moment and then back up at me. "Please... I don't want to be alone. Not right now."

"Go find some friends."

"I don't have any friends."

I glare at her and she glares back. Goddamnit. "Get under the fucking cloak," I snap at her as I pull her to me and I hide us both. We're both too damn big to be doing this and we have to crouch down so our feet don't show. "Cassius and Mom are missing," I explain to her in whisper as we walk towards the building. "They wanted me to get this dress thing or they said they would hurt mom."

"A dress thing?" she asks and I nod.

"But something happened to it," I explain as I think of Pansy and how she's blown bits all over some basement in knockturn Alley.

I might find use with that duck therapist after this after all.

It was harder to get in than I had previously realized because the wards prevented us from opening the door, cloak or not. So we waited, leaning against the building as I tried to think up ways to get inside. It was getting cold outside, fall is coming and I look out at the trees. They're starting to change colors now and it's starting to sprinkle with rain.

"What's our plan?" Lavinia asks and I glare at her as she pulls something from one of her dress pockets.

"My plan is to go inside and find Mom and Cassius." I tell her seriously. "Your plan is to stay out of the way and hide."

"I can help you, you know," she states sourly as she rolls the ball around in her hand nervously. "I'm not totally incompetent. I helped that Bailey guy and Byron get Cassius back."

I give her a look, but I snap my head towards the door when someone walks out. It's that healer who is creepily obsessed with my sister. He doesn't look too pleased and he's wearing healer scrubs with his healer ID around his neck. We can follow him in. I'm sure of it. He shuts the door behind him and runs his hands through his hair before taking a deep breath and unscrewing the lid of a water bottle that he takes a long drink from. Lavinia inhales deeply and taps the ball a few times until it glows pink and then she starts to move from under the cloak.

"What are you doing?" I snap, trying to keep my voice quiet as I pull her back. She feels warmer and when I touch her I feel... I feel really very possibly content. I shake it off and glare at her again. "Are you mad?"

"Gavin, he'll help me if I ask," she says as she tries to push my arm off of hers after putting the ball in her pocket. "Let go."

"He's not going to help you," I whisper fiercely as I remember what he was talking about at the Lestrange house. "He's a fucking pervert, now get back under the cloak."

She looks at me, looking more serious and grown up than I have ever seen her. "I have to try, Gavin. What other plan do we have?" My hand becomes lax on her arm and she gets away. I cuss to myself as she becomes visible and runs down the pathway.

That Conrad bloke seems very suprised to see her and he looks over her shoulder as she runs over to him. "How did you get here?" he asks her suspiciously. She stops in front of him and sends a worried look to her feet. It begins raining harder and he watches as she crosses her arms and shivers. "You've been flooing," he states evenly as he puts a hand on his hip. "You're covered in soot."

She nods her head.

He looks her over with a raised brow, seemingly unaffected by the weather as he puts his water bottle down. He's at the top of the stairs and she's at the bottom, dwarfing her already small statue next to his. "Why are you here?"

The sister that I know finally comes out and her face reddens in embarrassment and she inhales a few times looking at him nervously.

"Lavinia?" he snaps at her and I clench my hand around my brother's wand. I should stun him, but there are so many death eaters wandering around right now that it would be pointless for us. They'd kill me on the spot and we would never get in. "You know your brother is here," he states plainly like he was reading her mind.

"It's just that... I-I heard..." She trails off painfully and she starts walking up the stairs. When she's only one below him, she brings a timid hand up to take his hand. My sister is not a good actress and this is all looking bloody ridiculous. "My Mom and my brother are missing," she whispers softly. I strain my ears to hear it from my hiding spot as he looks down at her with cold eyes. This is getting to be too much. My temper can't handle it and I want to tear his head off. "I thought... I thought you could help me."

"How could I help you?" he asks flatly as his arms stay rigidly by his side.

"Well... I..." She's pitiful at this. She really is. She inhales deeply and bites her lip as she takes his left hand and pulls back the sleeve, showing his golden watch. "It took me a while," she says as she runs her fingers over the face. "But I know you get the things that you want."

She glances up at him and he continues to stare at her.

"No one says no to you, right?" she says and the corner of his lips turn up in a smug smirk. "And you always get what you want." She makes it up to the final step and he steps back to give her more room. She brings one of her timid hands up to his hair and brushes a piece away from his face. The movement is odd and stiff. She's not convincing anyone. "Don't you want to help me?"

"You feel awfully warm," he says as his eyes darken. He takes a step closer to her and presses his hips against hers. "I'm liking the way you feel right now." It must be that mood manipulator thing she talked about because I felt the same way when I touched her. That is disturbingly gross. He shakes it off as well and steps back, narrowing his eyes."Tell me how you got here," he says, not buying into her bullshit but amused by it none the less. "And maybe I'll think about helping you."

"I followed you," she lies and he raises both his brows, obviously he doesn't believe her. "Don't look at me like that," she says, having caught on to it. "Please, just... Just help me... Like you helped me earlier," she says. What the fuck? "I'm very grateful and... and I realize I haven't been fair to you."

He pauses a second and then he brings a hand up to her face, running a finger along her lips. "How many times can a girl cry in one day?"

She reddens again and looks down as she lets her hands drop from his. Her breathing is heavy. She's scared.

"Do you know where they are?" she asks gently and then she looks up at him again. "Are they okay? Please, just tell me."

He looks around him, like he was checking the yard for spies and then he sighs as he looks down at her. "You shouldn't be here," he says as he searches her face and he takes her hand and starts walking her towards the front door. "You're lucky you didn't run into anyone else before you found me. They would have killed you," he says and she gulps. I guess she didn't understand the magnitude of the situation until now. He licks his teeth and then he stares at her again before opening the door with a ward breaking password. "I'll make you deal," he says and she blinks a few times as the door creaks open.

"What kind of deal?"

"I'm tired of pursuing a girl who's resistant to my advances," he says seriously. "It hurts my pride, if you could believe it, and I think I've been very forth coming with you."

"Okay..." She says shakily like she doesn't know what's in store. She wipes her eyes with the palm of her hand and he takes her wrist and brings it down to get her attention. She flicks a glance to where I'm standing as they walk inside and I run behind them and slide in just as the door starts to shut.

"If you promise to be a good girl for me," he says and I feel my lip curling back in disgust as I lean against he wall while he continues to pull her further into the building. The inside is in ruins. The large front hall looks like it used to be a reception area when this place was up and running. It has peeling paint on the walls and debris on the ground, with chairs and desks that look forgotten and warped with time. There's also a leak from the rain coming down from the ceiling and being caught in a metal bucket. Classy. "I'll show you that your brother is okay."

"What about my Mom?" she asks and he smiles.

"Why don't you kiss me first?"

She bites her lower lip and then she gives in and reaches up to kiss him. I've had enough. I take out my wand and curse him but because I have my brother's wand, it fails to hit target. He falls against the floor, though, and men come running out from every direction as Lavinia rushes to his side. He's clutching his neck and I figure that curse took a pretty big chunk from his flesh. I look away when he starts to bleed, though, because I'll never fancy the look of blood. She falls to her knees to see if he's alright as the men tug her back and I step forward again ready to throw another curse if they hurt her. "It wasn't her," I hear Conrad say with a wince as the men try to pull her back with their wands drawn. "You know who's still out. Find him."

Find who? They don't know about me. Could it be Cassius?

"Here, I can heal you," my sister says gently as the men go running in every direction. Conrad stands up and tries to stop the blood from gushing from his neck.

"We need a potion first," he snaps angrily as he glares around the room like he would be able to see who had done it. "I know this curse and it needs more than a wand. Come with me," he says as he takes her hand and start dragging her away.

I go to go after her, but she looks over her shoulder. "I'll be okay," she says out loud and Conrad stops and looks at her. "Do what you have to."

"Who are you bloody talking to?" he snaps as his eyes dart along the room. She was talking to me, I know that, and I grip my wand a little tighter, deciding if I should obey her.

"Conrad," she says glancing my way again. "You would never intentionally hurt me, would you?"

"What the fuck are you talking about?" he snaps and I know she's just asking for my benefit so I'll let her go and not follow. He grabs her chin and forces her to look into his eyes. They're both silent for a few moments as he studies her face. "What are you blocking from me?" he asks seriously and she shakes her head.

"Nothing."

He tightens his jaw, but then he begins stroking her neck. "You are so warm right now," he repeats dreamily and then he shakes his head. "I'm going to bleed to death if we don't get moving. Come on."

He pulls her away and I bite the inside of my cheek as I decide what I want to do. She said she would be okay and I need to find Cassius and Mom. She sends one more look over her shoulder before they disappear into another hallway and I let out a slow breath. I hate being unsure about things and not knowing what to do. That seems to be the constant state I'm in right now. I decide to let her go, a decision I'm still wrestling with as I walk further into the old building with the broken windows and crackling ceiling. If I were these people, and I was holding Draco Malfoy's son, where would I put him?

More Death Eaters scurry past me and I watch them move around frantically. I go deeper into the building, past holding cells and office rooms with files spilling from cabinets. I pass by Daniella and I accidentally brush against one of the men who's following her and I hold my breath as he looks over his shoulder and pauses. I know he felt me, but he shrugged it off and kept walking as I let out a breath. Down one dreary looking hallway I found someone familiar.

Things just got a lot more interesting.

"You're supposed to be at your post," an angered man in a mask says to Terrance as the lump goes barreling down the hallway.

"I've been there all day!" he snaps and he keeps walking. "I need to make a floo call. I'll be back in a second."

"You have one job!" The man calls but Terrance waves him off.

I follow him and we end up in an abandoned room where he grabs a handful of floo powder from a cracked pot and throws it into an empty fire grate that looks like it's about to collapse on it's self. The address he calls is very familiar to me and I step closer with rage roaring in my insides. When Addison's Mom's head appears in the flames I grip my brother's wand tighter.

"What can I do for you?" her mom says politely and I roll my eyes. The last few days she has been anything but bloody polite to me.

"I need to speak to Addison."

"Can I ask your business, please?" she asks and I figure she must not know Terrance. I think a part of me is pleased by that.

"I want to congratulate her," he says as he gets down on his knees and leans forward towards the flames. "I'm a friend."

A fucking friend. Right.

A few seconds later Addison's head appears in the flames. She looks as drawn out and tired as she did when she left the hospital and her face turns to surprise when she sees Terrance. Then she narrows her eyes. Good girl.

"What do you want?" she snaps at him and I inwardly smirk because she didn't sound happy to see him.

"You haven't responded to any of my owls," he says desperately, sounding weird and girlie. "I've been trying to get a hold of you. I miss you, Addie."

"I'm not doing this with you," she says and she starts to pull out of the flames but he stops her.

"Wait! Just wait. I just want to talk to you."

She sighs loudly and looks behind her shoulder like something was there before facing him again. "Okay, what do you want to talk about?"

"How's the baby?" he asks softly and I narrow my eyes because that's _my_ baby that he's talking about. He's not allowed to talk about her so casually. Hell, I don't even want him thinking about her. "I heard you were released this morning."

"She's fine," she says flatly. "She looks just like Gavin."

I smirk with pride.

"Listen," he gets even closer until his head is almost in the flames as well. I gently close the door and lock it with my wand. He doesn't notice. "God, I've missed you," he says as he looks over her face in the flames like it was really there in front of him. I tighten my hand around my wand and step even closer. "Wait," he says again when she makes a face. "Just let me talk. I know you're angry with me."

"How could you tell him what happened?" she asks and I think she's talking about me so my ears perk up a bit.

"You weren't going to tell him."

"Because it didn't mean anything!" she says in frustration and Terrance makes a wounded face, like she had hurt him. "I was drunk and you took advantage of the situation. I was miserable afterwards and you were right, I wasn't going to tell him because it would just hurt him and I didn't want to do that."

"I did not take advantage of you," he snaps and I narrow my eyes. "I just told you the truth."

"You told me that he was stepping out on me."

"He was," he snaps hatefully. "Gavin has always been a cheater and he always will be. Everytime we went out he picked up a different bird and you know that. Any one who read the papers knew that and I couldn't stand that he was doing that to you. You know I love you!"

"He told me he never did," she says gently. "But I believed you instead and look what happened with that."

"I didn't have to convince you. Why do you think you were drinking in the first place? Gavin always left you at home while he went out and partied. He did that because he didn't want you to get in his way when he met a girl. Do you think that's ever going to changed"

"You're lying," she says as she shakes her head, but I can tell there's something in her voice that still believes him. I can't say I blame her. I was terrible to her once and I was the worst boyfriend in the world. The baby starts crying in the background and it makes my heartbeat speed up painfully. I should be there with her, helping her, but I'm on the other side of the flames with fucking Terrance. "I have to go. I guess I'm glad it's all out in the open now because I don't feel as terrible as I did before. Now that he knows and he still wants to be in Emma's life even though I hurt him. I'm not going to ruin that again because of you. Don't contact me agian, Terry."

"Wait," he says again and she rolls her eyes. "He's a liar, Addison. You know that more than anyone. Don't you see what he's doing? He was the asshole to you and now he has you being grateful that he's still in your life? Come on. Even you can see through that, can't you? He only came back because of the kid, not you. He's never liked you that much anyways."

"Don't say that," she says softly, like it hurt her that he would think such a thing. I'm pissed about it too because it wasn't true. In reality, I had liked Addison more than I had liked anyone I had ever dated. I may have even loved her.

"It's true he's a self centered jerk and you know it. Why do you even care? Is it the money?"

"I don't care about his money," she says fiercely and Terrance laughs bitterly.

"Good, because he won't have very much soon."

"What are you talking about?" she snaps and he smiles. I'm curious too so I resist the urge to throw my cloak off and attack him.

"I just wouldn't count on that fortune if I were you. The Malfoy's are in a very bad position right now," he says with a dark smile and I scoff. We've always had money, and we probably always will. There's just no way one family could go through that much money because more is constantly pouring in from our business' and investments. Dad also has pockets of reality everywhere in world that serve as financial back up if something were to happen with the banks.

"What do you mean 'they're in a very bad position?" she asks slowly, like she was worried and Terrance puffs his chest out proudly.

"Have you been following the news at all?" he ask and she frowns.

"I just left the hospital, Terry, and I just had a baby. No, I haven't been following the news."

"Well, if you did then you would know that Mrs. Malfoy and Cassius Malfoy are missing and presumed dead."

"Presumed dead?" she says with her eyes widening. That sentence cuts me as well and I watch him closely.

Terrance nods. "Yes, Mr. Malfoy has been brought in for suggesting. They think he killed them because Mrs. Malfoy wanted a divorce."

Addison shakes her head. "That doesn't sound right. I know them... Mr. Malfoy would never do that to Ginny or Cassius."

"You never know," he says like he knew a secret like a fucking little school girl. "Those Malfoy men are unstable. If Mr. Malfoy gets the death penalty..."

"Wait, the death penalty? What are you talking about?"

"If he gets convicted for the killings... He'll get the death penalty."

"This is all happened very quickly," she says suspiciously. "And why are you so pleased about it? This is a terrible thing to happen to a person."

"According to their will, the family money is supposed to be divided amongst all four children when the parents die," he says and she watches him closely as well. "With Cassius gone his part would go to Gavin... But..."

"Why do you know anything about the Malfoy's will?" she asks sharply and I want to know the answer to that question as well. "And what do you mean 'but'?"

"The Aurors haven't been able to find him. They suspect that Draco Malfoy got to him too. You know, when faced with abandonment husbands often kill their wives and kill their kids as punishment."

"Is that a known statistic," I state outloud and he looks behind him quickly. The baby cries get louder and Addison starts talking to someone outside of the fireplace. I suppose it's her mother.

"I have to go. Don't go anywhere," she says as she disappears away from the flames. Terrance stands up and looks around him with his wand gripped in his hands. He has no idea I'm only a few feet in front of him. This cloak is convenient and it's kind of ironic that he was the one who gave it to me.

"Who's there!" he yells and it hurts my ears so I make a face. "Show yourself." I lift my wand and mumble a curse under the cloak. His wand goes flying to the side and I don't think I've ever seen a person so scared looking. "Show yourself!" he demands again and I start unclasping the cloak while he backs up and bats around him like a crazy person.

"Is that going to help?" I ask and when I become visible to him, he pales and starts walking backwards towards the fireplace like he's just seen a ghost. I put the invisibility cloak on a nearby chair, painfully aware of his wide eyed stare.

"How did you get in here?" he asks as I put a hand in my pocket. I have a cigarette in there that I had hid from the St. Mungo's staff and I take it out, lightening the end with my brother's wand as Terrance shakes in his boots.

"Do you remember when you gave that to me?" I ask as I nod to the shimmering cloak on the chair. I blow smoke out of the corner of my mouth and look at the ashes I flick on the ground. This is going to be my last one. After this I'm quitting.

"Yeah," he says. "I didn't think you'd fucking keep it. It was a family heirloom."

"Hey, a bet is a bet," I tell him seriously and he gulps as he looks at my wand lying casually in my hand. "I have one question for you." I say before inhaling more smoke and flicking more ashes on the ground.

"What is it?" he asks cautiously as I begin twisting my wand through my fingers like it was a baton.

"Who was supposed to come and get me?" I ask curiously and he furrows his brows. "If this whole thing is set up so it looks like my Dad killed us all, who was supposed to get me?"

"Holly..." He mutters and I laugh.

"The blonde retard in the skirt? She was serious when she said that?" I tisk my tongue and lift my wand again. "Well, luckily for your lot I came here on my own, right?"I look him over with a sigh. "I used to like you," I say outloud and he gulps nervously. "Why did you have to fuck that up?"

"I didn't do anything."

I drop the cigarette and snub it out with my shoe. "You slept with my fucking girlfriend."

"You only care because she was 'your' girlfriend at the time. Not because you really liked her."

I go to curse him, but since the wand isn't mine it malfunctions and misses him. Hitting the fireplace over his shoulder. A vase on the mantle piece explodes and he looks at it in relief before looking back at me. "Damnit," I say as I look down at my brother's wand and I tap it against my leg a few times. Terrance watches me and then he looks at his wand that's resting under a table on the other side of the room. "Don't even think about it," I tell him as I point the wand at him again.

"That's not your wand," he points out and I refuse to reply to that stupid comment. "It's not going to work properly for you."

"It might," I tell him seriously. It's a hit or miss with wands really. My brother and I are just so damn different that his wand isn't letting me do the fucking curses he wouldn't do. "Don't test me. Why are you here anyway?. I never saw you at the meetings," I state honestly and he puffs his chest up again. He looks like a fool.

"I'm a new inductee," he says proudly and I would roll my eyes if I cared enough. "Just finished my initiation. I heard about yours, though," he gives me an amused smile.

"I couldn't torture people I didn't know," I tell him and then I smirk. "But I'm sure I could muster up the magic to crucio you."

"Come off it, Gavin, you lost all credibility when your Dad bailed you out. That's never going to happen again, though," he says and I push my brows together. "After tonight your whole family is going to be dead. Well, with the exception of your sister. I think Conrad Foxworth is going to turn her into his personal sex toy."

I go to curse him again, but the fucking wand malfunctions again and the curse fizzles out even before it leaves the wand. "Goddamnit," I snap angrily as I glare at Cassius' wand. Terrance laughs. That wasn't a good idea. "Oh, well,'" I tell him as I pocket the wand. "I don't need fucking magic to beat the shit out of you," I tell him darkly. "You know that from personal experience, don't you?"

"You're not going to do anything to me, Gavin," he says smugly as he pulls a necklace out from under his shirt. "If you take one step closer I will press this button."

"Okay," I say as I take a step closer and I roll up the sleeves on my shirt. "Press the fucking button."

He takes another step back and puts his hand up to stop me. "You don't want that, I assure you. I guard one of the most treasured things in this building. If I press this button then every member in the building is going to come here."

"What are you guarding?" I ask as I look around the room. "A floo pot?" I ask and he makes an annoyed face. "You aren't doing a very good job, princess."

He sneers at the nickname. "No, not a damn floo pot. It's not in here," he says and I raise an eyebrow.

"So if you press that button, won't everyone go to where the 'special' thing is?" He hesitates a second and he opens his mouth a few times. "I thought so." I say as I take another step closer. I love busting through his weak logic and he looks panicked.

"It doesn't matter if you beat me up," he says bravely as he cocks his head up in the air. "You're going to die tonight, Gavin. You're going to die and so is the rest of your..."

BAM.

I pause as he falls to the ground in a heap, covered in floo powder and broken ceramic chips from a floo pot. Standing behind him is Addison wearing an old Black College T-shirt and baggy, unflattering sweat pants. I don't think I've ever seen her look better. She's breathing heavily and she looks down at him before up at me. She looks kind of sheepish and I would almost call the expression cute if I didn't think she might have put him in a coma.

"You just bashed his head in with a floo pot," I state flatly, almost laughing at the ridiculousness of it.

"Is he dead?" she asks timidly as I walk closer and bend down to put my hand in front of his face.

"He's breathing," I say and then I look up at her. She looks a right mess. "Are you okay?"

"Yes, I'm... I'm fine. Are you okay?" she asks and I stand up and step over Terrance's body to get closer to her. I've decided to forgive her right here and now for that one move. I grab her face and kiss her hard. She melts into me before pushing back and taking my hand. "Come on," she says as she sends a disgusted look around the filthy room. "Come with me. The floo line is still open and this place isn't sanitary."

"I'm not going with you," I tell her honestly and she opens her mouth to protest but I cut her off. "My family is still here. I'm going to find them."

"But... You heard Terrance. They're dead... Or someone is killing them." She brings a hand up to her forehead. "This is all too much. Come back with me. I don't want you to get hurt."

"As happy as I am to hear that, I'm going to need you to go back to your mother's house and turn off your floo line."

"No, just.."

"Just wait for me, alright?" I say as I step on Terrances chest as I walk to the couch to get the invisibility cloak. "I'll be home later." I say and then I realize she won't be there because she's with her Mom. I shrug the sick feeling off. "I'll come see you when I'm done."

"What if they kill you?" she asks. She crosses her arms as I pick up the cloak and fold it over my arm. "You don't want Emma to grow up with out a father do you?"

I look at her. That was a question that struck deep and I debated my options for a few moments before shaking my head. I knew for a fact that Cassius and Lavinia were here. I wasn't going to leave them.

"I'm staying," I tell her and she steps on Terrance's passed out body as well as she walks over to me.

"Then I'm staying too," she says as she pulls her wand from the waist band of her sweat pants. "Mine actually works." she says and I sigh.

"Cassius' wand is just being fussy like he is," I tell her seriously as I take her wand and put it back in her pants. "Just go home. I would be more focused if I didn't have to worry about you too."

"I can hold my own," she lies and I shake my head.

"No, you can't," I tell her honestly. Not to hurt her pride, or anything, but it's the truth. She's worse than Lavinia is when it comes to dueling and that kind of stuff... And Lavinia is like an mentally handicapped kid sometimes so that's not saying much. I look down at her chest and hide a smile. "Besides, you need to go change your shirt," I tell her as the front of her shirt becomes saturated with milk. I would be disgusted that she was literally leaking, but I couldn't find it in me to feel that way about her and what her body was doing because she had had my baby.

"What," she looks down and crosses her arms in embarrassment. "Oh, Jesus Christ."

"I don't have a lot of time. Go home and feed our daughter," I tell her and I kiss her forehead. "Wait for me."

"I always wait for you," she says with a pout turning her lips and I smile sadly because I know that's the truth.

"Yeah," I say as I press my hand against her cheek. "And I always come back, right?" She doesn't say anything, but I don't wait for her answer. I take her hand and walk her back to the fireplace, scooping up some floo powder by Terrances body as I go. "Go home and kiss my baby," I tell her before throwing the powder into the flames and pushing her in. When she disappears I turn the knob on the fireplace so she can't come back and I look at Terrance again.

"Now," I say as I kneel beside him and I take that necklace off of his body. I study it. It's black with a red button hanging off it like a pendent. I put it around my own neck before propping him against the wall in the sitting position. He a fat bastard and it took some energy. "You're going to tell me what I need to know about what you're guarding."

I glare down at Cassius' wand, praying that it works for me this time before I wake him up. The spell works well enough and he blinks groggy eyes open as I put a body bind spell on him. "Hey, what are you..."

'Shh," I tell him and he looks insulted as I sit back on my knees. "I can't crucio people," I tell him seriously. "I can't kill people. I guess I'm too weak for that." He stares at me like he was relieved. I look down at Cass' wand. "But I can perform one unforgivable pretty easily."

"You're not going to..."

"Imperio," I say as I point the wand at his chest. His eyes glaze over and he blinks a few times. I feel quite proud of myself and I smile a little bit. "Tell me you're an idiot" I order.

"I'm an idiot."

This could be fun.

"Terrance, tell me where my brother is."

"I don't know."

"Do you know where my mother is?"

"I don't know."

Damn. I lick my teeth before trying again. "What are you guarding?"

"A necklace and an earring," he says.

"Jewerly? You're guarding jewelry."

"Ancient Jewelry."

Ah, that makes sense now. I had overheard some people at the meetings talking about some statue head that could help them win 'the war against the muggles'. That's why I asked Cassius a couple of weeks ago if it would hurt people or not... I really don't know what it does. I hear a loud blast and a few yells, so I try to hurry this up and I look at him intently.

"Why are you guarding it? What's it's purpose?"

"I don't know."

Hmf. "You're useless."

"I know." he says and I blink a few times before laughing at him.

"I'm glad you think so too," I tell him. "Stand up." He stands up immediately and I do as well. "Where are these things?"

"On the top floor, in the storage room because no one would look there."

Someone must have told him that detail.

"Go back to guarding your jewelry and if anyone talks to you, tell them you're a fucking douche bag who has no friends."

"Okay," he says as he gets up and walks with mechanical steps out of the room. I wonder how long the imperius curse lasts before it comes off. I don't know that kind of stuff but it felt good to be a big spiteful. I put on the cloak and start to head for the door to follow him up... But I stop when I leave the room. There are a few men in black cloaks laying on the ground. They look dead and I furrow my brows as Terrance continues to walk like a zombie. I step over a few lifeless bodies with worry creasing my brow line as Terrance finds a back stair case and begins walking up.

Um... What the fuck happened to those guys?

I really can't worry about them right now and when we reach the storage room, a tall red head that I recognize as Dorian from the Lestrange house is waiting patiently outside of the room. Beside him is a beautiful redhead with the same deep red colored hair and she picks at her fingernails as Terrance approaches.

"Where the hell have you been?" Dorian asks as he stands up straight.

"I'm a fucking douche bag who has no friends," he says and I smirk. "I've been downstairs," Terrance answer after a moment of the two redheads just staring at him like he was a moron.

"Fine, whatever. Here," he says as he reaches into his pocket and pulls out a bag full of gold coins and hands it to Terrance. "After you touch the earring, you have ten seconds to leave this place before you go down with it, do you understand?"

"Yes," Terrance says flatly and Dorian gives him an odd look.

"That's just for good faith," he says as he takes a golden gringotts key from his shirt pocket and hands it to him. "And this vault is yours if you make it out. I'm serious," he says sternly. "It was activated this morning by Bailey. They have what they need now and they want to use it in London tonight." He grabs Terrances hand and cuts a odd geometrical rune shape on his hand. Terrance winces and hisses in pain. "Put your palm face down on the pearl," he says seriously. I'm so utterly confused that all I can do is listen. "There's going to be a big bang, but you have to Appareate out of here before you pass out or your as good as dead as the rest of them."

"Okay," he says flatly.

Dorian makes a disgusted face like he doesn't think that he would understand.

"Wait twenty minutes..."

"Thirty," the pretty redhead says, overriding the guy who has to be related to her because they look an awful lot a like. The taller one glances at her and she makes a pouting face. "Come on, you know I have to let Byron come too. I like him too much."

"We don't have time for that," he snaps. "If we want this to work, they all have to go down. Byron's father was Marcus Flint so it's justified. No one here is innocent of it. Think of all the families he ruined."

"I like Byron." she says like a woman who is used to winning arguments. "He is too good looking to just kill anyways." she insists. "Besides, you saved Mafloy's daughter on the beach."

"She's just a baby," he says in frustration. "Now Malfoy and I are even. He spared my life when I was a kid and I spared hers. He killed the rest of my family and they're all going to go down with the rest of these disgusting creatures."

I feel offended.

"I'm sure the Auror department will love that explanation," she says and he sends her a wide eyed look before looking at Terrance... He seems relieved that Terrance is picking at a thread in his cloak and didn't hear that slip.

He shakes his head and walks towards Terrance again. "Twenty minutes, Terrance," he says. "Twenty minutes and everyone here is done."

He walks past him and the woman with red hair who may or may not be named Eva.. Or Eda or something I can't really remember, slithers up and touches his shoulder. Terrance shivers as she puts her lips to his ear. "Thirty minutes," she corrects the other guy again as she sways her hips going after him.

When they're far enough away, I turn back to Terrance and narrow my eyes. "What the fuck was that?" I ask, still under my cloak but since he's under my spell he answers.

"A bribe."

"A bribe for what. You said you didn't know the purpose of the artifacts."

"I don't."

"Then why are you going to touch it with that fucked up thing on your hand?"

"So I can get a lot of money," he says simply.

"Of for fucks sake-" I get cut off by a scream and I snap my head down the hallway. The tall lanky fellow throws a curse at someone unseen and I hear a loud manly cuss before he gets blown against the wall. The girl gets the same treatment after she brandishes her wand and she gets thrown threw a window. I stare as who ever did that damage emerges down the hallway.

The figure gets closer and closer and I let my mouth hang open in surprise.

"Terrance, go in the room and forget about everything that those red heads told you."

He obeys and the figure raises an eyebrow halfway down the hallway.

"Where did you learn that?"

That's my Dad's voice and I look at him for a few moments in shock. He looks terrible. There are violent red cuts on his face and judging by the stains on his white dress shirt there are more under neath his clothes. I was going to answer him, but I stop myself. He shouldn't be able to see me. I'm under the cloak and he was far enough away where he couldn't hear me when I talked to Terrance. He stops a few feet in front of me and looks down at something in his hand. He taps it with his wand.

"Gavin Scorpious Malfoy," he whispers. The ball glows and he looks up, directly where I'm at. I stay still as takes a step closer to me and pulls my cloak off. He used one of his location spheres to find me and I just stare stupidly back at him.

"What..."

"What are you doing here?" he asks as he walks into the room where I ordered Terrance to go. Dad shuts the door and locks it after I follow inside and he walks over to a small desk where a large half pear looking thing is laying. Runes are etched into it and beside that is a golden necklace with a large snarling lions head. It looks like it pains him to walk, but he keeps his head tilted up and his shoulders straightened as he turns to me. "How did you get in?"

"Are you..." I squint my eyes and grasp the wand. Terrance tries to talk but I order him to stand in the corner. Dad just watches me, looking none too pleased with it, but he doesn't say anything else. "Dad?" I say because I'm honestly not sure if it's really him. Is my mind playing tricks on me or is my father seriously standing before me covered in blood in black trousers and suspenders. "Are you fucking with me?"

"No, I'm not," he tells me as he pockets his wand and winces as he moves his arms to pull his suspenders down. He pauses a second like it hurt him before he starts unbuttoning his shirt.

"What are you doing?" I ask as he takes off his shirt and he tugs off the shirt he had underneath. His chest is a mess. There are long angry looking slashes on his arms, chest, and back. The wounds look fresh and blood is still beading from them. I wonder if that's the curse Dorain threw at him. I cover my mouth in disgust. I hate blood. "Why are you getting undressed?" I ask carefully with a muffled voice. This isn't going to turn into some weird fucked up torture scene, is it?

"You have to heal me," he says as he takes a seat on a wooden table covered in old newspapers. "If I lose any more blood... I'm getting light headed. I'll tell you the spell, I'm just not strong enough to do it myself right now," he says. I hesitate before walking towards him.

"I'm not good at healing charms," I tell him seriously. There is so much blood. I shake my head and take a step back. "And I have Cassius' wand... It doesn't work very well for me... I... Lavinia is here," I tell him and his eyes snap to mine and he hisses as a cut on his neck opens more from the move. More blood. I blink a few times. "She's okay." Hopefully. "But she's good at healing charms..." I feel a little out of it to be honest with my father practically bleeding to death before me. "I can go find her."

He gives me his wand. "Mine is closer to yours," he explains. "It will work better...Just put the wand to one of the cuts." He takes off his glasses and pinches the bridge his nose with his fingers. "The last time this happened to me, I blacked out. God, this fucking hurts."

I remember being covered in Pansy's blood and I shake my head. I hate blood. I can't stand it. I shake my head against as I feel the bile in my throat. "I'm sorry, I can't..."

"Gavin," he snaps as I take another step back. I look into his eyes. They look like steel. "I need you to be strong right now or I'm going to bleed out. You're okay and you can do this."

"Okay," I say with a shaky voice.

"If you can use the Imperius curse, you can do this."

I nod my head and repeat the spell that he gives me as I press the wand to one of his cuts. They're really deep and I can only imagine how badly it must hurt for him. It takes me a few tries, but I do manage to close up one of the cuts. I look at the sea of other ones and gulp. This is going to take forever, but with a shaky hand I keep going.

"These are going to scar," I tell him worriedly. The cuts that I am healing aren't glossing over very well. They just look like red scratches, and the color won't fade. It looks like Bryon's back.

"It doesn't matter," he says gently.

"How did you get here?" I ask to distract myself from blacking out, but he doesn't answer as he hunches over while I heal the cuts on his back and side. "They're trying to say you killed Mom and Cassius," I tell him and he nods his head.

"I know."

"They took you in for questioning," I say and he sits back so I can get the front of his chest. "Were you at the Aurors office?"

"Yes."

"And you got away?"

"Obviously," he says as I close up a rather painful looking one running along the line of his collar bone. I think I saw bone on that one.

I look into his stormy eyes and he looks right back. He's definitely my father, I know that. "How?" I ask as I move to his face so I can close up the cuts there.

He doesn't answer again and when I'm done healing him, he stands up and takes his under shirt so he can wipe away the rest of the left over blood. He looks down at his chest at the red scars and then he feels his face. I feel bad that I couldn't be better at healing, but it was the best I could do and I'm so out of it that I couldn't keep my hand steady.

"I guess my modeling days are over," he says as he puts on his button up shirt and begins doing it up. I would laugh if this wasn't so serious and he puts on his glasses again after I hand him his wand. "I want you to go home. I'll take care of this."

"Let me help you," I tell him honestly. "Just... I can help."

"No. Go home." he says sternly as he looks me dead in the eye. "Now."

This sounds very familiar. I just had this conversation with Addison not too long ago. "No," I say solidly, finding my voice. Dad doesn't need to come in and save me this time. "I have an idea," I tell him, just thinking it up so quickly that it nearly made me feel high.

"I'm sure you do," he states stiffly. I frown at his lack of faith in me, but I don't care.

"Yes," I say as I take out that necklace with the stupid button on it. "If I press this, everyone in the building will come running into this room," I tell him.

He gives it a dismissive look. "Half the people in this building can't run anymore," he says and that stops me for a second before I continue. I think of the dead men in the hallway on my way here and I shake it off.

"That is what took Cassius away from us," I say as I point to the white pearl earring thing laying on the table. "That's what made him appear dead. The redheaded bloke you cursed in the hallway was bribing Terrance into activating it. He marked up his hand and told him he would have to touch and then Apparete out of here so it would to do all of us what it did to Cassius. Practically kill everyone."

"What's the point in that?"

"The girl said he was an Auor," I say and he raises his brows. I just realized something and I looked at Terrance's back with a sigh. "That would have framed Terrance. If he really was an Auror it was a good idea to have Terrance do it. He hated everyone here and he especially hated you," I add carefully.

"Do you know why."

"No, not really," I lie because I don't feel like going into it, or repeating it. "Anyways, I know that Cassius and Lavinia are here... If we can round us all up then we can get out of here in time. I can tell Terrance to put his hand on that thing after I press the button and we lock everyone in this room."

"There's a lot of holes in that plan, son," he says.

"It could work," I add and he looks at me seriously, taking my shoulders in his hands as he looks directly into my eyes.

"I don't need an elaborate plan to kill everyone in this building," he says seriously and an eerie feeling runs up my spine because of the way my father looks. He looks frightening like I imagine he looked thirty years ago. "I'm going to do this the old fashion way. No one messes with my family and gets away with it."

I stare at him for a few moments before he lets go of my shoulders and he walks towards the door. I watch him go before turning to Terrance who is still dutifully in the corner. "If I press this button," I say as I hold it up and he looks over his shoulder. "I want you to put your fucking hand on that artifact."

"Okay," he says simply and I look at the earring for a few moments before following my father out.

This time I can help him. I don't care what he has to say on the matter. He cracks his neck and goes to walk out of the room, unlocking the door with his wand before stepping out. I grab my cloak and follow behind him. We go down another hallway and I stop, letting my jaw fall open when I see this paticular hallway that my father has turned down. When I came in there were about six death eaters standing around at different areas, now they're all dead and I send a sideways glance at my father. He looks unperturbed and he steps over a dead body like it was nothing as he goes walking further into the building.

"Put the cloak on," he snaps at me as I step behind him, staring down at one of the bodies. "If your going to follow me, put on that damn cloak."

I don't need to be told twice and I put the cloak on while I walked through the sea of dead neo death eaters. I don't even want to ask him if he did all of this because I think I know the answer and I don't want it to be said outloud. A cloaked figure comes towards us from the right and Dad flicks his wand at him, like it was nothing, and the green light hits him right in the chest. I just saw my father actually kill someone like it wasn't a big deal and I watch him slump to the floor as my father keeps walking forward like this was a normal day to randomly kill people.

_Holy fuck. _

I watch as he takes the small location sphere from his pocket. He looks at it before turning to the right. "Can that tell the exact locations?" I whisper because I thought it just gave a general outline of where a person was. Dad tightens his jaw, but he can't see me because I'm under the cloak so he keeps walking.

"How do you think I found you," he snaps as we reach a lift. When the doors open, my Dad curses the two Death Eaters that were going to step off and he steps inside. I follow and make a disgusted face at the bodies slumped on the floor.

"What are we doing?" I ask as I look at his face. The scars slice across his cheeks and down his neck. I wonder if those will go away if a real healer was to heal him. I hope so. He looks like he was attacked by a demented werewolf.

"Your brother and your sister are both down stairs," he states roughly and I look down. "I want you to find Lavinia. Do whatever you have to and then leave. Go to the beach house, that's still protected. Did you bring the dress?" he asks and I look away anxiously. "Gavin."

"I... It's not together anymore," I say as I remember what happened. "Pansy... I went to talk to her and she put it on and then she kind of..."

"Goddamnit," he snaps angrily as he turns around and puts a hand up to his face. "Why didn't you fucking listen to me? I told you to be very careful with that. There was a plan, Gavin."

"I'm sorry," I state, feeling like a chastised little boy as he shakes his head.

"It doesn't matter." He sighs loudly, trying to control his temper even though I know he's extremely pissed with me. "I'm sorry. You're too young for this." I won't argue even though I want to. He takes out the location sphere again and taps his wand against it as the lift goes further down into the bowels of the building. "Ginevra Molly Malfoy," he whispers. The ball twirls and clouds over. I watch as his face narrows in anger before he tries agian.

"I tried that too," I tell him softly as I take off the cloak so he can see me. "Does that mean that she's dead?" I hate that I had to say that and it hurt my heart.

"No," he says stiffly. "It means I can't bloody find her." He hits the wall of the lift with his hand, making the whole thing vibrate. "Why did I fucking take off her ring. I'm her husband. I'm supposed to protect her. I'm a bloody idiot." What is he talking about? "She was wearing it for over thirty years. You think some of that magic would have imprinted on her by now, right?"

He's talking to himself and he taps the ball again, trying desperately to locate my Mom as the lift dings and the doors slide open.

What's waiting for us on the other side makes my mouth run dry. Dad finally looks up and he stares for a few long moments as well, until the doors start to slide shut and I kick my foot forward to stop it as I stare at my little sister. Evelyn's nose is freely bleeding, running down her lips and onto her clothes... and she's holding a bloody sword.

"Baby," Dad says carefully as he pockets the ball and takes a careful step towards her. What is Evelyn doing here? He looks down at the sword as she stares back at us with wide frightened eyes. Like a traumatized deer or someone who just saw something really bad. I wonder if I have the same look. "What happened? How did you get here?" he asks carefully.

She finally looks him in the eyes. They connect and make her real and I realize that my little sister really is standing alone in this dark fucking hallway with flickering lights holding a bloody sword.

"D-Daddy," she says like a small child and Dad blinks a few times as she inhales deeply. "I'm tired," she admits and she looks fucking tired, but what in the bloody hell is she doing here?

Dad takes another careful step closer to her and puts his hand on hers until she drops the sword so it falls to the ground. Clanking against the cement and echoing down the hallway.

"Sweetheart, what happened?"

"I didn't mean to do it," she whispers with a voice thick with tears. The doors try to shut on us again so I step forward so it doesn't move. "I didn't know. I was confused."

"What's wrong?" Dad asks as he pulls her to him, holding her head against his chest while she cries. I just kind of stand here, a little shell shocked. "Evelyn," he says gently. "What did you do?"

I see her pale hands grasp the back of his bloody shirt as she leans into his chest. She cries for a few moments before he pushes her back and moves hair away from her face before cupping her cheeks.

"Evelyn, tell me what happened."

"I think I hurt her real bad," she says softly as she looks into Dad's eyes.

"Who did you hurt?"

Evelyn's lower lip trembles before she clenches her eyes shut.

"Mom."

What? I hear movement in the background and my head snaps towards it. I widen my eyes when I see a group of people running towards us. "Dad," is all I say as I grab him and pull him back while pressing one of the buttons that will make us go up. Evelyn gets pulled back into the lift as well by Dad and he pushes her to the back. Curses go flying at us and I grab Evie's arm and pull her behind me to protect her more. I feel her grab the back of my shirt like she needed something to hold on to to be real as I lift Cass's wand and fling a few curses while the door slowly shuts.

"Gavin," Dad says seriously as I put my cloak around Evelyn's shaking shoulders. I glance at him. "Take her home," is all he says before he jumps out of the lift where all the fucking crazy people with wands are.

The door shuts all the way and starts moving up as I try to make it stop. He's going to get fucking butchered down there. There had to have been at least twenty people coming towards us. Halfway up, the lift makes a loud moaning noise and the whole thing shakes before stoping all together.

Evelyn pushes my cloak off of her head so I can see her face. She is so pale right now, and there are dark circles under her watery eyes. She looks up at the needle on the lift that tells us where we are... We're stopped somewhere in between the fifth and sixth floor. "What does this mean?" she asks softly as she reaches out and takes my hand.

"It means we're fucked," I state honestly.

The lift moans loudly again before the lights turn off. Evelyn grips at my shirt and presses her self against me. I can practically feel her heart pumping frantically against my chest. Everything is silent, painfully silent, and then lift shakes and the lights flicker...Then it starts falling so fast that it makes Evelyn and I both stumble as it heads straight back down.

"We're definitely fucked," I hear Evelyn whisper as we fall.

I look at her.

I've never heard her cuss before.

Now is a better time than any to start, I guess.


	21. Chapter 21

_**Evelyn**_

I was a little stunned, to be completely honest. Beatrice/possibly Bella had told me to pack my things because she wanted me to have clothing options that would fit my skinny frame. As I walked to that dull boy room off of Molly Weasley's hallway, I couldn't help but be a little creeped out as she followed behind and eyed my body like I was a piece of meat that she was thinking about buying. When I got into the room, I realized something was very off about the whole thing besides the already alarming obvious.

"Where are Molly and Mr. Potter?" I had asked as she closed the door behind us. I went and opened my trunk because I was trying to be casual about this even though I wanted to freak out and run a way screaming.

"Well," she had said as she smiled and leaned against the door. "I sent them on an errand and I promised to watch after you. Don't worry, they won't bother us."

"Right," I had said flatly as I started to throw my things in my trunk.

All the shirts and dresses that I had hung up the night before were just thrown in without bothering to pull them off their hangers and I kept watching Beatrice out of the corner of my eye as she walked over to the window and pulled the curtain back to look into the yard.

"So..." I had said and she raised a brow but didn't turn. I reached under the bed and pulled on the pillow case that had the sword in it, staying low so she wouldn't notice. "How is it that you look older?" I asked and she finally glanced at me. There were white hairs peppering her temples and wrinkles around her eyes. "If you've been drinking polyjuice potion..." I finish softly, treading in dangerous waters, but wanting so badly to know.

"You did drink my potion," she said with her eyes twinkling as I stayed kneeling behind the bed so she wouldn't see the sword. I really didn't know what I was going to do with it but she had taken my wand and it seemed like a good idea to have a weapon at the time.

"I did," I state with a nod of my head. "So, why have you aged? I thought with polyjuice potion…. I thought you just copied that person perfectly as they were when you took the hair."

She sighed like she thought I was a simple idiot. "When you take that potion as long as I have, you begin imprinting on the person that you're copying. It worked out for me. I didn't imagine I would hold up this ruse for so long, but the fact that my age started to appear has helped me. That way no one was suspicious of me. Although," she started as she turned back the window and caught her reflection in the glass. "I am starting to age faster now. The potion is starting to not work."

I quickly put the sword in the trunk when she wasn't looking and slammed it shut. "I'm done!" I had announced and she looked annoyed by my voice but I didn't care. "So..." I trailed off as I thought of it. "If you're Byron's mother... then that means that Lavinia and Byron are like... closely related, right?" I had said as I worked it out in my mind and I made a face at it. How terrible for Lavinia. "That's really gross. They've _done_ it. Isn't that illegal?"

"That boy isn't mine," she had snapped hatefully and I sighed in relief for my sister's sake. How disgusting would it be to discover you've been dating your cousin... or your father's cousin... Or whatever he would be to us. I crinkled my nose at the thought. How embarrassing. "He was already born before I took over her life. He never changes. All he does is cry and whine," she snapped hatefully like it was an old annoyance that was never solved with her. "But the girls," she said smiling smugly in a weird and uncomfortable kind of way. "They're mine."

"But..." she looked at me and raised a brow as I stood up."But, you're so old." She would have been seeing the better part of seventy if this all was true, and Chloe isn't all that old… and... doesn't she have a baby now?

"I told you already that when you take poly juice potion every day for more than a year, your cells start to fuse together." She really didn't tell me that, but I let it slide as she took out her wand and lifted my trunk with a magic spell. "I was able to have children when I couldn't in my original body and Beatrice and I looked similar enough for no one to question it. I don't even know what I'd look like if I stopped taking it," she had thought that part out loud to herself. "But I'm starting to run my course, I can feel it in my bones," she said and I was curious but I didn't say anything as she put her hand around my wrist to drag me. She paused a second and she felt my arm when we were halfway to the door.

"Have you always been this skinny?" she had hissed at me and I nodded my head.

"Always," I answered honestly and she contemplated me as she looked over my body. Then she started dragging me out of the room again.

I slipped on my rain boots before she pulled me outside where that stupid ward boulder was. It was still drizzling a little bit, and I frowned as I remembered my hat still lying on the bedside table upstairs. I wish I had my hat. She went past the boulder and I held my breath as she Apparated us to some strange abandoned hospital building in the middle of nowhere. I didn't see anyone when we walked in and she pulled me down five flights of stairs into the ground level that was dark and damp and very unattractive.

"What is this place?" I had asked as she pulled me down one of the creepy hallways with my trunk floating behind us. I wasn't exactly scared then… I think it was because I still wasn't quite sure what was happening. Was this one of those weird dreams again? Was this real? It felt weird down there all the same and the air was thick. So thick it hurt my lungs to breathe it in.

"A long time ago this used to be a mental hospital," she confessed to me as we passed by large wooden doors with symbols etched into them. I tried not to stare at the symbols for too long because it made me uncomfortable. "My mother and father sent me here when I was a girl."

"Why?" I asked even though I was fairly certain I had a good idea. She's insane.

"Oh, for something stupid." She bated the question away. "Cissa loved the gift."

The gift. Cissa. I remember that. "You killed her rabbit," I said when I realized that the dream I had where she had killed the bunny and gave the foot to my young grandmother had really happened.

"It was a gift," she said roughly like she had to repeat herself a million times until someone believed it. "No one understood that."

"I understand," I lied just so she would be nice to me. She stopped walking and looked over her shoulder as the lights flickered above us. She gave me a broken smile and I shrunk away from it.

"Of course you do," she said softly. "You and I will be alike soon. Although," she says seriously. "You are younger than I hoped."

I had no idea what that bloody meant, but she didn't answer when I asked. "Why do the doors have things etched into them?" I asked as we turned down a particularly dark and scary looking corridor. "And why is this even here? This seems odd for a hospital."

"You talk a lot," she had commented and my cheeks tinted pink.

"I can't help it," I added with a shrug even though I was starting to become frightened and scared of the situation.

"They did testing down here," she said like it was normal for hospitals to do testing. "They tested the patients with new potions and spells so no one would know. After that was outlawed, we started using it for our own gain. The Dark Lord had many great ideas and the Rookwood family owned this place during the first and second war. You couldn't even imagine some of the things and creatures that have been down here… or that are down here still."

She pulled me into one of the rooms that had a strange wooden door and she shut the door in my face when I turned around to face her. I tried the handle, but the door was locked and I swallowed hard. She had taken my wand even before I got a chance to grab it back at Molly's so I had no way of getting out. She left me alone with my trunk and I was confused. I turned around and crossed my arms because it was really chilly and goosebumps started to rise on my arms and neck. I took a tentative step forward and looked around. The room was bare with a metal slab at the center that looked similar to an operating table I had seen in passing at St. Mungo.'s. There were odd things written on the walls in black ink that I couldn't decipher no matter how hard I tried or how focused my eyes were. I edged around the room trying to figure out where I was, but nothing was helping. The floor was made up of tiny white tiles that were cracked and dirty and they lead my eyes to the drain that was in the middle of the room, right under the weird metal table.

That made me uneasy.

I tried the door a few more times and when I couldn't open it I went to my trunk and I pulled out that sword, carefully removing the pillowcase. I thought it would help. After all, it was the only weapon I had and I had seen what Bellatrix was capable of. I backed myself up against the furthest wall and waited with my legs shaking in my cherry red rain boots. When the door opened again, I had stupidly lifted the sword in defense like it would actually do much good to wield a weapon that weighed more than I did. The person who opened the door wasn't who I was expecting, though. It was Mom, wearing one of her airy pink sun dresses that I had always thought was pretty. She was barefoot and she smiled when she saw me. I let that sword clinker to the ground and I ran over to her, wrapping my arms around her middle with my head against her chest. I was more than glad that she had come to save me like she did when she dueled that Pansy woman on that odd beach.

"Mom," was all I could say as she held me closer to her.

She didn't smell the same, and that was odd. Mom always had a certain fragrance to her that was there from as long as I could remember. She smelled warm, if warm could smell like anything, and she smelled like fresh flowers in the spring time. It always reminded me of home to be near her no matter where we were. But she didn't smell like that when I held her to me. She didn't smell like _anything _and that made me frown_._

"Can we go home now?" I had asked after shaking off those odd thoughts about smells. She was here, that was all that mattered.

"Why do you want to go home?" she had asked against my hair and I furrowed my brows as I pulled back. I didn't know if I was having one of those odd dreams again so I shook my head to wake up until Mom put her hands on my face to still me. She could touch me. She felt real. I couldn't touch anything in the dreams. "Oh, poppet, don't be sad."

Poppet? Mom never called me that. "Beatrice Flint is Bellatrix Lestrange," I had blurted out. She needed to know because she didn't seem to be as concerned with our situation as I was. "Well... I mean, she killed Beatrice Flint a long _long_ time ago and she's been taking a polyjuice potion all this time and she brought me here." I said that all in one breath and I inhaled deeply when I was finished.

"She's family, Evelyn," Mom had said gently as she smiled and squeezed my hand. "And we always help out family."

I blinked a few times. It wasn't what I was expecting to hear from her lips and I shook my head again. "No, you don't understand. She's evil. She's killed people."

"She was only doing what needed to be done, darling. Don't fault her for that."

"But..." I was more than confused. I didn't understand why Mom was acting this way and she smiled at me again as she put my hair over my shoulders. "I don't understand."

"Of course you don't," she said gently. "Now, Bellatrix has made a lot of sacrifices and we must be kind to her."

"So, you knew that Beatrice was actually Bella this whole time?"

She nodded her head.

"I thought you said she was an evil woman," I had stated and Mom tightened her eyes before smiling again.

"I was joking. I think she is wonderful," she snapped at me like she was getting irritated and I frowned. "Now, Evelyn darling, we need to get you ready." she had said as she put her hand on my shoulder and started walking me towards the slab in the center of the room.

"Ready for what?" I asked uncertainly.

"You have a very important job right now, Evelyn," she said and her eyes looked strange, they didn't look right. They didn't shine like Mom's usually did. "You know that the Dark Lord is the most powerful wizard in all of history, right?" she had said and I gave her a look because those words would never pass my mother's lips. It reminded me of something Bella in the mirror would have said to me. "Of course you do," she said as she started undoing the back of my gray dress. Why was she undressing me? "Well, Bellatrix Lestrange was his most faithful servant."

"Mom, what are you doing?" I asked as her fingers worked down the buttons.

"After his resurrection, his new body left a lot to be desired. It was weak and half his power was lost due to his deformation. The Dark Lord was always a handsome man, and that used to work to his advantage, but he didn't come back that way."

"Mom?" I had questioned again as she tugged on the straps at my shoulders and let the dress pool at my feet leaving me in the black shirt and tights I had on underneath. Her touch didn't feel right either. It felt cold and demanding. I didn't like it so I grabbed my dress and took a step away from her.

"Being the great wizard that he was, he was able to develop a new potion and spell that would help him live again, in a more agreeable body."

"You're scaring me," I told her honestly as I put the dress back over my head and started buttoning it up in haste as I backed away from her.

"It's not scary," she had said with a simple smile. "It is a wonderful thing. Bella was able to develop a doppelganger spell," That sounded familiar and I felt sick. "But that was only a half live and the soul could only stay in the fake body for a few days before it withered away, but the Dark Lord, his plans were great."

"Mom..." was all I could get out and my back hit the wall.

"So great," she repeated with a creepy smile. "He found a way to attach himself to a body, not like the first time," she said and I had no idea what that meant. "Not like with Quirelle, that stupid stuttering fool, but something better. Where he could have full control of a body and own it like it was his very own."

"Why are you telling me this?"

"He taught Bellatrix these amazing things. He taught her his secrets on how to live forever as a reward for her wonderful service to him." I kind of felt like crying and I looked down. The sword was to the left of me. She was advancing on me and I flicked a worried glance at her before looking down at it again. "Body jumping, Evelyn, isn't it brilliant? Only a genius like the Dark Lord could think of such a thing and truly have it come to fruition."

"Yeah, sure." I didn't sound convincing, but she wasn't listening to me anyways.

"Potter messed up our plans," she had said and my eyes snapped to hers because she said ours instead of theirs. I furrowed my brows even deeper. "He was able to kill the resurrected Lord before we got a chance to prepare a body with the proper potions. He had destroyed so many parts of the Dark Lord's soul by that time that we needed a totally empty vessel, you see." She pulled two red vials from somewhere in her bra and I gulped. I knew those potions.

"Yeah?"

"Yeah," she repeated. "And we found the perfect replacement. The Malfoy children always have had such a sympathetic look in the public eye. Just imagine being the heir to all of that and owning the Malfoy vaults."

"Wait, what?" I asked when my attention snapped back to her at the mention of our last name.

"Your father was first chosen, you know. I,,, Bellatrix trained him herself to make sure he had all of the skills to be great when the Dark Lord took over, but Potter ruined that," She snapped. "So we set our sights on someone else."

"Who?" I asked. She no longer sounded anything like my Mother any more.

"I think you know who," she blinked a few times and then smiled. "Your brother, of course. It was perfect, Dr. Bailey had gone out on a limb and he would have been right had other circumstances not gotten in the way."

"Wait, so you're saying that you-know-who wanted to take... over my brother's body?" she nodded her head and I shook my head. "So, when he 'died' that was just to clear him out?" I didn't know you could just clear out a soul, to be honest.

"It was a great idea. Very innovative." She smiled again and I crinkled my nose. "You know, this body was originally set to be for Bella," she said as she backed up and put her hands on the skirt of the dress, swishing it back and forth like a young girl would. "It's too old now, but the Dark Lord thought it would have been kind of ironic to use it. They have a history you know, no matter how minor, and for some reason he thought she was pretty enough. It was disappointing when she had to go into Beatrice Flint and pretend to be something she wasn't but you would never imagine how much she learned. Being quiet and reserved has it's strong points. No one suspects you."

I knew that about her. I knew my Mom had a diary where a boy wrote back to her and eventually tried to kill her.

"Why not just use someone in a coma?" I had asked because that seemed logical.

"Because not many wizards are in coma's and we needed a magical body," she snapped like I was stupid, letting her hands drop from the skirt as she took another step closer. "And we needed someone whose brain was still functioning. Brain dead wouldn't have worked." She smiles. "Don't worry, though. We have found a way to fix it."

"Okay," I said even though I really didn't understand. "Then why am I here?"

"Bellatrix doesn't need a clean vessel and the Dark Lord had to go to a different destination when your brother didn't work out," she said with that demented smile again and I eyed the sword. "She only split her soul two times and they're still intact so she's strong enough to take over a body…. Especially when that body had taken her potions."

I gulped. "What potions?" I asked carefully even though I was pretty sure I knew the answer to that question. It was that disgusting red thing that tasted like peppermint and cinnamon and currently clutched in her pale fingers.

She put her hand up and pressed it against my forehead. I closed my eyes. Then there was a knock on the door and she turned her neck. "What is it?" she snapped and I took her distraction to grab the sword. I was convinced she wasn't my mother. I just knew it in my bones and, after the person on the other side of the door answered in a language I didn't know, she turned back to me with a smile on her face.

"It looks like your father is here. Oh goody..." When she looked back at me, she flicked her cold eyes to the sword I had gripped in my sweaty hands. "What do you think you're-"

I sank the sword right into her stomach with my eyes clenched tightly closed. It sounded disgusting and when I opened my eyes again after a lifetime of keeping them shut, my mother was staring at me with wide eyes. It twisted my insides. What if I was wrong? A little bit of blood dribbled from the corner of her mouth as she coughed.

"Why...?" she said with a labored voice as I grabbed the handle again and pulled it out before she fell to the ground.

She still looked like my mother as she clutched her open wound and I brought my hand up to my mouth, trying to hold in the vomit. I didn't know what I had done. I wasn't sure if that really was my Mom or not and I could feel my eyes stinging as I ran to the door and opened it. What if Mom had been under a curse and that was why she was acting strange? I held that bloody sword, dragging it behind me as it scrapped loudly against the cement floor until I found a lift shinning at the end of a hallway. I ran to it and I pressed the button so it would open for me. I needed to get out of here. I didn't care where. I felt wetness on my lips and I looked down at my dress, only to see more blood. My nose had started bleeding again but I ignored it as I waited. When the doors opened and I saw my Dad, I didn't know if he was real or not either.

"D-Daddy," was all I could manage to get out at first.

I just wanted to go home and curl up in bed. I wanted to wake up from this dream. I thought I was almost there when I was in the lift with Gavin, but that backfired, and now we're heading straight back down to that hell. Could Dad really take down twenty plus men who were all carrying wands?

Yeah, I didn't think so either.

The lift door dings and the doors pop open. I clench my eyes shut again, getting ready to be killed by a rain of curses coming from the hooded figures in black. But none come. I open my eyes as Gavin steps out into the hallway. I frown and wrap myself more in that invisibility cloak like it was a security blanket. There's no one there. The men and Dad are gone and I step out as well and look down. There's the sword I used to hurt Mom. I shake my head when I think about it and grab the back of my brother's shirt again so I'm sure this is real and solid.

"Where did every one go?" I ask as he turns around and presses a button on the lift. It doesn't work and all the lights shut off on the inside, bathing us in darkness with the flickering hallway lights.

I hate those stupid flickering lights.

"I have no idea, but I need to get you home," he says gently as he looks at me. I must look strange, just a floating head in the middle of the hallway, but he doesn't seem weirded out by it. "Come on," he says as he puts the hood up and tucks my hair behind my ears until they're hidden as well. I can't even begin to imagine how terrible my hair looks right now. "Follow me. Let's find a way out of here."

I hesitate a second and then I pick up the sword. I know I'm scared of it, but again, it's the only weapon that I have. I tuck it under the cloak and then I scurry to keep up with my older brother who is looking quite fierce and angry at the moment. I choose not to talk to him and he must feel the same because neither of us speak a word as we got barreling blinding down the dark, dimly lit hallways with the strange doors and the musty smells. On top of it all, I have a bad feeling about my father. Where did he go? There were so many men with their wands facing him down when we the lift started moving up. Did they get him and bring him somewhere? Was he okay?

"We've been expecting you, Gavin." We both stop in our tracks at that voice and we spin around. Coming up behind us is a tall man with a goatee and dark hair peppered with gray. He smiles at my brother and Gavin takes a step forward, nearly stepping on my foot.

"Get behind me," he whispers quietly and I follow his order to get out from in-between the two of them. "Theo," he greets with his eyebrows raised as the man named Theo takes out his wand and rolls it gently between his fingers. "This is a lovely place you've got."

"Did you bring the dress?" Theo doesn't bother feel the need to snark back at my brother. He gets right to business. "We've been waiting all day for you."

Dress? That's odd. I wonder if it was Bella's dress that I had. That's the only important dress I could think of. "I didn't bring it," Gavin answers and Theo shakes his head in annoyance. "In fact, it's destroyed."

"What?" Theo snaps in a deadly calm voice. He wasn't pleased by that. Not pleased at all.

"Pansy is dead too, if you cared to know," he adds and I furrow my brows as Theo cracks his neck.

Who's Pansy again? That name kind of sounds familiar.

"I'm not happy with that," Theo says darkly. "I am not happy at all."

"Ask me if I care." My brother's jerky attitude comes out as he tilts his chin up and squares his shoulder. I look down at his hand. His knuckles are white around the wand he's holding.

"But do you care about your new baby, I wonder," Theo asks casually as he takes a step closer to my big brother. "We have people everywhere, Malfoy," he says, changing it up to his surname in an attempt to distance himself. "Always watching and always waiting to strike. So, please refrain from pissing me off. If I were you I would definitely fucking care."

"I don't," my brother says simply and like lightening he lifts his wand and blasts a curse at Theo's chest. I gasp and cover my mouth as he goes flying down the hallway and lands with a sick thud on the floor.

"What did you do?" I whisper as Gavin tightens his jaw. "Did you kill him?"

Gavin turns around. "Where are you?" he asks as he holds out his hand. I place mine in his and he pulls me towards one of those weird wooden doors. "He's not dead yet," he says as he opens the door and turns on the lights. Inside is a strange white room with white metal beds lined up against the walls. They're covered in dingy white sheets and hanging lamps with silver shades hang from the high ceilings. It reminds me of the infirmary at Hogwarts. "Stay in here," is all he says before shutting the door. I place my ear against it as soon as it closes to hear what's happening on the other side.

"Get up," I hear my Gavin say hatefully. Very hatefully. He sounds like Dad on one of his bad days. "I've got a score to settle with you."

The Theo man grunts. I hear an odd noise behind me and I turn around quickly, letting the hood fall back as I glance around me. It looks like there are things under the sheets and I frown as I try to make out what's outlined underneath the covers. Nothing happens so I shake it off and turn my head back to the door. What's happening on the other side of this door is much more interesting than what is happening in here. I press my ear against the door once more and put my hands flat against the wood.

"You think that hurts me?" I hear Theo say with a laugh in his voice. Even though he sounds winded and strained. "You have no idea what pain is, boy, but I'm going to make sure you find out." Something happens and he groans.

I hear another odd sound, like a groan coming from behind me, so I turn around quickly again. Nothing happens. I pause a moment and wait for something to happen, but when nothing does, I face the door again to listen to my brother.

"I'm going to kill your girlfriend for that one, Malfoy," I hear Theo say in pained voice. "You just wait."

"I would like to see you try," Gavin says cruelly.

Another noise happens. This time it sounds like bed springs creaking and I spin around so I can _see_ it happen. There's nothing and I frown before walking further into the room to investigate. The cots are strange and the closer that I get I realize that it looks like there are people lying under the sheets. It gives me a very uncomfortable feeling and my brain is telling me to run away, but I'm just too curious now. When I reach one of the cots, I put my hand out to pull one of the sheets back, but the door opens and I jump. I turn around quickly to face my brother as he steps inside and closes the door behind him. He has a bloodied lip and his eyes look darker than usual.

"Are you okay?" I ask as I walk towards him, forgetting about the lump under the sheet as he touches the corner of his mouth and winces.

"I'm fantastic," he says even though he sounds anything but fantastic.

"Is that guy..." I trail off as I look at the door. "Is that guy still..."

"You don't have to worry about it," he says flatly and I shiver.

"Oh..." I feel uneasy and the lights flicker again, like it knew I was feeling uncomfortable with the room and decided to capitalize on my emotions. We both look up at the ceiling at the hanging lamps. It happens again before they hiss and turn off all the way, leaving us in total darkness. I can't even see anything outlined in front of me. "Turn on the lights." I whisper because I hate being in the dark in this room. It feels unsafe. I feel in front of me, hoping to hold onto something. "Gavin, turn on the light!"

"Hold on a second," he replies irritably. "I have Cass' wand... it doesn't work well for me," he answers and then I feel him grab my hand. I'm thankful for the contact and I squeeze his hand back. "There has to be another light switch or something in here. If I can find it I can magic it back on." I hear him say.

He starts gripping my hand tighter and it hurts so I wiggle my fingers so he'll stop. He doesn't, he just keeps on crushing my fingers together and I frown.

"Gavin, stop holding my hand so tight," I whisper as the blackness covers my eyes. "It hurts."

There's a long pause before my brother answers. "Evelyn," he says carefully, like he wanted to be gentle so he wouldn't upset me. "Don't panic."

"What?" I snap back. He's going to break my fingers if he doesn't let up. "What are you talking about?" Can he not figure out how to turn the lights back on or something? "Stop holding my hand so tight," I scold again. "It really hurts."

"Evelyn," he repeats worriedly. "I'm not holding your hand."

What?

The lights from the lamps above turn on again and I see him standing on the other side of the room by the door. My heart freezes in my chest as he looks at the thing beside me with his eyes wide and frightened. Gavin is frightened, that's not a good sign. I slowly turn my head to see what's holding my hand in a death grip and I actually scream out loud at the sight. It looks like a dead man, with a bluish pale skin and rotted flesh. There are open red sores covering its body and its teeth are nearly black…. And it's holding my hand!

"Help me!" I scream loudly as the thing turns slowly and looks down at me. Black eyes. I scream out loud once more. "Gavin! Get it away from me!"

"Okay," he says, like was trying to work out in his head what he needed to do.

He lifts his wand and curses the thing beside me. The arm gets torn off and congealed blood mists across my face. Oh, disgusting! It finally lets go of me as the arm falls to the ground with a sick thump against the floor. I stand in horror at what just happened, but the thing doesn't die. It snaps its head to Gavin and makes a growling sound before stalking towards my brother.

"We need to run!" I yell as I turn around and see all the occupants of the other beds are sitting up and the sheets fall down to revel the sickly looking creatures. How can Inferi be in this room? I thought they were only in books and plays! Not in real life! "Gavin!" I scream as they all get up and start walking towards us. Gavin is too busy trying to curse the one armed zombie to care about me and I start backing up with that sword gripped in my hands. "Open the door, Gavin!"

"Give me that sword," Gavin snaps as he blasts another curse at the inferi . He takes advantage of the distraction to run over to me. I feel like I may have a panic attack as the things get closer and closer to me and I imagine if I get out of this it's going to be hard to ever have a good night's sleep ever again. He pulls the sword out of my hand and pushes me further behind him. "I'm sick of running," he says gently. "Things just end up chasing you if you run from them."

"They don't run," I state from over his shoulder as they approach, looking like sick imitation puppets on strings. "They just walk really _really_ fast."

Gavin puts his hand behind his back to push me again, shielding me more.

"Close your eyes."

"Why do you want me to—Oh!" When he cuts off the head of the one armed zombie, I shut my mouth and cover my eyes with my hands. I slide down the wall into the sitting position with my knees drawn up to my chest because I don't want to see this and I trust my older brother to make this okay.

He has to make this okay.

I hear him breathing heavily and moving around. I hear thumps and slams and skids of metal furniture against the wooden floor. I hear Gavin cuss and say hateful things with labored breaths as his footsteps move him across the room until there is only silence. It feels like forever I've been sitting here, but I will not open my eyes. I refuse. If I can't see them, they can't see me. That's my new philosophy.

"Evelyn," he whispers after a few moments. I clench my eyes tighter when I feel hands on my wrists. "It's okay. You can open your eyes now."

I blink a few times before focusing on him. There's a fire in his eyes that I've never seen before and I glance over his shoulder at the stack of dead inferi all missing their heads. "They won't come back, right?" I ask as I try to keep myself from throwing up. That's an all too common occurrence today. He takes his sleeve and pulls it over his hand so he can run it over my face. I imagine he's getting rid of the dead blood that's thick and almost black and all over my skin. I need to take a long soapy shower after this.

"I hope not," he says. "How did you get a bloody nose?" he asks as he runs his sleeve over my lips and chin. "Did someone hit you?" I shake my head and refuse to elaborate further, so he takes my hand and pulls me up. He's still holding onto the bloody sword I used to hurt Mom. That's getting a lot of use today. "Let's get out of here," he says as he pushes his sleeves up to his elbows and opens the door to the dark hallway. "We need to find a stairway or something. Do you know your way around here?" he asks and I shake my head vigorously. He takes my hand and starts pulling me down the hallway.

"I don't know anything," I say honestly.

"You've seen Mom?" he says and I nod my head. "When you sad you hurt Mom..." he trails off. "What did you mean by that?"

"I don't know," I state seriously as my lower lip trembles at the memory. "I'm confused."

"Don't worry," he says gently. "I'll get you out of here in one piece."

"That's reassuring." I enjoy having all of my pieces.

We turn down another hallway and Gavin lifts our brother's wand at a hooded death eater who does the same. All of us come to a dead halt as the person on the other side of the hallway slowly lowers their wand. Gavin tilts his head to the side from the movement as the Death Eater pulls their hood down to reveal a face. It's a girl, a pretty girl with chestnut hair and green eyes.

"Gavin?" She says with a tilt of her eyebrows.

My brother's expression doesn't change, he just stares unblinkingly back. His wand is still pointed at her chest. "Give me a reason why I shouldn't kill you."

She tightens her jaw and puts her hands up in surrender. "I'm helping. That's a good enough reason."

"Not good enough for me," he says seriously.

"Check my back pocket," she says and he furrows his brows. "Here," she says as she holds out her wand and gently places it on the ground with my brother's keen eyes on her. She kicks it to him and I pick it up. "Now..." she goes to reach into the back pocket of her jeans but Gavin stops her.

"I'll do it," he says as he walks over to her, his wand still ready as he keeps his eyes on her as he puts the sword under his arm. "I've had one too many surprises to just let you put your hands down," he says as he reaches behind her and pulls out a leather wallet looking thing from her back pocket. "What is this?" he asks as he backs up to me again as he eyes the brown leather wallet.

"Open it," she says and he sends her a suspicious look before flipping it open with one hand. "That's my Auror ID," she says and I blink a few times as I crane my neck to see it. I've never seen an Auror ID before so I wouldn't know what to compare it to. It had a picture of this girl, with her name in gold letters, and the backdrop was a dark plum color. Her name's Daniella and I look back to her trying to remember if I know her or not. "There's going to be a raid here within the next five hours," she says seriously.

"Within the next five hours?" Gavin states flatly. "Do you realize how much could happen in the next five hours?"

"Listen," she says as she sends a sideways glance to me. I realize my hood is still down and I'm just a floating head because of Gavin's cloak, but I don't care right now. "You've got to get out of here." She flicks a glance at me again. "How did she get here?"

Gavin gives me a look as well. "How _did_ you get here, Evelyn?" he asks softly, not once wavering his wand hand so it's still pointed at the other girl.

"Beatrice Potter brought me," I tell him seriously, not wanting to go into details on who she was and what she had done just at the moment.

"Gavin, you have to let me through. There are things upstairs that I have to get out of here before they use them.

"The necklace and earring thing?" he asks and she nods her head. He pockets her ID and she looks confused.

"I also know where your mother is," she says as she pulls a necklace out from under her shirt to reveal a gold key. "I need to let her out."

"You know where my mother is?" Gavin says, his interest peaked. "Where is she?"

"You need to get out of here," she repeats.

The lights turn off yet again and it makes my heart race because I hate the darkness and what it brings. I listen to myself breathing heavily for a few seconds and then suddenly a loud blaring alarm sounds. Red lights from the ceilings start flashing, blinking on and off, making everything red one moment and totally black the next. "What is that?" I yell over the noise as I cover my ears.

Water starts to blast from the ceiling, floor, and walls, drenching us all.

At least I have my rain boots on.

It's always good to stay optimistic.

"The fire alarm!" That Daniella woman calls over the loud alarm. "Gavin, get her out of here," she says as she spits out water from her mouth. "The stairs are down this hallway and to the right. Get out and run like hell!" she calls.

"Are you lying to me?" Gavin asks seriously, like he really wasn't sure of the answer. "Don't fucking lie to me, Dani." He says as he wipes his hair away from his face. The water makes his already thick hair even heavier and it falls into his eyes.

Someone's hand slides over my mouth and I widen my eyes as I struggle to get away. I try to scream, but I can't as I get pulled back. Gavin and Daniella are too busy fighting with each other to notice and I kick my legs and wiggle my arms as I try to get away. The cloak falls off and lands on the ground, officially making me visible. I bite the hand and pull it down as the man behind me cusses and throws me over his shoulder.

"Gavin! Gavin!" I scream and both their heads snap to mine as I try to get away from the person holding me tight and running away with me.

Everything is bathed in red light, and then it turns pitch back. Red and then black. I see Gavin's panicked face and then nothing at all as the alarm makes my ears ring. Water gets in my eyes and I hold out my hands towards my brother as the red alarm lights flashes and makes everything look demented. I wish I wasn't so skinny so I could make this hard. "Gavin, help me!" The man holding me runs further down another hallway and I start scratching and hitting at his back. "Let me go! Let me go! Let me go, you brute! You're hurting me!"

"Evelyn!" my brother yells as he takes off after me, but I get pulled into a room and the door gets slammed shut before he can save me.

_**Lavinia **_

I screamed.

I didn't expect Byron to lift his wand and perform an Unforgivable. Granted, he was doing a lot of things that I never thought he'd do today, but seeing him put the cruciatus curse on Conrad really sealed the deal for me. I was afraid of him, and a part of me hated him for making me believe he was something different.

"Stop it!" I yell as Conrad convulses on the floor, making terrible painful noises that make my eyes water. "You're hurting him. Stop it, Byron!"

"Why should I?" he asks calmly as the light from his wand illuminates his face in a sick red light. "Nothing stopped him."

I don't know what that means, but I'm not in the mood to find out. "What is wrong with you?" I snap as I lift my wand and shoot a curse at his arm to make him stop. His wand flies out of his hand clatters against the wall as he hisses in pain. Serves him right.

I keep my eyes on him as he lifts his sleeve to see the damage done with my curse. I pick up his wand and put it in the pocket of my dress right along with my mood manipulator that stopped working right when Byron decided to freaking torture someone. I edge closer to Conrad as I glare at him.

"Lavinia, why are you looking at me like that?" he asks worriedly as I bend to my knees to see if Conrad is okay. He's still breathing, but he's unconscious.

"Just go away!" I yell at him because I can't think of anything else to say and when he takes a step closer to me, I raise my wand and point it right at his chest. "Get away from me," I say with venom in my voice and it must sting because he takes a few steps back and blinks a few times in rapid succession.

"What's going on with you?" he asks carefully as I put my hand on Conrad's head. He's heating up, of course. His body is in shock. "Did he make you drink a potion again? Did he curse you?"

"No one did anything to me but you, Byron Flint," I hiss as I remember the pain on my face from earlier, when he hit me.

I can't believe he actually hit me.

"What are you talking about?" he asks and I narrow my eyes at Conrad's chest.

"Just get away from me. You used an Unforgivable… that's unforgivable!"

"I'm not going to leave you here with him."

"I don't want you here," I tell him as I stand up and face him with my hands on my hips. It was an angry pose that I couldn't help but contort my body into it. "I hate you too," I tell him scornfully because it had hurt so badly when he said it to me earlier and I wanted him to be in pain. He blinks a few times, like it was taking a moment for him to process my words, and then he shakes his head like he was sure he possibly couldn't have heard me right.

"You don't mean that."

"Yes, I do. You're pointless, Byron, and I hate you." I look him up and down in a cruel way so he knows what I'm doing. I notice the Death eater outfit and the mask he put on the ground. "Why are you here anyways? With Eva I suppose."

"No, that's not why I'm here," he stats softly, like his feelings were badly hurt and I'm glad for it. "So that's it, then? You want to be Lavinia Foxworth, having sex potions slipped into your drink every night?" he snaps because he was getting angry and my eyes flamed.

"It's better than being Lavinia Flint!" I yell back. I really didn't mean that. Neither was a good option right now but I just wanted to keep hurting him.

"Don't say that. I just came here to help you."

He didn't say anything else and that pissed me off so I shook my head. "Liar." I didn't know if he was lying or not but I was too upset that he hit me to care. "I bet you are here with Eva. She isn't as fat as I am," I repeat his harsh words from before and his eyebrows shot up.

"What are you talking about?"

"That's what you think, isn't it?" I snap and he takes another step closer and shakes his head. I raise my wand at his chest again. I don't want him any closer. He's a woman beating criminal.

"I don't know what this is about," he replies. "I don't know what this is. I never said that, or thought that. You know that I love your body." he turns his head to the side. "Why are you looking at me that way? Please_, tell_ me. I honestly don't know why it is. I've been locked up here since last night, Lavinia. Whatever you think I did... I don't think I did it. I shouldn't' have used that curse on him, you were right," he says, talking fast and desperately as he looks at Conrad. "I was just so mad," he whispers and I narrow my eyes.

"If you've been locked up, how did you get out?" I ask suspiciously. I hate it when people lie to me and I couldn't figure out if that was what he was doing. A part of me, a small desperate part of me that loved him more than anything, wanted to jump up and accept those words right away, but I needed to be careful. I didn't want to end up like my Mom and just accept the situation until I couldn't remember why I was angry in the first place.

"My uncle had taken my clothes," he says softly, like wasn't sure if I would believe him or not. "When he came to return them, I overpowered him and got out. I helped your brother get out too."

"Cassius." It wasn't a question but he nods anyways and I let my wand slowly go down.

"I swear to you, Lavinia. I am not lying," he says as he places his hand on his chest.

I stare into his eyes for a few moments. He looks so sincere and this is the Byron that I know... it wasn't the dead eyes of the Byron that attacked me in the alley. I hear footsteps coming down the hallway and my neck snaps towards the noise. I can only imagine that it's more of those stupid death eaters that have been crawling around here. They've been reporting back to Conrad on finding 'him'. I don't know who they're talking about, but I know that's them. They were going to come here and see Conrad on the floor and then they would see Byron...

"Help me," I tell him as I open the door to that weird potions room I had been in before to heal Conrad's neck. I grab Conrad's limp wrists and start to pull him into the room. "Grab his legs," I order as I start to drag him.

We hefted him onto the bed once inside and I made Byron hide underneath it because I wasn't about to let those men kill him. There was just one medical bed in the center of the room and shelves lined every wall which were full of dusty bottled potions and off looking medical instruments. There weren't many other options for good hiding places and I told him so when he gave me a sour face and tried to resist me as I pushed him under. Two seconds later a group of men stormed into the room and I felt my heart jump.

"We know an unforgivable happened in this hallway," one of the men says as he takes off his mask. I send a worried look to the passed out Conrad on the bed before turning back to the men.

"Yes?" I say and it sounded weird on my tongue but I pushed myself to keep going. I couldn't be shy and withdrawn right now. I had to take control and get them away from here. "What about it?" They look at Conrad too, so I step in front of him and try to look annoyed. "He cursed Byron Flint. Flint ran away and now he's tired because the potion I gave him to heal his neck made him really drowsy. If you try to wake him up, the potion will fail and then he'll die because his neck will start bleeding again and he has already lost so much blood!" I can't believe my voice has gotten so loud around these scary men I don't know how I did it and I can feel my cheeks heat up, but I keep pushing myself. "The fact that you lot are even in here is harming his health. So go do something more important, like catching Byron Flint, now would you!" I walk them back until all are in the hallway. "He's not going to be pleased with you!" I yell before I slam the door.

I lock it.

When I turn around again, Byron is standing by the bed staring at me with those cool blue eyes of his. "I didn't have to hide," he says and I roll my eyes. "I could have taken them."

"Of course." I state with a flat voice, not impressed by that stupid Gryffindor bravery at all. Sometimes it's better to lie than to be noble all the damn time. "Nothing works better against a hoard of armed murderers than male pride."

We were quiet for a few moments because I didn't know what to say to him. The Byron that hit me seemed different and strange... Byron did say that his uncle had taken his clothes and he _feels_ like Byron now as opposed to before. What if it was his uncle that hit me?

"Byron?" I ask my voice soft as I look down at his chest. I don't know why it was harder for me to face him when I wasn't sure if he had done it or not. "Does your uncle wear a ring?"I ask as I bring a hand up to my cheek where the cut had been.

"I don't know," he says seriously. "Why?"

"Byron, you came to me earlier today," I tell him seriously so he knows. Just in case it wasn't him. I want that so badly. "You came to my dorm and you hit me really hard in the face." His eyebrows furrow. "It hurt really badly and you told me that you hated me and that you wanted to be with Eva." In so many words, of course. "I believed you."

"Why would you believe that?" he says as he walks around the bed to get closer to me. "I love you. I would never do anything like that to you."

"I thought you might have been drinking," I tell him as I look at him from the corner of my eyes. We both know what he turns into when he gets drunk.

"It wasn't me," he says with a head shake and when he's close enough, he touches my back. "I would never do that."

I stare at him for a few quiet moments. His eyes looked earnest enough and my eyes flutter shut when he bends down and places a soft kiss against my cheek, healing the spot better with that than anything Conrad could do with his potions or wand. I believe him and I told him so right away. I felt his body relax.

"Right," I say after a few quiet moments. I look back at Conrad's unconscious form on the bed. I lick my dry lips nervously. "How could you use that curse?" I finally ask as I send a look up to Bryon.

"What?"

"That curse," I say nodding to Conrad. "How could you use it?" He doesn't say anything and I shake my head. "You shouldn't have. I don't want to be with someone who can do that curse."

"You don't think he deserved it?" He asks with a tight voice, like he was trying to hold himself back from saying other things.

"I don't think anyone deserves that," I say honestly as I remember the way he screamed. "It's an unforgivable for a reason."

Byron stares at me for a few moments. "You're right," he says as he turns away and runs a hand through his black hair. I suspect he doesn't actually think I'm right. "I just hate him," he spits out as he looks down at him. "I'm angry," he states and I believe it. "And he's used the curse on me before. He needed to know how it felt."

I turn away and nod my head, accepting his answer.

"What do we do with him?" I ask and Byron sighs. He's standing so close to me that it ruffles my hair.

"Leave him, I guess." I bite my lip as Byron's hand runs up and down my back. "Can I ask you something?" He says softly and I nod my head. "Why are you here?"

"I came here with my brother," I say seriously and Byron tilts his perfect lips down. "Gavin," I specify. "He knew that Cassius and my Mom were here. I saw Conrad," I say as I flick a glance to the unconscious man on the bed. "I thought he would help me find them."

"He's not going to do anything for you," he says flatly and I shiver because of the coldness in his voice. "Let's get out of here. I'm going to take you home."

"Wait... what about my brothers and my mom?" I ask as I pocket my wand. I remembered that I placed Byron's in my dress pocket as well but I dismissed it, figuring I'd give it to him later.

"Daniella is helping Cassius... I think they'll be fine."

"No, we need to help."

"Lavinia," he snaps as he runs a hand through his messy hair. "I can't think straight if I know you're here. I need to get you some where safe."

"I'm not a damsel in distress," I tell him hatefully. "Just because I'm a woman doesn't mean you need to look after me like I was a little girl who didn't know anything." Being around Conrad makes me very defensive about my gender apparently.

"I know," he says as he brings hand up to his temple like I was making his head hurt. "I know, but I just want you safe. Not because you're a woman," he says slowly like I was stupid. "But because I just would feel better if the woman I loved wasn't under threat of being killed."

I stare at him long and hard. There is still a seed of doubt in my head. I can't help it. "Do you really fantasize about raping me?"

"Lavinia." He snaps like I had said something offensive. "What are you talking about?"

I think about what Conrad had told me…. about Byron wanting to tie me up and cut me… about him wanting to kill someone. Why am I letting that get to me? I guess the whole thing in the alley made me wake up a bit and even if it wasn't my Byron… I still see him in a different light. The curse, what he does when he's drunk, and the whole rape fantasy aren't exactly making him very lovable.

"When you think about me," I start softly. "Do you think about forcing yourself on me?"

"Where is this coming from?"

"Just answer the question. Is that your fantasy? To tie me up and cut me with a knife?"

"A knife?" he says in disgust. "That's not my fantasy," he says harshly. "That's his." He points to Conrad and I follow his finger until it's resting on the man on the bed. I must look confused, because Byron starts talking again. "He showed it to me the _second_ time he put the cruciatus curse on me." He makes a sneering face and I turn away from Conrad again. "God," he snaps as he runs more angry fingers through his hair like he was stressed. It's standing up every which way from it. "You need to start trusting me Lavinia," he says heatedly as he lets his hands drop. "This is never going to work if you don't start trusting me. You know me better than anyone. It's never my intention to hurt you or cause you pain. You have to start believing that."

I feel tears stinging in my eyes because I feel stupid and he lets that hateful look on his face fall and he shakes his head. "No," he says as he takes a step closer to me. "No, don't cry."

"I'm okay," I tell him as I put my hand up so he won't come any closer as I run my fingers under my eyes to get rid of the tears that are starting to fall. "You're right. I'm sorry." I cover my eyes with my hand. "It's just… someone is always lying to me. I never know what to believe."

All pretenses gone, I feel very alone right now and Byron takes another step closer. He holds out his hand. "Come here—"

Before his fingers brush mine, a jet of green light streams from behind me and it hits Byron right in the chest.

That's the sickening green light of a killing curse.

My eyes widen as he gets blasted backwards and I blink a few times with a dry throat before snapping my neck to the source. Conrad is sitting up from the bed with a fierce look on his face and Byron's wand in his hand. I look down at my pocket. He snatched it from me. "What have you done?" I whisper because I can't even process this. Byron's body slumps to the floor and I blink a few times before running towards him.

"He cruicio'd me. What did you expect?" Conrad says haughtily as he studies Byron's black wand. I stare at Byron for a few moments before bending down. It was a green light... he couldn't have just… he didn't just do that.

"Did you kill him?" I ask with a shaky voice. His eyes are closed and I can't bring myself to touch him. I don't want that to be a reality and I'm a coward.

"You sound surprised," Conrad says with a thick voice as he dusts something off of his shirt. "Do you have any idea how badly it hurts to be crucio'd. I could feel the madness coming. He wouldn't have stopped if you hadn't been here," he says dismissively. I bring my hands up to my mouth and blink back a few more tears. This honestly can't be happening.

"He could have killed you," I say seriously. Through my hands it sounds muffled but I hope he can hear how hateful I sound "He could have, but he didn't."

"Only because you stopped him," he says, but I'm not looking at him. I bring a shy hand out to touch Byron's arm. I was expecting him to feel different, but he still felt warm. I shake my head. "You didn't get a chance to stop me. He wanted to kill me, Lavinia," he says smugly. "You don't have to read his mind to know that."

"Oh, my god," I say as the weight of his action sinks into me. "No. No. No. No. Take it back." I snap as I grab Byron's face and try to tilt his chin up. It's like dead weight in my heads and I let painful tears slip from my eyes. "No. Wake up. Take it back!"

"You can't take that back," Conrad says flatly and I look over my shoulder, glaring at him so harshly that I hope it cuts his soul.

"Fix this," I tell him harshly and he just stares at me with cold green eyes. I stand up and face him with my hands clenched into fists. "You fix this and make him better!"

"I can't, Lavinia, stop being silly." Silly! "He's dead. Get over it. Why do you care?" he asks and I bring another hand up to my forehead because it hurts. "He hit you, remember?"

"He didn't hit me," I hiss as I try to look at everywhere but where Byron is laying. "That was a lie. Someone took on his appearance and did it." I feel my lower lip tremble. "How could you do this! I love him!" I scream and Conrad lifts an eyebrow like my outburst was unexpected and entirely not welcome. I hate the calm way he's looking at me. He should be as upset as I am. He just... I can't even think the words.

"Do you want to see what was in his pocket?" he asks as he reaches into his healer pants and pull out something small and silver. "Oden found it, of course," he says as he tilts his hand to show me a simple silver ring with etchings around the band. "Do you know what this is?"

I don't answer. I just shake my head and cover my face with both hands, trying not to break down.

"It's a wedding band," he says. I don't uncover my face. "A very old fashioned one. Antique really. Byron found it when he was in Rome, helping your brother out on a dig two years ago," he says and I shake my head again because I can't freaking talk. "Do you know what he was going to do with this?"

"No…" I say weakly. I don't know what I'm saying no to. I uncover my eyes and look at Byron.

Still dead.

"Can you believe he was actually going to ask you to marry him with this thing," he says and my eyes finally focus and snap to him. "This belonged to some long dead woman and he was just going to give it to you as a sign of love." He makes a disbelieving noise. "He is seriously messed up. There aren't even any diamonds on this. You're one of the richest girls in the country, diamonds are a must."

I continue to stare at him.

He smiles.

He throws the ring in the air and catches it in his palm as he stands from the bed. "I would never even think to give you a hand me down wedding ring I found in the dirt," he says with a cruel laugh. "Jeez, he was really something, wasn't he?" Is he intentionally trying to hurt me right now? Because that's what it feels like. "No, I'm not trying to hurt you," he says and I'm even surprised that he did anymore. He doesn't respect people's personal boundaries. "I'm just trying to make you see why it would have never worked."

He looks at the ring again. So do I.

"He kept this long before you two were together," he says conversationally like he didn't just kill the only man I had ever loved. "When he still wrote about _Selene__,_" He says and I remember his journal. Where is his journal now? "That wasn't very clever, was it? He was just afraid your brother was going to pick up that old book of his and see how hard he got thinking about his best friend's little sister."

"Shut up." I whisper. It doesn't sound too convincing.

"He's been carrying this around for months now," he says as he holds it up to the light. "Wouldn't you have been disappointed if he asked you to marry him using this little bit of tin."

"Shut up."

"I'm not finished talking," he says flatly, staring right at me as I stand up.

"Shut up." I repeat as I grab a potion bottle off one of the shelves and throw it at him.

He dodges it.

I pick up another and throw it, and another and another and another and another and another and another and another until the room is full of sparks from the mixing potions and Conrad finally changes his appearance to one of more urgency.

"Stop it," he snaps as I pick up more and throw them until a small fire starts after a red potion bottle lands on the bed in the middle of the room. "You're going to burn the whole place down."

"I don't care," I say flatly as tears flow down my face and I keep on throwing more and more potions into the fire until it cracks and hisses and grows into something frightening. Conrad points Byron's stolen wand at me but I don't care.

"Stop it!" he snaps again. When I don't obey, he makes a frustrated noise and runs over to me, grabbing my wrist as the smoke clouds the room. "Stop feeding it. That's fiend fire and there's no bloody way to put it out."

"You killed him," I say again and I snap my hand back when he tries to pull me out of the room.

"Come on," he says hatefully. "You're going to die from the smoke before the flames even get to you."

"I don't care!" I yell as yank myself away from him. His grip is painful and he's not letting up. He is stronger than me and he starts dragging me towards the door against my will. "I'd rather die than be with you, you murderer!"

"Shut the fuck up and stop being so bloody dramatic," he snaps hatefully as he opens the door. Smoke comes billowing out with us and I look at Byron's body on the floor beside us. I won't leave him in here to get eaten by the fire.

"Let me go!"

"Shut your fucking mouth," he gives me another variation on being quiet, but I refuse. I hate him more than I hate anything in the world and as he's dragging me out I pull out my forgotten wand and point it at his chest. He pauses a second as I stare at him with deadly eyes.

"Let go of my arm," I tell him in a deadly whisper as the heat burns my back. "Or I will kill you."

He smirks. "You don't have it in you."

"I do right now."

I mean it. I really do.

The fire is getting closer and he looks at it one more time before sending me a hateful look. "If you survive this," he snaps as he lets go of my arm. "I'm going to make your life a living hell."

"You already have," I tell him as he spins on his heels to run down the hallway.

I look towards Byron's body once more. I can't leave him in here. I'm starting to sweat from the fire that's starting to climb its way up the far wall and I grab Byron's arm's to pull him out of the room. He's really heavy and I'm crying, so it's taking all my energy to keep moving. When I finally get to where the air is sufficiently cooler, I slump against the wall and pull his head to my lap. I can't carry him anymore and I don't have the energy to do any magic. I resign myself to my fate as I stare at the flames flicking their way around the room, ready to reach the hallway. I run my fingers through Byron's hair, noticing a streak of white at his right temple. The curse literally took the color out of some of his hair. I close my eyes as the potion bottles inside burst and turn the fire different colors of purples, gold's, and greens. It's almost like a fireworks display. A fireworks display that's going to kill me, that is.

I take a deep breath and keep my eyes shut as the hallway lights go out and a red light starts flashing. A loud alarm starts wailing as water starts pouring from the ceiling, floor, and walls, soaking me and everything around me, but failing to kill the cursed fire. I lean my head against the wall behind me as I put my hand on Byron's chest. I hope my family gets out before the fiend fire eats up this whole building. I look down at Byron as the fire alarm starts blaring louder and the hallway flashes red. He does look like he's sleeping and I bend down and kiss his forehead as I wipe wet hair away from his handsome face. He really is too handsome for his own good.

I sigh and look around the hallway again, there's a little flash of silver that catches the red light every time it flashes and I tilt my head. It's that ring that Conrad had. He must have dropped it in his haste to leave the room. By the way, that was really sweet how quickly he left me, wasn't it? A real gentleman, that Conrad. I shake my head because I do not want to think about that guy right before I die, so I reach my right arm out and lean down until I reach it.

I pull back up into the sitting position and study the ring every time the red light comes back. It is a simple little ring, Conrad was right about that, but I think it's perfect. I slip it on my ring finger and hold out my hand as the smoke starts to envelope the ceiling. It fits perfectly. I put my left hand back against Byron's chest and I look at the ring as the alarm gets even louder. I wince and look up at the red flashing lights. Maybe I can muster enough magic to kill those things because it really is hurting my ears. Suddenly, I feel something against my left hand and I furrow my eyebrows as I look down at his chest once more. Did I just feel something? I unbutton the first few buttons of his shirt as the fire reaches the hallway and I put my hand on the bare skin of his chest.

"Holy fuck, that's a heartbeat." I state out loud even though no one can hear me and I jump up with my wand in my hand.

Maybe it wasn't his heart beat, he might have just breathed in deeply, but he did move. Now that I'm not so fuddled and depressed, I've been snapped into action and I try to think of a million different things to do to get us out of this situation. A clean air spell only works for a couple of minutes before dying out, but I put one around me and Byron anyways. My lungs feel a million times better and I didn't even realize how much smoke I was breathing in.

"Okay," I say with new hope as I point my wand at Byron's chest so I can lift him and get the H out of here. Another burst comes from the room from the bursting potion bottles. It makes the fire bright pink and it makes the walls vibrate. I can't find anything to hold on to, so I stumble, and my wand falls out of my hand. I watch as it rolls towards the flames. "No!" I yell as the flames eat it up. I love my wand!

"Fuck it," I say, cussing more in this little span of time than I have in my whole life.

I grab Byron arms again and start dragging him down the hallway, hoping that our fresh air spell holds a little bit longer than normal because the smoke is everywhere now. I keep on dropping him, which probably isn't good in his current situation, so I lean down and wrap my arms around his upper chest so I can have more leverage. The smoke is so thick I can barely see in front of me and the fact that I'm walking backwards isn't helping anything.

"How are you so heavy?" I ask him as I drag his dead weight down the hallway. "You're so bloody thin."

I didn't know I had this much strength and I can feel my muscles groaning in protest as I do the type of physical labor that I have never done in my life. I keep on going, though, determined to live as we go deeper into the weird labyrinth of the building. I can hear neo death eaters calling to each other over the sound of cracking wood and burning furniture.

"That's fiend fire!" I hear one man shout as I continue to pull Byron along.

"We have to stop it before it destroys everything!"

"Why is it pink!"

The sprinkler systems are still on and it's making my hair and clothing heavy and wet. My hair curls when it gets introduced to water and it's getting in my face, making it even harder to see. My knees finally collapse at the end a dead end hallway that I stupidly turned down.

"I can't go anymore," I whisper because it was true.

I was seeing the dots in front of my eyes again. A tell tale sign that I had over exerted myself and that was true. I couldn't even move my arms easily after I fell to the ground in a weak heap. I'm breathing in deeply, trying to catch my breath as my skin prickles and my side hurts. I probably pulled another muscle and I probably lost a few pounds today considering all the exercise I keep getting. It's too bad I'm going to die in a fire before I get to enjoy it.

Byron coughs, and my hope soars again as he blinks his eyes against the sprinkles coming down on us. "Fuck," I hear him say around coughs as he brings a hand up to his chest and turns his head to the side to avoid the water, but there's no avoiding it because it's coming from everywhere. The floor, the walls, and the ceiling are all spewing water to put out for the fire that can't be put out.

"Hey," I say with a happy smile when his eyes open to mine. It flashes red and then I can't see anything, when the red comes back, I put my hand on his face and kiss his pale lips. This may be a figment of my imagination. I might be kissing and carting around a dead Byron Flint, but I don't care because I want it to be real too badly.

"Hey," he says with a voice that sounds like he swallowed a thousand needles. "Fuck," he says again and I laugh as tears cling to the water droplets already on my face. "I hurt."

"You're dead," I tell him with a soft smile that's threatening to break off if I think of it too much. I furrow my brows as his bright eyes look into mine and I glance at the water pouring down on us from the ceiling. The red strobe lights are giving me a head ache and I bring my hand up to my temple in an attempt to deaden the pressure. "If you're dead and talking to me, that means I'm probably dead too." I ponder out loud like it wasn't a big deal and I feel his hand against my cheek.

"We're not dead," he states and I roll my eyes.

"He shot you with the killing curse right in your chest, Byron. You're dead. So either I'm dead too, or I'm crazy. I don't really care anyway," I tell him honestly and he sits up with labored movements until we're face to face. The red light alarms are still going off and it makes everything down here seem so demented and chilling. The red lights illuminate the planes of Byron's smoke tinted face making him look like some gothic hero who just killed a dragon. The reality isn't as romantic and I bring a hand up and touch that little streak of white again, wondering how it would look in normal lighting. I wish there was a window to liven the place up a bit.

"No," he says with a head shake. "He used my wand, didn't he?" he asks and I nod my head. "My wand isn't going to kill me. They have more loyalty than that."

"Really?" I state flatly. What in the blazes was he talking about? "My wand rolled itself into a fire right when I was going to use it to save our lives. I had to drag you all the way to this spot without magic." I say as I cross my arms. "Talk about loyalty... and if we're not dead yet, we will be soon because the fresh air charm I used is going to stop and the smoke will get us before anything else."

He stands up, and leans against the wall as he brings his hand up to his chest again. "It really burns," he tells me, but I don't care because I'm sure this isn't real.

"Do you think they let people have sex in heaven?" I ask out loud and Byron gives me a strange look. "I guess if you're dead, having sex would defeat the purpose, but I like having sex with you."

"It's sweet that you think I'd go to heaven," he says as he pulls something from his pocket.

"I'm not sure if I believe in it," I state honestly as I rest against the wall as the water chills me to the bone. "It just seems like a good idea right now. I mean, how much closer to hell can you get?" I ask as I stare at the red lights on the ceiling and the loud alarm that's making my eardrums bleed.

"Even though I love this talk on the afterlife that we're having," Byron says as his eyes flick to mine and he holds out his hand for me to take. "Let's get the hell out of here."

"I can't move," I tell him honestly. My body hurts too much and that initial shock of adrenaline that had pulled me to this spot has all but died.

"Come on," he snaps as he grabs my arm and pulls me up. "I'll carry you."

"No," I snap back as my knees buckle. I'm just being stubborn now, really, but there's no point. He's dead, I'm dead, whatever. "I weigh more than you," I tell him. I thought that was logical.

"No, you don't," he sneers as me pulls me against his chest. I open my mouth to retort but he covers my mouth with his hand and he looks into my eyes. "Shut up." he tells me and I blink a few times as he goes to scoop me up. I move away from him.

"I can walk," I tell him and he scoffs. "I don't need you carting me around. I'm more than capable-"

"I get it," he snaps. "You're a modern woman. Equal pay for equal work and all that fucking rot, but right now we need to leave this spot and I will fucking carry you if you can't move. I'm stronger than you are, just let me be stronger, okay?"

"Spoken like a true gentlemen," I reply and he narrows his eyes as he takes my arm and starts pulling me down the red flashing hallway.

"Snap out of it, Lavinia," he says harshly as I hurry my legs to catch up with his long strides. My body screams in protest and I really should rethink that whole 'he shouldn't carry' me thing. I look around me, never noticing that all the doors with the weird markings are now wide open. What does that mean? "This is real, we're not dead, and we're not going to die."

"I saw you die," I whisper.

He stops and turns around to face me. "I didn't die," he says softly as he takes my face and presses his lips against mine in a deep kiss. When he pulls back he takes my hand and he furrows his brows when he notices the ring. He brings it closer to his face to see what it is with each flashing light. "I thought they took it," he whispers.

"They did," I answer honestly and he kisses my hand before turning back around to hurry down the hallway where all those weird doors are all open and banging against the walls like there was a dark wind coming by and upsetting them.

He continues to drag me down the passageways that look haunted with...

"Holy fuck that's a dementor!" I scream as the hooded figures come floating towards us. Dark wind, indeed. "What is this bloody place?"

Byron stops dead in his tracks and seat belts me with his arm, making me fall back behind him.

"I thought they died out during the last war!" I yell as they come closer. I felt chilly before, but now I feel downright bone cold and I feel even more dread pooling in the very pit of my stomach. I feel like I'll never be happy again and that's a feeling I've been all too familiar with today. "We don't have our wands," I panic as I start to back up, pulling Byron with me by his belt loops. "What do we do?"

"You thought we were dead," he says and I sneer as the ragged black cloaks that smell like death come closer.

"Stop being a dick," I tell him because survival instinct has kicked in yet freaking again. "Oh, my god, what do we do? I don't want my soul sucked out!"

"Jesus Christ," Byron whispered and I panic even more.

"Jesus Christ, what?" I snap because I have found out that when people mention JC it usually isn't a good thing. "What!"

"I think I _know_ why there are dementors here."

Yes, because that was well explained to me. "Wait," I say as I reach into my pocket and pull out my mood manipulator. "They feed on misery, right?" I say and Byron gives me a sideways look. "Give me your wand," I tell him because I have a good idea how to get those stupid old dementors to back off. What happens when a Dementor feels happy?

"I don't have my wand," he states harshly and I curse out loud when I remember why neither of us have our personal magical instruments. "We just covered this."

My plan absolutely failed and I gulp as the things get closer to us. Byron reaches around until he finds my hand and we slowly start backing up again, knowing that we probably won't get away from them down here. We have a fire chasing behind us and about ten dementors in front of us. What do we do? As the dementors, with their wicked stench and disgusting looking cloaks draw nearer, a bright light cuts through the red alarm lights and dark water. A beautiful white horse comes running past us, right at the dementors. They shriek in terror and start making terrible noises before they dissolve and depart. The horse fades once all the dementors are gone and I grip Byron's hand so tight I'm sure I'm going to break a few bones.

"Patronus," I hear Byron say and we both turn around to the footsteps that are running towards us.

"Are you okay?" the voice asks and I stare at her. She's wearing just a small dress slip that clings to her skin and almost completely see through from the water.

"Mom?" I say as her lower lip chatters and she crosses her arms over her chest with her wand in her hand. She blinks a few times before lighting her wand with a lumos so we're bathed in normal warm light. My brain sighs in relief

"Are you dead too?" I ask.

_**Gavin **_

I can't see one fucking goddamn thing with these fucking red goddamn lights!

I try to open the door that the man just carried her into, but I can't make it open. I kick it, I curse it, I even ram into it with my whole body but it doesn't even budge. "Wait a second," I state as I see Daniella try to get away out of the corner of my eye. "Help me open this door. I need to help my sister."

"I have other things more urgent," she says and I narrow my eyes.

"She has your wand, you idiot," I tell her because I'm not in the mood to be kind. "I don't bloody care what you have to do."

"Gavin, I have a mission and I need to see it through. They're not going to hurt her just yet. We have time."

"Hurt her?" I snap back and she shakes the water out of her hair. "What the fuck are you talking about? Why would they do anything to her? She's just a baby." I knew for a fact that Evelyn was fourteen and starting that awkward transition into a woman... but to me, she'll always be my baby sister.

"I have to go," she snaps as she starts backing up and when she's far enough away from me, she starts running.

"Fucking bitch!" I yell after her as the red lights blink and the alarm blares. "I'm showing fucking everyone your Auror ID and they're going to kill you," I mutter angrily to myself. I chopped off a few heads already today. I'm not in the fucking mood to be kind and I am still holding a bloody sword.

When she's out of eyesight, I sneer and turn back to the door. I only had one job. And that one job was to take Evelyn home. How in the fucking hell did manage to screw that up as well? I'm going to start to get a complex if shitty things continue to happen to me like this. I'm fucking done with it.

I hear a few loud crashes and I stop trying to bust the door open to look towards the noise. A group of masked Death Eaters are running my way… but they're not charging to kill me. They're running away from something and I narrow my eyes as they come splashing by, the water hitting me harder with their movements kicking it up.

"What's going on?" I ask. I don't care if they try to curse me. What could be so bad that they have to run away like that?

"Fiend fire!" One of them yells over the alarm and I furrow my brows as I look down the hallway. Smoke comes barreling behind them, followed by fire the color of pink bubble gum.

"What the fuck?"I whisper to myself before turning back to the door and banging on it in a panic. "Open the goddamn door. There's a fire coming," I yell as it approaches. I've only read about fiend fire in school and I know it's damn near indestructible and it destroys absolutely everything, especially people. I wipe heavy hair away from my face and curse the fucking water that's getting all up in my eyes. "Get out of there!"

The fire creeps closer and I can feel the heat against my skin I bang a few more times. "Let my sister go!" I yell once more in desperation. The fire is too close now, it's making me light headed and the smoke is compressing on my lungs. I kick the door and I even try to bash it open with the sword but nothing works. A beam falls nearby and I pick up the soaking wet invisibility cloak that had fallen off of my sister and I bring it up to my face to deaden the amount of smoke that I'm inhaling. I slam myself against the door again.

"I'm fucking serious. Open the goddamn door!" I yell again as I continue to kick it and curse it with my wand. It doesn't open and the walls start to shake as the ceiling collapses at the end of the hall. "Evelyn!" I yell. "Evelyn! You need to get out of there." I cough, the smoke is thick. "Evelyn, get out of there!"

The fire gets close enough where I literally feel like I'm going to pass out and I stand in front of the door for the longest most painful second of my life. When it doesn't open even after I pray for it to, I close my eyes sadly before backing away and running, leaving Evelyn in that room with the fire coming.

I feel sick.

I keep running until I find a staircase.

A staircase.

Where has that fucking been this whole goddamn time?

I look over my shoulder once to see the pink fire eating the entire hallway, including that room. I feel like someone has put a ton of bricks on my chest and the amount of guilt I feel right now is so overwhelming that I can barely move when I get to the top of the stairs and I drop the sword as soon as I reach level ground.

I just left her there.

But I couldn't have opened the door.

I would have died in the fire.

Maybe I could have tried a little harder.

Maybe I didn't do enough to get it open.

What would Dad have done?

Where is Dad?

Is he down there with the fire?

He probably would have been able to open the door.

I punch the nearest wall and my hand goes right through the plastered dry wall. "Close the door," I hear a familiar voice say and I look over my shoulder as that blond healer named Conrad runs towards me and slams the door that leads down to the basement shut. He takes out his wand a does a few spells and ward charms. That voice wasn't his and I look behind him where a woman is sitting on the floor, looking pale, wearing a pink dress covered in blood, and holding her stomach.

"Mom," I say as I run over to her, kicking the sword out of my way. She looks alarmed when she sees me. "God," I say as I look her over. She looks like she was hurt really bad.

Evelyn.

"Did Evelyn do this?" I ask as I try to put it together.

She nods her head and winces as she shifts her body. I cover my mouth.

"Fuck," I swear again as I look back at Conrad as he moves his wand around the door. "What's he doing?" I ask.

"You have to let fiend fire run out on it's own," Mom says with a labored voice and I look at her sympathetically. "We're containing it to the basement so it doesn't come up here."

"We?" I say as Conrad pockets his wand and comes walking back towards us. I stand up on the defensive. He raises his eyebrows and sends a look to my Mom like he knew her. "Where's Lavinia?" I ask because I had left her with him.

He sends a sad look to the door and this time a whole house feels like it was dropped on my chest. I even stumble back as few steps. I brought her here. I brought her here and she was down there with the fire like Evelyn. They were my responsibility and I failed. I killed them.

"Open the door," I say and he shakes his head.

"It's eaten up most of the basement by now," he says and he sounds genuinely hurt by it. "Everything down there is dead by now."

That sadness disappears and is immediately replaced by anger. Anger towards him. I'm going to blame him. I grab him by the shirt and throw him against the wall. "Why did you let her stay down there?" I snap as I push him into the wall I had punched.

"She didn't want to come with me," he snaps as he pushes me back. "I tried to get her to come with me but she didn't because she wanted to stay."

I hit him.

Then I hit him again.

And again.

And again.

And again.

And again.

And again.

And again.

And again.

And again.

And again.

And again.

And again.

And again.

And again.

And again.

And again.

"Gavin," someone says my name but I ignore it as Conrad slumps to the ground. I start kicking him.

I kick him in the stomach.

In the legs.

In the chest.

In the face.

In the head.

In the…

"Gavin! If you kill him who is supposed to bloody heal me!" I'm breathing heavily and I pull myself back before I really do kill him. I turn around and bring my hands up to my face, running shaky hands through my hair. "Get him up and heal whatever the hell you just did to his face." Mom snaps. She doesn't sound the same, something is odd about the tone of her voice and I stare at her. "He could only temporarily close me up because we didn't have any time downstairs. I'm starting to bleed so fucking help him!"

I look her over. She looks so pale. I can't let her die too. Dad would kill me. I go over to Conrad and I turn him over. "God," I say as I focus on the damage I did on his face when I was hitting him. It's all bloody, broken, and swollen. He spits something at me. I realize it's a tooth. Gross. I take out my wand and start doing that healing spell I used on my father earlier as I try to remember any other healing spell I know. Which I fucking don't know many, so this isn't going to be very successful. I even attempt to fix the broken nose and the jaw that looks cocked out a little funny. I've never healed anybody after a fight.

"I need him coherent enough to get me to the beach," she says and it was a weird thing to say so I look over my shoulder at her again. Why does she feel off to me?

"In America?" I say as I think of the beach house there and she makes a face at me.

"Is he awake?" she asks, craning her neck to see.

He groans in response.

"Just let me take you to St. Mungo's," I say in irritation when I realize I'm wasting fucking time by attempting to heal this fucking guy when I don't even know how to do it in the bloody first place.

"No," she snaps hatefully. "I need to go to the beach." She closes her eyes. "In the cave by the shore is a door on the floor," she sings to herself and I force my eyebrows together.

I think she might have gone mad. I don't know how else to explain the way I feel around her right now. She looks like my Mom…. But she doesn't _feel_ like my Mom. Does that make any sense? Mom feels like home, but right now she feels like… like something unstable.

"In the cave… by the shore…."

"Gavin," I hear someone else whisper my name and my face snaps to it. Lavinia. I stand up right away as she comes running over to me and I hug her.

I actually hug her.

I can't remember the last time I hugged her like this.

"You're not dead," I say against her hair. She smells like fire and she shakes her head hard as she gets down on her knees and takes out a wand from her pocket.

"We were able to get out," she says as she starts healing Conrad's face. She's better at it than I am. "People are dead all over the place," she whispers worriedly as she pulls back his lip and winces at the missing tooth. She does a complicated looking spell that makes it grow back. "So we were able to get their wands."

"Don't bother with him," I say quickly. "Heal Mom," I tell her as look over at Mom who is still singing that fucked up song. "There's blood everywhere," I say as the pink dress she's wearing becomes even more saturated with blood. I try to hold it together. I hate fucking blood but I can't let myself do anything fucking girly like faint. How terrible that would be.

"That's not Mom," she says like it didn't faze her in the least bit and once Conrad's face is back to its former glory, she starts working on the other wounds. I didn't' even realize his hand was twisted in that painful looking way.

"What do you mean that's not…"

Byron Flint walks towards us, he's shirtless and every single one of his fucked up scars is visible against his pale skin. There's something odd about his chest, though. In the middle of his torso is an odd black burn, and the veins surrounding it look black. I make a face at it before turning the person walking beside him. That someone looks like my Mom. She's wearing a man's dark shirt and not much else but a slip underneath. I feel my eyebrows rise.

"Lavinia," Byron says gently. He walks beside her as the second Mom walks up to me and pulls me in for a hug. I don't move for a second, keeping my body tense and ridged against her as she wraps her arms around me.

And then she did it.

She started to run her fingers through the hair at the base of my neck the way she used to when I was upset as a boy and then I could_ feel_ it. This was my Mom. I hug her back with a vengeance, crushing her to me and gently lifting her off the ground. I'm so glad I found her. I hate hugging, but I was just so glad that she felt like she was supposed as opposed to…

I let that thought trail off as I look over my shoulder at the other one still sitting on the ground. Still singing. I look at Mom as I set her back on her feet and she smiles a little in a sad kind of way as she smoothes some hair away from my face.

"Lavinia," Byron says again while putting a hand on her shoulder as she re-sets the bones of his wrist. "Stop healing him," he says like she was a child doing something wrong. I agree with Flint for once, though. She shouldn't fucking heal him. "He tried to kill me."

She gives him a fierce look and he lets his hand drop from her shoulder. "We're better than he is," she says harshly, like she wasn't pleased that she decided to heal him either. "I think one of his ribs is poking his lung anyways," she says as she lifts his shirt to study the damage. I did kick him hard.

"Well, don't heal all of him anyways," he adds because he lost whatever silent fight they just had. "Non-life threatening things can stay."

I look at Lavinia as she works on that Conrad guy and then I look at Byron. I squint my eyes because there seems to be a white streak of hair starting at his right temple. What the hell is that? That sword is lying by the locked door and he walks over to it and picks it up. I watch as he studies it with interest and his eyes light up in recognition as he reads something etched into the blade. I look back at Mom as she touches my lip. I wince.

"What happened to you, sweetheart?" she asks as she takes out her own wand and starts healing the cut I got on my lip from dueling with Theodore Nott.

"Have you seen Dad?" I ask as I ignore her question and my voice sounds weird and raw.

"Draco's here?" she whispers. She looks surprised so she obviously didn't know that he was here and then we both look towards the locked door where the fire is eating up the bowels of the building. I hear her intake a sharp breath and I blink back annoying things in my eyes.

"Mom…" I say as I turn back to her. "Evelyn is down there too." I needed to be honest with her right away. I hated saying that out loud but I feared I'd never be able to say it at all if I let it fester for too long.

She shakes her head and takes a step back. "No, she's at Hogwarts."

"She's not," I say and my eyes are watering. I think it must have been from all that smoke downstairs. "I was trying to get her out of here because Dad told me to, but this guy grabbed her ran with her into a room. It wouldn't open and they wouldn't listen to me. I tried everything but the fire was coming and I couldn't get the door open."

She tightens her jaw and looks away. "I'm sorry," I say because it was my job to get her home and I didn't do that.

"It's not your fault," she says seriously but I can tell she's hurting. "Maybe she's okay…. How did she get here?" she asks as she glances up at me. "Let me see your hand," she whispers as she takes the hand I had used to beat that Conrad guy and she starts healing it. I didn't even realize it hurt.

"I'm not sure," I state honestly. "Dad and I were going down to the basement to try to find you and Cassius, but we found Evelyn. She looked like she had seen a ghost and she was holding that sword," I say as I point to Flint who's still fucking with it. "She said she hurt you," I say and my eyes flick back to the other mother because I honestly forgot that she was there. Still singing, fucking weirdo. "She said Beatrice Potter brought her here."

"What?" Lavinia, Byron, and Mom all say in unison.

"In a cave by the shore is a door on the floor…" she keeps singing and the silence rings around us, making her craziness noticed again. We all turn towards her as she holds her stomach.

"Who is that?" I ask as Lavinia stands up and Byron steps over to slide in front of her like he was a brick wall, blocking her from harm.

Mom pushes me to the side as she walks over to the clone of herself and she bends down so she's eye level with it. She tilts her head to the side as the other Mom snaps her eyes open and stares right back.

"You're wearing my dress," Mom says flatly as she looks at the blood that's covering it. "That dress is dry clean only." She says and the other Mom laughs. It sounds painful and I cringe as blood comes from her mouth.

"I can't die," she says smugly.

"It looks like you're dying," Mom says gently as she takes the other one's hands to remove them from her stomach. The other mom snaps her hands back into position.

"I can't die," she repeats again as my Mom sits back on her haunches.

"Who are you?"

"Who do you want me to be," she responds and then she laughs.

Mom's quiet for a few moments and then she pulls a metal chain from under her shirt. A large black stone is on the end and the fake Mom widens her eyes.

"Do you know what this is?" mom asks softly. "Your friends missed it when they took off my dress."

"That's mine," the other mom hisses and she goes to snatch it away, but she's too weak.

"I've been carrying around for a week," Mom explains. "I wondered if it was like the dress…."Mom looks at her lap before inhaling deeply. "How are you alive?" she asks, like she knew who she was talking to now.

"I've always been alive, Ginny," she says seriously. "I just made sure to take precautions so I would never die. You see this," she points to her bleeding stomach. "Is nothing."

"Evelyn stabbed you with a sword," she says but she doesn't wait for an answer. "She knew you weren't me…. Why were you pretending to be me to talk to my daughter?"

"I need somewhere to go, don't I?" she says, sounding innocent and I narrow my eyes because I don't understand.

"Where have you been?" My mom asks and the other mother looks at Byron and smiles. He looks confused and the smile must have creeped him out because he looked away. Unfortunately, in wanting to look away, he ended up looking at me and I never keep my mouth shut.

"What the fuck?" I ask him and he looks away quickly, shaking his head in answer.

"How many of these do you have, Bellatrix?" she says and that names rings familiar with me. I narrow my eyes. She did mention something about a dress. I know about a dress…

"Like I would tell you," she hisses and my mom nods her head.

"Okay," she says gently. "If you say so." She walks over to the locked door that leads down into the basement and she moves her wand over the door a few times. Muttering a spell I've never heard of and when she opens the door, black smoke funnels into the room.

"Mom," Lavinia warns about the fire as my Mom holds up the necklace to show the fake version of herself.

"How do you feel about this?" she says before throwing the necklace down the stairs. I hear the fire eat it and something down there explodes as my mother slams the door against the flames and puts the spells and wards back up.

The woman on the floor hisses again and starts throwing profanities of every caliber at my mother. "You fucking bitch!" she snaps as she tries to get up, but fails and she grabs a wand from a fold in her dress and points at my mother. No, can't accept that. I lift my own wand and point it right at her. "We used to be friends! Don't you remember? Is this what happens when Draco stops beating the shit out of you, because if it is, then he needs to start—"

Mom walks over and smacks her.

I've never seen Mom hit anyone before and she looks upset that she let herself do it as well.

"I'm going to kill you for that," the woman whispers hatefully.

Then it starts happening. Whatever potion she took to take on Mom's form starts to wear off. Red hair becomes coal black and brown eyes turn a light bluish green. She drops her wand with the change and my real Mom kicks it to the side.

"Mom?" Byron steps forward and I raise my eyebrows so high in surprise that I think they may become part of my hair line. "What…. I don't understand," he says as he looks at my little sister like she would have an answer for him. "What does that mean?"

"Like you didn't know already," Beatrice Potter tells her son and Mom stands up with her brows furrowed in worry. "I told you we used to be friends, Ginny."

"This doesn't make sense," Mom says as she shakes her head. Byron shakes off my sister's arm and starts walking closer to the creature. "I thought you were Bellatrix Lestrange."

The woman smiles.

"What did you do to Beatrice?" My mom asks as Byron gets closer and kneels in front of her.

"Byron knows," she answers as she looks at her son who's now only a foot away from her. "Don't you, By?"

"I don't understand," he says, sounding just as confused as I'm sure I look.

"Oh, poor Byron," she says as she shakes her hand. She brings a bloody hand out to touch his face. From this angle I can see all those scars on his back and I cringe because they look disgusting. "You always forget the important things, but I raised you well, didn't I? I raised you like a good mom would. We had our differences, but I was good to you. We were united weren't we? Against that terrible Marcus Flint."

"What do you mean?" he asks and his voice sounds thick with emotion.

"Your medication never helped you with your nightmares," she says and Mom takes a protective step closer to Byron. "They just created new ones. One day I think it will all come barreling back to you, and then you really will go mad."

Lavinia gasps and we all turn to towards her. Conrad had gained consciousness and he was up with his arm around Lavinia, pinning her back to his chest. His wand is pointed at her neck. Everyone's focus shifts.

"Everyone put down your wands," he says menacingly.

I narrow my eyes and Lavinia whimpers when he presses his wand even harder into her soft skin. "I healed you," she says indignantly.

He pushes down her cardigan so her shoulder is exposed and kisses her there. My temper flares. "You should have listened to your boyfriend," he whispers to her and then he looks at the rest of us. "Put down your wands and kick them away."

"Just let her go," Mom says gently. "There's no point in doing that."

"Put them down," he says harshly and awkwardly we all comply, kicking the wands that we have towards him. "Pick them up," he tells my sister with his wand still against her neck and her eyes are watering as she bends down and starts gathering them. "Don't even think about turning around and using them on me, beautiful," he says and I've decided I'm going to kill him. "If you turn around, I'll blast your head off. Speaking of dying," he eyes Byron with distaste. "Why aren't you dead?"

Byron doesn't answer.

"Lavinia, I'm so glad you're not dead," Conrad whispers as she stands back up and he takes the wands from her and puts them in his pocket. He puts his hand around her middle again and pulls her tight against him. "You're shaking."

"You're pointing a wand at my neck," she answers bitterly. Her eyes flick to Byron. "You were right. I shouldn't have healed him," she says with teary eyes and Conrad puts his hand over her mouth.

"Don't talk to him," he says like a crazy person. "Now, you're going to help me, darling," he says as he looks around at all of us. "Go stand against that wall," he tells us, nodding his head to the far wall of the lobby. "Do it now." We don't move right away and he does a spell with his wand that makes a slash across Lavinia's neck. She closes her eyes in pain as I clench my fists in anger. "Against the wall," he repeats.

"Do as he says," mom says gently, like she knew me, or Byron for that matter, wasn't going to back down. I hesitate, but when he slices her shoulder I give in and walk towards the wall, putting my back against it and keeping my body on ready just in case I see an opportunity.

That Conrad guy is a fucking creep. He licks the blood from the cut on her neck and when she starts crying, he kisses her temple. "I'll heal them before they scar," he tells her like that was the only bloody thing she was fucking concerned about. "Now, take off your cardigan," he says and Lavinia looks really worried at the demand. "I can help you," he tells her as he puts his hand on the material that's hanging off her cut shoulder and starts lowering it. What the fuck is he doing? He lowers the sleeve on the other side as well and when it falls down to her hands, he tugs it off and hands it to her. "Go over and use this to press your hands against her stomach. Press down to slow the bleeding while we take her out of here."

He lets go of her mouth and pushes her forward. She trips and falls on her hands and knees in her nervousness and Conrad just stares at her, not bothering to help her up. Byron jumps forward and Conrad points his wand at him.

"Down, boy," he says with a smirk, like he was talking to a dog and I feel my lip curling back. I don't like Byron very much because I think he's fucking weird, but he's bounds above this bloke on my likable meter. "Get up and do what I told you, babe," he says and everyone seems to have cringed at the pet name.

Lavinia is upset and she's not moving quite right. Her steps are stiff and ridged because she's doing something she doesn't want to do and I can tell she's trying not to look at any of us, because she might cry or do something stupid. When she gets to Beatrice Potter, or whoever the fuck she's supposed to be, she bunches up her cardigan and presses her hands against her stomach. The Bella woman was all but passed out, but she hissed when that happened.

"Where are you taking them?" Mom asks as she watches Lavinia breathe heavily, trying not to cry to loud.

Conrad doesn't answer, he magically lifts Beatrice, making Lavinia stand as well. "Let's get to an fireplace," he says as he keeps his eyes on us. "Go in that room," he says, pointing to one of the large lobby rooms of the hospital. "I'll be right behind you."

He follows after them as they leave the lobby and before they reach the door, Lavinia sends a worried look over her shoulder before disappearing. Conrad hangs in the doorway and smiles at us. "Mrs. Malfoy," he says with a fake bow. "I can see where your daughter gets her looks," is all he says before he disappears as well and I push off the wall, letting a frustrated growl leave my mouth.

I run into the room, using the same door that they did, but they were gone and I step over to the window and look around the gloomy yard.

Nothing.

"What the fuck was that?" I snap as I put my hands up to my head. I walk back into the room to see the other two. Byron stays stone still and Mom starts pacing around the room, in that larger man's shirt that probably belongs to Byron. "What the fuck are we supposed to do now?"

"Stop cussing," Mom says dismissively and I roll my eyes."Who was that guy?" she asks but no one answers.

"Where would they have gone?" Byron asks flatly, looking at the air in front of him with a blank stare. He's still shirtless and his scars are distracting so I pull my black jumper over my head, leaving me in the white collared shirt that's covered in the blood I whipped off of Evelyn's face.

"Here," I tell him as I throw it to him. He catches it and stares at me long and hard like he was trying to figure out my motive before he puts it on. His body is built more like Cass' is. They're both long and lean, so the jumper looked a little big for him, but it served its purpose.

"Thank you," he whispers before fisting his hands in his hair like he was trying to think.

"We should go back to the Manor," Mom says after a few quiet seconds. "Draco has those location spheres in his study. We can find them if we use those."

It sounded like the best plan at the moment. I couldn't even think straight. I didn't really want to leave, though. I kept sending looks to the basement door, hoping that Evelyn or even my father would come busting out of there at any moment. But nothing like that happened and I only started moving when my Mom took my arm and started to drag me into a room that had a fireplace. I felt bad for leaving. Like I was leaving something very important behind and it didn't even register with me that Mom had flood us to the Manor.

She had thought she was going to have to put down the wards to let Byron in, but when she saw the Auror tape, she frowned. "What is this?" she asks softly as she walks further into the room.

"You should see the library," I say and when she looks at me with a worried tilt of her head, I sigh and cross my arms. "They think Dad kidnapped you and Cassius," I fill her in as she looks around the living room. "They think he killed you for trying to leave him."

"How did anyone get in?" she whispers to herself as the three of us walk into the main hallway. The front doors are blasted open and there's broken glass on the ground. Our home doesn't feel safe anymore and I hear something clink beside me. Byron is holding that sword I used to kill all those zombies.

"I don't know," I answer as I follow her to my father's study. She hurries over to his desk and opens one of the drawers.

"Should we call the Aurors?" Byron asks softly. I had forgotten he was here, to be honest.

"Doubtful," I tell him as I cross my arms and bring my hand up to my mouth so I can chew on my nails. I'm nervous. "Greengrass has the Aurors in his pocket and Daniella claimed she was an Auror. Look what fucking happened with that."

"Daniella was the girl who got me out of that room," Mom says as she sorts through Dad's drawers. "She helped me."

"Did you see Daniella?" Byron asks seriously and I nod my head as I pull the Auror ID from my back pocket and I throw it at him. "Was Cassius with her?"

I snap him a look. "Why would he be?"

He looks away and sends a dark look to the fire place. He looks like he's about ready to blow. "Byron," Mom says softly as she looks through his drawers. "Have you noticed anything strange about your mother lately?" she asks. "Do you have any idea what that was about?"

"No," he answers shortly, that dark look never once leaving his face.

Mom finds a sphere and pulls it out. "Usually he has like ten of these in here," she mutters to herself as she sits on top of the desk and she looks around her. "None of us have a wand, do we?"

I shake my head.

Byron doesn't do a damn thing.

"Draco might have an extra one upstairs. Wait here."

She takes off, leaving Byron and I in my father's study by ourselves. It's never fun to be alone with bloody Flint. I don't know how my sister does it. "So…" I say because I don't like silence. "How fucked up was it that that was your Mom?"

"Very fucked up," he whispers as he walks over to one of the windows and he pulls back the thick curtains. He fingers are twitching. He wants to use his wand, he wants to curse someone. I look down at my own hand and notice that it's doing the same.

"What is that?" he asks to take his mind off of things as he nods to the silvery material stuffed in my pocket.

"Oh," I say as I take it out. I don't have enough energy to lie. "An invisibility cloak." I tell him as I pull it out, letting the material slide along my fingers.

"Is that how you got all those answers to those tests," he says and I raise an eyebrow.

"What?"

"In school," he says flatly. "Is that how you were able to get into the professor's offices and steal the answer keys?"

"You heard about that?" I say smugly because it was an ingenious idea of mine. I would sell the answers after I stole them and that way I had my own money so Dad wouldn't know what I was buying all the time.

"Everyone did," he mutters softly as he squints his eyes. "Cassius knew you were the one doing it," He adds and I tilt my head to the side. "He could never figure out how."

"Did he?" He never confronted me about it and my brother was always in the habit of pointing out my wrong doings when we were at Hogwarts together.

"You're lucky he never told anyone," he says as he spares me a little glance before looking back out the window. "They would have kicked you out."

"He told you," I tell him and he narrows his eyes.

"I don't count," he says so softly I barely hear him.

I survey him again. "What happened to your hair?" I ask and he looks at me with a lifted eyebrow. I bring my own hand up to my temple and point. He looks confused.

"What do you mean?" he asks, but he doesn't get an answer.

"I know where they are," Mom says as she comes running into the room, carrying one of Dad's 'just in case' wands and a glowing location sphere. "And they're all alive."

"What are you doing here?"

We all turn towards the voice of a pudgy man in plum colored Auror robes. He looks way too surprised to see us standing in our own house and there are about ten Aurors behind him in the same outfit, all wearing matching looks of surprise.

Mom furrows her brows and lets her eyes slide to mine before facing the men again. "I live here," she says and I would have laughed had the situation permitted it. "What are you doing here?"

"We're searching for Draco Malfoy," he says and I raise my eyebrows. He takes out a scroll of paper and unravels it. "He's wanted for questioning in the disappearance of his wife and son."

"I'm right here," she says like the man was stupid. "And I am his wife so there is no disappearance."

The man flicks a glance to me. He knows very well that he's bullshitting right now. He has orders from another source. "He's wanted for leaving in the middle of an interrogation."

"Did you charge him with anything?" My mother asks and the man narrows his eyes. "If you were just questioning him, he's allowed to leave whenever he wants.

"He cursed three ministry officials before leaving and hee flooded the Auror department. He busted the pipes in the toilets. That's a bio hazard!" The man's face turns a dark shade of red. I smirk. "He's lucky no one got hurt! He's also charged with vandalism, intent to cause bodily harm, and disrupting the peace!" I feel like he just made that shit up.

I can't hide a smile at that, though. "It's not his fault the Auror department is a joke," I say and his eyes zero in on me. I lift my brow in challenge. Out of the corner of my eye I see Flint pick up that location sphere and stare at it. "Incompetent idiots," I say to add insult to injury and I see that more than a few of them want to curse me. "How does one man get one over on a whole department?" I ask to stall time and the main Auror narrows his eyes.

"He got lucky," he answers. I give Flint a look as he grabs the sword and walks towards the fireplace with the sphere, ignoring absolutely everyone in the room. Fucking weirdo. He probably doesn't know where he is.

"My Dad doesn't get lucky," I tell him honestly as I look back at the Aurors. "He just gets angry."

"You can leave my house now," My mother says as she takes a step forward. "I live here, and you just can't take advantage of the broken wards and come in whenever you want," she says seriously. "This is private property."

"We're performing an investigation," the man says and I cross my arms. "This is a crime scene."

"No it's not," she says. "I'm here, there's nothing to investigate."

Flint throws some floo powder into the fireplace and disappears. That makes all of the Aurors draw their wands. Where the bloody fuck is he going?

"Nobody move!" They say and I sneer at the thought of Byron Flint as my Mom sighs loudly. Something rings in the man's pocket and he puts up a finger to tell us to hold on as he walks off towards the left. I watch as he pulls a small compact mirror from his pocket and opens it so he can look inside. "Yes, sir," he says as I look down at my cloak and then at my Mom. "We'll do that."

He closes the mirror and puts it back in his pocket as I walk over to my mother.

He looks at the other 'Aurors' and then nods his head towards us. "Tie them up," he says and I unravel the cloak and put it around my Mom's shoulders. She disappears and I snatch the wand out of her hand as I push her back.

"There will be no tying up," I tell them as I point my father's spare wand at the main Auror's chest. "I'm not into that," I say with a suggestive smirk to one of the female officers in the crowd. "Right now, anyways," I add and Mom pinches me.

"Where did she go!" he yells. I feel Mom squeeze my arm before letting go and her footsteps travel backwards. Hopefully she'll go do something productive.

"Magic is a wonderful thing," I comment before throwing a curse at him. It just a regular stunning curse that hit him in the chest and I knew I was in the shit after that judging by the looks on the other Aurors face.

"So, are you working for Theodore Nott?" I ask, just because I hated him and I wanted to stall time. "Because I cursed the hell out him earlier tonight as well. I seem to be on a roll."

"You're going to pay for that, boy," one of the older one's in the crowd says with his wand pointed at my chest and I shake my head. I hate it when old people call me 'boy.'

"We'll see about that," I reply, knowing very well that they probably were going to make me pay. The odds were against me at the moment.

I smiled as a thrill ran through me as they all lifted their wands at me. I prepared myself for the curses that were about to come my way…. I might even die, actually. Dirty Aurors were notorious for killing during a duel and blaming it on the other person. But they didn't shoot. They were all looking at something behind me and I turned and glanced over my shoulder as one of the Aurors revived the fat one that I stunned.

"Are you here to join the party?" I ask my supposed to be Uncle, Ron Weasley. He has a few Aurors behind him as well… and my Mom. Did she get them? Is that where she went?

"What are you doing, Chamberlain?" Ron asks and I figure I am no longer in the conversation, so I move out of the line of fire. "Shacklebolt gave no such orders to come here."

"We don't work for Shacklebolt anymore," The revived fat one says as the others help him stand. "Now, we have orders and we intend to carry them through."

Ron Weasley sighs and pulls out his wand. "I can't let you do that."

"You're a joke, Weasley," he says with a laugh… I agree with him there but it seems like Ron Weasley might actually be on our side for once, so I keep my mouth shut. It's difficult for me, but I can manage. "With all the ethic complaints against you for sharing top secret Auror files with Potter for that stupid investigation business you two started, I doubt anyone is going to care about what you have to say. I know I don't."

"Where is Harry?" Ron asks and that explains why he's fucking here. That would be the only reason why he'd come. "And where is my Mother?"

"We don't know," the fat Auror snaps and my Mom puts her hand on her older brother's arm so he'll look at her. I suspect that's the first time they had touched in years and it obviously felt odd for both of them. I felt awkward just watching them do it.

"I think I may know where they are, Ron," she says as he studies her face. "Maybe," she adds like she didn't want to be wrong. "Draco keeps—"

The fat Auror lifts his wand towards them and I shake my head as I lift my own and blast his wand out his hand. Everyone stares at me for a long moment before they all start flinging curses at each other. I seemed to have caused a fire storm with that. Oops. We start dueling, with Ron and his Aurors on one side and the fat Auror with his group on the other. My mom doesn't have a wand, so I run over to her and push her behind me.

"Dad doesn't happen to have another spare wand, now would he?" I ask as I reflect a spell that was headed towards me.

"Here," Ron Weasley shoves something at her and she takes the wand he pulled from his sock. "Use mine. Feel free to use your bat boogey hex, Gin," he says as he curses the cute female Auror who looks extremely pissed off because of it. "I haven't seen that done well in ages," he says and he even smiles a little at her.

Hm.

Now that Mom has a wand, something changed and she was the one pushing me behind her so she could hex a few rogue Aurors. It was a site to see. Nero, that stupid Dalmatian puppy that belongs to my little sister comes running into the room, barking up a storm at the intruders. I try to ignore the damned thing, but when it grabs a hold of one of the Auror's robes and tugs on it viciously I can't help but smile.

"Good boy," I tell him after he bites the Auror's ankle and he comes running over to me after a curse barely misses his tail. I pat his head and decide that this may be an animal I can tolerate after all.

I look at Ron Weasley once more with a thoughtful tilt of my head as he stands beside us.

I never thought I'd see the day when my Uncle and I were fighting on the same side.

I guess there's a first time for everything.

Mom does a strange curse I've never seen before and I stop for a moment as I see the after affects on one of the unfortunate men across from us. I cringe. That doesn't look like much fun.

"And_ that_ is how you do a bat boogey hex," Ron Weasley says proudly and I look at my Mom.

She smiles.

_**Cassius **_

"Evelyn?" The man throws her on the ground and she whimpers as she lands against the carpet. "What's she doing here?" I turn back to Dr. Bailey with a panicked voice. "Why is she here?" I turn back to my sister. "Are you okay, Evie?"

"I am not okay," she snaps as she stands up and dusts off her clothes. She's completely soaked, like a bucket of water had been poured on her head and she moves heavy curls away from her face with a swipe of her hand.. "I just want to go home." The man that brought her in is standing beside her and Evelyn brings her foot up and stomps on his toe. He cusses and smacks her across the face, sending her flying to the side with a surprised gasp. I fight against the ties as she whimpers again and holds onto her cheek. "You're not supposed to hit ladies!" She screams at him.

"She's just a kid," I state as I try to get out of the bloody chair. "Don't treat her like that."

"I'm afraid Mr. Malfoy is correct in that," Bailey says as he walks towards the man who smacked my sister. "Apologize to the girl," he says softly. "She is very important to us."

"Why is she important?" I ask worriedly as the man apologizes to my sister who's still holding her face like it was in pain. "What does that mean?"

No one answers me and then I jump when someone starts pounding on the door. "Open the goddamn door. There's a fire coming," someone on the other side yells and my eyebrows shoot up in surprise.

"That's Gavin," Evelyn says as she tries to run over to the door, but the brute that brought her in catches her around the middle before she can get there. "Let me go! That's my brother."

"Let my sister go!" He yells once more from the other side and I recognize my little brother's voice. He sounds desperate. "I'm fucking serious. Open the goddamn door!" He keeps on banging on the door and then there's a loud crash and a few loud thumps like something very heavy just fell. He pauses a second before starting to plead in earnest. It sounds like he's throwing his whole body into the door. "Evelyn! You need to get out of there." He coughs. "Evelyn, get out of there!"

"I suppose we should be going," Bailey says lazily as he looks down at his watch. "The others will have to meet us there. Cyrus," he looks at the man who's still holding my sister around the middle like she was a rag doll. "Take the girl. It looks like we're going to have to floo and then Apparate. According to the man in the hallway, there is a fire coming."

"Yes, sir," the big guy says as he walks over to the fire place and grabs a handful of floo powder.

"Hey! Where are you taking her?" I snap. Evelyn, always the scrappy little thing, grabs the man's forearm and bites down on it with her sharp little teeth. He cusses and let's go of her. She lands on her feet this time and runs over to me with her thin legs stretching out like a gazelle.

When she gets close enough, she throws herself at me, wrapping her arms around my neck and nearly sending the chair crashing to the ground as she jumps in my lap like she was a little girl again. Her body is shaking against mine and I wish I could bring my hands up to comfort her properly.

"I want to go home," She whispers with her eyes clenched shut, like if she did that long enough and then opened them, she really would be home and this would all be a dream. Her heart beat is fluttering against my chest a mile a minute and her breath is coming out in short gasps. The water from her clothes is saturating my own and a shiver runs through me because of the cold. "I want to go home."

"It's okay," I reassure her even though it doesn't feel right to lie to her because right now I can't see this turning out alright.

"No, it's not," she sobs, totally calling me out on it. "You're tied to a chair and Gavin is outside with that fire! How is any of this okay?"

I kiss the top of her head because I can't do anything else.

"This is touching," Bailey says with a smile and I narrow my eyes at him. "She can't weigh any more than a bread box, Crabbe. You should be ashamed." He clicks his tongue at the large death eater and shakes his head. "Now, let's try this again."

"She keeps hurting me," the man mutters angrily as he nurses his hurt forearm.

"She's a little girl," Bailey snaps, his patience gone. "Use your wand if you have to."

Evelyn starts shaking even more. "Leave her alone," I tell him. "I'll do what you want, just leave her alone." The man lifts his wand and the curse hits Evelyn in the back. She slumps over, passed out against my chest as the big man comes over and lifts her. "Bailey," I say earnestly as he walks her over to the fire place. "Please. I'll do whatever fucked up thing you want. Just leave her alone."

They disappear into the flames and my heart clenches. "Now, Malfoy, I'm going to untie you," he says as he walks over to me with his wand drawn. "You're not going to give me any trouble, are you?"

"Are you going to take me to where Evelyn is?" I ask seriously and he smiles again.

"Yes, of course."

"Then I won't give you any trouble," I say through clenched teeth because I want nothing more than to get out of this fucking chair and kick his teeth in, but I have to go where Evelyn is now. I have to make sure she's okay. I can't leave her in the fate of a large Death eater who isn't afraid to smack a fourteen year old girl.

"Good," he says as he waves his wands and unties my bonds. I crack my wrists and move my hands and feet around for a few moments as the feeling flows back to them. I didn't realize how tight those bonds were. "Follow me, then. This is all very exciting."

Smoke comes billowing in from underneath the door and he stares at it for a moment before walking to the fireplace. I look at the door as well. I hope Gavin is okay.

"We're going to go together so you don't get lost," he says. "So hold onto me."

I reluctantly hold onto his jacket and we floo to some random house fire place at Caldron Cove, which has the highest murder and drug rate in the country for magical folks. The room we floo in looks almost green, like there was some kind of thick fog clouding my vision of the room and the furniture was a mustard yellow color and dark with age. An old woman in a long black skirt comes swishing into the room with hooded black eyes and a yellowing ruffled blouse. She looks like she hadn't slept in years and I know I've seen her before. From Gavin's memory. She was the woman who gave Conrad that potion to give my sister.

"Where is everyone else?" she asks with a raspy voice and I look at the mantel piece where there's a few framed pictures resting.

"Hopefully they will meet us there," Bailey says nonchalantly. "Where did Crabbe go?"

"He went ahead and left," she says as she eyes me seriously. "He was afraid the girl would wake and run away."

She would. I smile as I think of my sister before letting it fall again. There's a picture of an old Slytherin Quidditch team and I squint my eyes as I look at the players all smirking and waving at me from behind the frame. I don't recognize most of them, they were way before my year, but there is one Slytherin I know. Dad. He's smirking at me and he winks smugly with a black broom resting in his right hand. I would sigh because the pose is so impossibly _Dad _that it's not even funny.

"Do you suppose she will forgive me for the things I have said?" The older woman asks seriously. "If I had any idea…. I have been most faithful to him all of these years. Why did she never tell me who she was?"

"I don't need to explain her motives to you… now, we need to be going. Are you going to wait here for the others or are you going to come with us now?" he asks and she looks uncomfortable as her eyes slide to mine again.

What would Dad do? That's my new motto. I raise my eyebrow and eye her coolly until she looks away.

"I will go now. If you will wait, I have to get the potions ready," she says before disappearing down a dark corridor.

"Where are we going?" I ask as her footsteps carry her away.

"Somewhere special," he says seriously as he takes a seat on the mustard yellow couch. "You may want to take seat," he says as he pats the cushion next to his. "This woman is notoriously late when gathering her things."

I eyeball the puke yellow arm chair that's across to him for a few moments before taking a seat. I cross my legs and impatiently tap my foot up and down against the disgusting carpet. What do I do? I can't even form a plan in my head right now, not until I know my sister is alright. What was she doing in the building anyways? Did they take her out of Hogwarts? How is that even possible? Spinnit is no Dumbledore, but he's not a pureblood sympathizer in the least bit.

I start chewing on my fingernails because I can't do anything else with my hands. I want to pick up one of those picture frames and bash it over his stupid bald head, but I try to restrain myself. I take deep breaths and count to ten a few times, trying to reign in my temper. Nothing good will happen if I allow myself to get angry. I'll just lose control and then everything will get even more fucked up than it already is. I think of Daniella and another burst of anger goes through me, but I ignore it and count to ten again.

The fire flames to life and I open my eyes as more people step through. I stand up when I see that Conrad bloke and my sister, who has her bloody cardigan pressed against some woman's stomach.

"What happened?" Bailey snaps as he stands as well and runs over to them. Lavinia and I make eye contact, but we don't say a word.

"She was attacked," Conrad answers with his chin tilted up. "She'll make it through another hour, but we have to complete the spell soon. One of her Horcrux's was destroyed."

"Who attacked her?" He asks and Lavinia gives him a double take as he approaches.

"Dr. Bailey?" she whispers with a furrowed brow. He doesn't even bother to acknowledge her as he moves her hands aside to have a look at the damage. "What… Why are you here? I don't understand."

"I'm sorry, dear," he says as he pats her cheek, leaving a bloody handprint on her skin. "No time for questions right now. Now," he says as he raises his brows towards Conrad. "Who did this?"

"Evelyn Malfoy," he answers and Bailey furrows his brows.

"She is a rough little thing, isn't she?" he says as he backs away. "I think her and Bella would get alone swimmingly."

Lavinia looks at me again and I question her with my eyes as I take in the cut on her neck and shoulder. My eyes then snap to Conrad as he takes a rag from his pocket and he starts wiping off her bloody cheek like it was an intimate, sweet thing to do. She looks uncomfortable by it and she looks at his chest as he whispers something against her ear.

"I'm ready… oh," the older woman comes back into the room and glares at my sister. "It's you."

"Be sweet to her, Agnes," Conrad says with a smirk as he throws the rag on the ground. "You're in a lot of shit right now."

"Let's not waste anymore time," Bailey says. "Time is ticking."

Lavinia bites her lip for a decisive moment and then she lets go of the bloody cardigan and runs over to me. She wraps her arms around my neck and presses her body into mine in a tight hug. I'm getting hugged a lot today. "Lavinia," Conrad snaps but she just hugs me tighter. She smells like fire.

"He has three wands in his right pocket," she whispers softly against my ear. "One of them is yours."

Mine? That means he must have run into Gavin at one point or another. I furrow my brows as she pulls back and I stop myself from opening my mouth. There is so much I want to ask her, so much I want to say, but I can't. Not with them staring at us like that. She looks so sad right now and there are ash marks all over her pale skin. I bring my fingers up and touch the cut that's slashed across her shoulder. She winces and so do I because it looks painful.

"Lavinia," Conrad calls to her with irritation and she narrows her eyes at my chest. "Come here. Now."

He's calling her like a dog and she clenches her fists before pulling me into another warm hug. "Conrad is very good at reading minds," she whispers so softly I barely hear her. Her breath is just a tingle along my ear drum. "Block your mind."

"Don't make me tell you again."

"Don't speak to her like that," I snap at him and he gives me a dismissive look before walking over and grabbing her wrist, yanking her back. "Hey, stop it," I say hatefully, but he ignores me as he hands her that bloody cardigan.

"Put pressure back on the wound and keep it there while we Apparate," he says stiffly and she inhales a few frustrated breaths before doing as he says.

"This is a cashmere sweater," she mutters bitterly and he smirks to himself.

"I'll buy you a new one," he says like she was a stupid little girl. "Don't walk away from me again. Do you understand?"

"Yes," she mutters hatefully. "I understand. You don't have to be so mean to me about it."

"Just do as I say and things will work out."

"This is just…. This is just the worst day ever," she says as tears slip from her eye.

He sighs like it was annoying. "Stop crying, already," he says as he does a few things with his wand over the woman's wound. "It's starting to irritate me."

She shakes her head as Bailey comes up to me and takes my arm. "I should have left your face caved in," she says under her breath as she wipes away tears on her arm because she can't move her hands and Conrad laughs.

"Well, you learned a valuable lesson today. Didn't you, baby?"

"Stop calling me that," she snaps as Conrad magically lifts Beatrice… wait….

"Who the hell is that?" I ask as I realize that the woman currently bleeding all over Lavinia's cashmere sweater is my best friend's Mom. "What's that all about?"

"Question time is over Cassius," Bailey says seriously as we all walk outside and once on the porch, he grabs both of my arms. "Hold on tight."

I find myself at a beach. A dreary looking beach with sever rock formations spiking up through the earth. "Be careful now, son," Bailey says as he starts hopping up the rocks to the mouth of a very depressing looking cave. It makes me think of the cave from the Island with the weird woman and the little boy with leprosy. Beware the fraud. _Whatever_. "Come on. Come on. Hurry up, every one."

When we get into the cave Bailey and Conrad both lift their wands in a lumo's spell. The walls have drawings on them and I study them for a second before getting pulled towards a small wooden door on the floor of the cave. What the hell? Bailey walks over to it and lifts the latch so the door opens. A musty smell hits me and I crinkle my nose at it. It smells like dead things.

"Foxworth, bring her down first," Bailey instructs as he nods to the bleeding Beatrice Flint. "Then you can take this lovely lady to my cottage," he says as he smiles at Lavinia. "It is very good to see you again, my dear. I'm sorry it had to be under these circumstances."

"Why are you doing this?" Lavinia asks as she crosses her arms over her chest. "I thought you were a good man."

"What is good is in the eye of the beholder," he says and then me smiles at me. "Isn't that right, Mr. Malfoy?"

"Don't talk to me," I snap at him because I really don't want to hear his voice right now. What would Dad do is still my motto now. WWDD.

"Oh, dear, someone is in a bad mood," he says and he smirks at Lavinia as we wait for that Conrad to come back. When he reapers, climbing up from the hole in the floor, he has an arrogant smirk on his face. "Everything in order?" Bailey asks and Conrad nods.

"It sure is…. Are you sure I can't stay for this?"

"We need a limited amount of people down there, and besides," he says as he looks at my sister again. "Who is going to watch her?"

Conrad looks disappointed for a moment and then he looks back at my sister and smiles again like he was thinking of something sinful. "Come with me," he says as he takes her hand and intertwines their fingers like they were lovers. "We need to celebrate the new world we're going to wake up to tomorrow."

"Wait," she says as she tries to pull back. She looks at me. "What are you going to do with Cassius?" she asks as her eyes slide to Dr. Bailey.

"Don't worry, girl," he answers as he walks over to the door on the floor. "He's in good hands. Why, when you see him again, he'll seem like a new man." He thought that was funny and he laughed.

"What does that mean?" I ask as I send a troubled look to my little sister who's looking at me oddly, like she was trying to say something to me. She looked at Conrad's pockets and then back to me. I didn't know what she was doing so I raised an eyebrow.

"Let me know when everything is complete," Conrad says before pulling my sister along to the mouth of the cave.

Lavinia trips, making Conrad drop his wand, and it flies out of the cave to the rocks below. She lands on top of his back as he tumbles to the ground as well. "Goddamnit, Lavinia." He uses that dog voice with her again as she wrestles around to get off and then he laughs smugly as he pushes her off. "Getting a bit frisky, are we?" he asks as he gets to his feet and holds his hand out for her to take. She has something in her hands and she rolls it in the dirt, hiding it with the rocks.

"I didn't mean to grab you there, you pervert," she snaps at him and he laughs as he pulls her up.

"Say goodbye to your brother, sweetheart," he says as she looks over her shoulder. "He's going to have one hell of a night."

"Goodbye Cassius," she says like it really was the last time she was ever going to see me and I run over to the mouth of the cave as Conrad starts dragging her out. She keeps tripping and falling on the rocks, but he doesn't care as he tugs her along.

"Where is he taking her?" I ask worriedly as she falls down again as they reach the sand, landing on her knees and whimpering when he yanks her up.

"Don't worry about it," Bailey says as he walks over to me as well. He pats my back. "Conrad has had a rough day, but he really is a sweet kid once you get to know him," he says and I would snort in disbelief if I wasn't so worried. "He likes her a lot, almost as much as Mr. Flint does. Hm…" he says like he was thinking and then he shakes it off as he starts walking back to the door. "Oh well. Let's go."

I look to my left, where Lavinia had put that thing in the dirt and my heart leaps. My wand! That clever girl. I bend down and grab it real quick, stuffing it in my pocket and turning around when I hear Bailey opening that strange door.

"You first," he says with a big smile, his bug like eyes blink at me behind his glasses.

I tighten my jaw and resist hexing him. I need to find Evelyn. I walk over stiffly and start climbing the odd looking stone stairs down into the darkness. The stairs are long and torches light the way down as it spirals into the earth. I feel like I'm going to the pit of hell it's self with Bailey trailing behind me, giving me the history of the limestone walls and torch holders. The bottom was a large watery pit, with large rocks growing from the depths and little patches of land uncovered where torches are stuck in the rock to light everything. There were about twelve robed death eater's all with their wands out, standing around at the ready.

There were four large stone slabs that had etchings along the side at the very center of this odd cave thing. They were rune signs and I narrowed my eyes as I tried to read them in the darkness.

"Cass!" My eyes snapped to my sister as she tried to come running towards me, only to be pulled back by that brute.

"Where are her clothes?" I snap hatefully as I see her cross her arms and shiver. She's not wearing the gray dress and leggings I saw her come down in. Evelyn is so thin that I don't even think she needs a bra and she's just wearing a pair of blue knickers and a thin tank top that most girls wear under their shirts… and her red rain boots. "Where are your clothes?" I ask her worriedly. This makes me very uneasy.

"Oh, don't worry about anything like that," Bailey says as he walks behind me. "Bring him out," Bailey says and I raise my eyebrows when I see Harry Potter being carried to one of the stone tables. They lay him on without care and I narrow my eyes. He's not wearing any clothes either… just a pair of briefs. "It's nothing dirty. We need you to remove your clothes as well."

"What?" I ask as a robed death eater comes up to me and starts unbuttoning my shirt. I push them back and they stumble, falling into the water. "Why do you need my clothes off?"

"Not all your clothes," he says as he walks over to the slab and starts doing something with his wand over Potter's chest. He must be passed out because he's not moving. "We'll save your modesty, but clothes are just another barrier to go through and what we're doing is going to be difficult enough as it is. Bring Bellatrix here," he says as he snaps at someone to the right. "Put her on the stone by Mr. Potter please. Now, do we have any of her things?"

A guy comes out of the shadows, I recognize him as Theodore Nott. He has an icepack up to his face and when he brings his hand down I wince at the bruises and cuts on the right side of his head. "Gavin said he destroyed the dress and she," he says nodding to Bellatrix on the table. "She said that Ginny Malfoy destroyed her necklace. So, no, we don't have any of her things."

"Well," Bailey says in irritation as she moans in pain. "We'll have to do this the hard way, then. Put the girl on the table and you," he says looking directly at me. "Take off your clothes please. I won't ask again."

He turns back to a few cloaked figures and waves an irritated hand. "Bring him out as well…" he says and they gasp in excitement. I watch as the brute dumps Evelyn on one of the tables and when she tries to get up, he pushes her back down. "Bellatrix is going to take too long and we have to start on his before the body dies."

"Who?" I ask worriedly.

The men disappear into the murky darkness of the cave and when they come back, a thing in a pink dress is stepping beside them. The skin on her is even more rotted than before and it looks like chunks have literally fallen off. I cringe and I'm glad there is a hood covering her face.

"Very good," Bailey says as he walks over to the thing and puts his hand out for her to take. "Now, let's get you in place, shall we?"

"Who is that?" I ask to anyone who will listen.

I look at Evelyn. She's crying.

"Go outside and wait, Crabbe," Bailey says as Crabbe holds my sister down. "Guard the cave and make sure no one gets in or out. Am I clear?"

"Yes, sir," the large man says before disappearing and Evelyn sits up straight and crosses her arms like she was cold…. And I guess she is, really. It's freezing down here. One of the remaining death eaters walks over to her and makes sure that she sees his wand so she won't try to move.

I put my hand in my pocket to pull out my wand and I'm about ready to sneak over to my sister, but something holds me back and I glare over my shoulder at the robed death eater. Instead of calling me out, or cursing me, whoever it is brings a hand up to their lips to signal for me to be quiet. The lips...the jaw line… it looks familiar to me, only there are weird red scars on the exposed skin and I tilt my head down to see the person better but a splash makes me shift my focus. I look over as they try to put the thing in pink on one of the tables.

"Now, just to clarify what's going to happen," Dr Bailey says as he looks over the thing in pink. "We're going to extract the fragment of your soul from Potter's body so you can be more whole, if you will. That way you can jump into another," he tells the thing. The thing hisses back at him and I scrunch up my nose. Am I that other he's talking about? "This is probably going to hurt," he says. "But this is all groundbreaking magic and I'm sure you appreciate it."

"What are you talking about?" I ask and Bailey looks up at me with a smile.

"We're making history here, Cassius. No one has ever seen magic like this before."

"Who is that?" I snap as I point to the thing on the table. "I don't understand."

"Well," he says as he smiles down at the thing in pink. "It's Our Lord… and he is due for a comeback."

I narrow my eyes. "You kept saying it was a she," I say in disgust because I don't really know what the fuck she is. "You were calling it a she," I say as I remember Gavin's memory.

"We all have different aspects that make us who we are," he says like we were back at the university and he was the professor again. "Our soul is similar to our mind… it's is split into many facets. Civilized, primal, unconscious, conscious, male… female. Even our Dark Lord is divided that way and here is a whisper of that very faint but very present part of himself that has survived."

"So, he's a chick now?" I ask and Bailey bristles.

"No, he's not a chick," he snaps at me. "Once I take out the bit of soul he placed in Harry Potter he will be more like himself. Stronger, confident, more of his male side…. and when he has his vessel he will be like his old self again. It's amazing magic and you will respect it."

I reach for the wand in my pocket again, but a hand on my arm stops me and I glare at the person again only to see a pair of familiar silver eyes staring right back.

"What…"

"Sh," he says quickly so I don't continue and he puts his hood back down to cover his face. "Don't do anything," he says under his breath and I hesitate a moment before doing as he says. "Wait."

Bailey takes a dagger and walks over to Harry Potter who's still passed out on the stone table. Bailey mumbles a few words that make the runes etched into the stones glow and then he slashes a cut down Potter's chest. I wince and close my eyes as he mumbles more things.

"He's going to kill him," I say because I want my Dad to do something… to let me do something.

"Not yet," Dad says seriously and I frown as Bailey takes out his wand to do more things.

"Bring me the stones," he says to one of the followers and someone brings him a handful of clear looking crystals that Bailey arranges on Potter's body. One on each thigh, one on his right sounder, one of his left, and then one right in the middle of his chest where the blood is. He says a few more ancient words and pours some odd looking potions on Harry's open wound.

The potion starts to sizzle and I crinkle my nose as Potter arches his back and his chest rises in the air. He starts making a weird gasping noise, like the lungs were being ripped from his body and the stones start to glow an odd yellow color. I start to run forward to stop it, but my father holds me back.

"Cassius," My father whispers. "Let this happen. He needs it out."

I can't help but feel anxious as his body starts shaking and then he collapses against the slab in a weak thump once the lights in the crystals dim. Bailey pauses a second before picking up the stone that's at the center and handing it to one of the robed figures that's waiting for it. He pushes Potter off the slab like he was nothing and Potter splashes into the water, landing on his back. Bailey puts the stone in a goblet and after a few whispered spells it becomes a liquid that he forces the thing in pink to drink.

"This will make it better, My Lord," he says as the thing chokes on the potion. "This is you."

Once it's all down, the thing on the table starts thrashing and spitting and hissing all kinds of things before silence falls and it sits up straight.

I gulp.

"Now," it says in a deep dark voice that doesn't fit the body. "Now. Now. Now. Now. Now. Now. Now." The male voice gets louder with each word and Bailey sets his eyes on me as it echoes around the cavern. "Now. Now. Now."

"Bellatrix will have to wait," he says dismissively. "Cassius, you come here now," he says and I send a look to my Dad before doing as he says. "I'm sorry there isn't more time to explain this to you," he says as he pushes me down on the slab and he opens my shirt with the blade, almost nicking my chest with the knife as another Death Eater pulls off my shoes. "I'm sorry, but we need you empty and there is only one way to do that."

"Now. Now. Now. Now…" the thing keeps on repeating as Bailey motions to another man.

"Bring the Dementors out now."

Dementors.

Oh… holy fuck….

"Absolutely not," I say as the thing keeps on chanting. I have a pretty good idea how they're going to 'clear me out' and I'd rather not take part in that.

The robed figure that was holding my sister comes up and holds my arms down. I don't know why he thought that would do any good because I roll my back and kick him in the face. He cusses and pins my arms down with a body binding curse. He steps back as the Dementors get closer and I fight against the bonds, stopping when I feel an icy chill as the Demantors approach.

"You know our deal," Bailey says as the beasts in the cloaks that smells like death and dirt get closer. What the fuck is my father doing? "You only get the people who we tell you you can have."

They don't respond, they just start coming towards me and I fight against the bonds as Evelyn starts screaming. The things get closer to me and all I can feel is misery and despair and terror. There's not a face, just blackness, never ending blackness and I arch my back and throw my neck back.

"Dad!" I yell, feeling like a little boy again. "Dad, do something!"

I clench my eyes shut when I feel an icy hand on my face, holding me still. This can't be happening to me. It's not fair. What the fuck is my Dad doing? Then, just as quickly as it came, the feeling was gone. I felt normal again and I shot up as a white horse went running through the cave, making the demontors hiss and scream and run away. I see Bailey's confused face and we both turn towards my Dad at the same time as he lifts his wand to control his patronus. He has a fierce look on his face and I glance at the bodies of the robed Death Eaters lying around him. All that's left now is Bailey and the creature in the pink dress. I guess _that's_ what he was doing.

"Get up," Dad says as he walks closer and kicks Potter in the shoulder after taking the binding curse off of my arms. I sit up quickly. "I know you're not dead."

"Dad…." I say as Bailey takes out his wand and I jump off the table and take out my wand.

"Take your sister and get out of here," he says. Potter starts to wake after Dad kicks some water on his face. "Get up, Potter," My Dad growls out as he throws a wand at Potter's cut up chest. Potter hisses and a curse comes flying towards us that my father deflects with a swish of his wand like it was nothing and Bailey sneers in anger. "Get up," he snaps again as Potter blinks his eyes a few times. "I don't know how to speak snake and I need to fucking know what he's saying," he snaps and I guess he's talking about Lord Voldemort in the pink dress that is hissing up a storm.

"Give me a second," I hear Potter say in a groggy voice as Bailey starts to attack my father. I duck and grip my wand a little tighter to help but my father pushes my shoulder.

"Your sister," he says, never taking his eyes off the small professor. "You have one job."

I look over to where Evelyn should be. She's jumped off the table and is hiding behind it. The Death Eater that was guarding her lays dead a few feet away and all I can see is the top of her curls as she peaks over the edge. Bailey, for as little as he is, is fierce with his wand and he starts dueling with my father with a vengeance. I doge the curses that come flying by me as I run to my sister and I slide behind the stone table as she crouches with her knees drawn up to her chest.

"Come on," I tell her as I take her shivering arm. "Let's get out of here."

"That's a good idea, I think," she says with chattering teeth because she's cold and I hold her hand as I check around the table again to make sure it's safe to move.

The thing in the pink dress has gotten up and has found a wand from one of the dead Death Eaters. It's blocking the stairs and I send a worried look to Evelyn as Harry finds his barrings and approaches it after realizing where he is and _who_ that is.

"Why won't you just die," he says tiredly before they start dueling. The Pink Dress starts hissing again and my Dad cusses.

"What is it saying?" he snaps as he throws a curse at Bailey. It hits the professor in the shoulder and he groans.

"I don't know… I can't…." Potter dodges a curse that was aimed at his head. "I can't understand it anymore."

"Then you're pointless to me," my Dad retorts cruelly and I bite my lip as I try to work out how to do this. Dad sees me and Evelyn hovering behind the table and he glares. "Get away from the fucking stairs, Potter."

"What?" Potter says breathlessly as he fights and my father narrows his eyes as he deflects another curse from Bailey.

"Do you not understand English now either?" he says hatefully. "Get the fuck away from the stairs."

Potter takes the order and starts running towards the water. The Pink Dress follows and I glance at the two men dueling before gripping Evie's hand a little tighter. "Now," I say as I start running. Curses go flying towards us and my Dad cusses out loud.

"I don't think so," he says as he sends the killing curse at Dr. Bailey's chest in retaliation for trying to curse us. It hits him in the chest and he widens his eyes before falling back into the water.

I'm not even shocked…. In fact, I feel a little justified, and I don't move for a few seconds until Evelyn grips my hand.

Right. Get her out. My one job.

We start running up the stairs and I look over my shoulder one time to see Harry Potter and my Dad fighting side by side against the Dark Lord in a pink dress. It's almost funny, really, when I think about it. The Dark Lord in a pink fluffy dress. Hilarious. Dementors start to lurk around, though. I see them creeping out from the darkness and I send a worried look to my father before I blast open that stupid door on the floor… or door on the ceiling from this perspective, I guess. It splinters off its hinges and breaks into a million pieces. I climb out first and lift my wand as the burly guard that Bailey sent up and he looks bloody surprised when I point my wand at him and accio'd his wand. I snap it in half.

"Give me your clothes," I tell him as I point my wand at his chest.

"What…"

"Give us your clothes," I tell him hatefully as I blast a curse at the ceiling of the cave, making a few rocks crumble to the ground to prove my point. _Everything crumbles_. He starts removing his clothes and when he hands me his shirt, I give it to Evelyn. It fits her like a baggy dress.

"Your boots too," I tell him and he looks nervous. I'm barefoot and this place is covered in jagged rocks.

The boots are too wide for my foot and I have to tie them tight to keep them from slipping off. I'm not a girl, so I don't know how to change the size and I don't want to bother Evelyn to do it.

"Come on, Evie," I whisper as I take her hand and we leave the cave. What would Dad do in this situation? He'd probably kill that man who had smacked Evelyn and treated her so terrible. "Hold on a second," I tell her as I go back into the cave. "One more thing," I tell the man as he starts to head down the stairs into the murky cave bottom. I curse him with a pretty terrible stinging curse and I smile as he slumps against the cave wall and cusses.

Karma is a killer.

Evelyn picks up a rock and throws it at him as well. It hits him in the head. "Stupid old jerk," she hisses as he tries to deaden the pain of the stings as he moves around against the cave floor.

I couldn't kill him like my father, but I can hurt him.

"I don't know where we are," I tell her as we step out of the cave and start climbing down the jagged rocks. "I'm not sure if I can Apparate us home."

"Look up there," Evelyn whispers. She points to lights coming from a small little house on a hill nearby. "Do you think they have a floo network?" she asks.

"Maybe," I say as I bite my lip. Bailey had told Conrad to take Lavinia up to his cottage. Was that his cottage? "I guess we could find out."

It takes us a good while to get up there, it was quite a track, and half way up the large hill where the house is located, Evelyn complains about her legs hurting. I let her climb on my back and I carry her piggy back style the rest of the way up. She's so tiny it barely even bothers me. The windows are open and I let Evelyn down on her feet as I walk over to one to peek inside. I don't want any more surprises, but what I see surprises me more than anything. Lavinia is straddling Conrad on some makeshift bed on the floor. She's not killing him, or strangling him, though. She's _kissing_ him. I furrow my brows and Evelyn stands on her tip toes so she can see as well.

"What's she doing?" she says after seeing Lavinia pull off Conrad's shirt and kiss him with so much passion that it would make any smut story proud. "Why is she doing that with him?"

"I don't know," I answer honestly and I cover Evelyn's eyes when Lavinia starts pulling down the top of her dress.

"Wait," I hear Conrad say as he flips their bodies and settles on top of her. "Let me heal you first. I don't want you to scar."

She kisses him in response and I narrow my eyes. What is she doing? I have a terrible thought of her being in on all of this, but I shake that away. Not Lavinia. She wouldn't. He takes out his wand and runs the length of it against those violent red cuts against her skin, humming to himself as he does it.

"Tomorrow morning is going to be a new world," he mutters to himself as she runs her fingers up and down his arms. "It's going to be amazing." He smiles down at her like she was the greatest thing he'd ever seen and then he pulls another thing from his pocket. "Look what I have," he says as he clicks the side so a switch blade appears.

"Why do you have that?" she questions lightly, still stroking one of his arms and she leans up to kiss his cheek as he smirks at the blade.

"Your dress is filthy," he says suggestively. I look over at Evelyn, she's pulled my hand down and is watching what's going on with wide eyes as Conrad takes the knife and cuts a strap of her dress.

I pull Evelyn down under the sill. "What are you doing?" she asks worriedly as I take out my wand. "Stay down here and look out behind me," I tell her seriously. "I don't want you to see this."

I stand up to throw a curse as he continues to cut the dress from her body, but the door to the little cottage gets kicked open and Conrad jumps up with his wand at the ready. It's Byron and I hesitate going in.

Is he holding a sword?

"Are you holding a sword?" Conrad practically pulled the thought from my mind and he laughs a little. "How very medieval of you," he comments. Lavinia is stripped down to her bra and knickers and she stands up behind Conrad and wraps her arms around him.

What was she _doing_?

"I think your noble knight has come to rescue you, darling," he smirks as she sucks on his neck.

"Take the curse of off her," Byron says sternly and Conrad laughs again.

"What curse?" He asks and she nuzzles his neck. "Lavinia, tell Byron how much you love me."

Lavinia looks at Byron. Her eyes look odd and glassed over. Cursed eyes. "I love him very much, Byron," she says in a monotone voice and Byron's lips press in a thin line.

"Take the curse off of her," he demands again and Conrad smirks as he pulls Lavinia from behind him and hands her the switch blade.

"Drop the sword," he says carefully as Lavinia stares at him like a love struck teenager. Byron doesn't move. "Lavinia," he says again and she blinks. "Cut your arm."

She does it without question and I inhale deeply when I see the blood start to appear. She starts breathing deeply as she brings the knife down and blinks back tears. "That hurt," she whispers as her hand starts shaking.

"I know it did, sweetheart. It was because he wouldn't do as I say." He looks at Byron again. "Put it down or I'll make her do it again. I've had a long day and I'm not in a forgiving mood."

Again, Byron hesitates and he nods at her. This time she cuts her forearm and she hisses in pain and curves her spine like that would deaden the pressure.

"Stop it," Byron says in a panic as he drops the sword. It clatters to the ground and he kicks it to Conrad who smiles as Lavinia turns into his arms and rests her head against his chest like a wounded child. He pulls her back to heal the cuts and then he kisses the side of her head.

"See, that wasn't so hard, now was it, Flint?"

"Take the curse off of her, Foxworth," Byron says gently like he was talking to a wild animal. "Even you know that's wrong. I thought you liked her."

"It's been a long day and I deserve a reward," he replies heatedly. "You know, I almost thought she was dead," he says softly as he traces Lavinia's face with his fingers. She leans into his touch and he smiles like it was a real reaction. "It hurt. It really did and I wanted to celebrate how wonderful things were going to be for us." He gives Lavinia a thoughtful look and then he smirks at Byron. "Why don't you take a seat? I think we're going to finish what we started."

"Conrad," Lavinia says gently in that weird cursed voice. "I don't want to…"

"You would do anything for me, wouldn't you?" he cuts her off and she nods her head as he tilts her chin up with his finger. "Good. Now, if Flint tries to stop what we're about to do, I want you to slit your throat with the knife. Do you understand?"

I gulp and she nods her head. "I understand."

"And you would do that for me, wouldn't you?"

"Yes," she says softly and he smiles before kissing her forehead.

"Good girl. Lay down on the bed."

She does as he tells her to and my heart beat starts to hammer in my chest. What do I do now? If I tried to stop them… would she still do… that... with the knife? I waited too long to use my wand and I curse my stupidity as she looks up at him with loving eyes.

"If he tries to leave…" he trails off as he climbs on top of her. "I want you to do that same thing as if he were going to stop us. Okay?"

"Okay," she whispers as she puts the knife up to her neck. I glance over at Byron as he sits in the chair with his hands white knuckled against the arm rests. His breathing is coming out in short gasps and his eyes look positively murderous as he glares at Conrad Foxworth. I'm sure we're sharing the same panicked facial expression right now.

He begins exploring her body like he was preparing himself to have sex with her and I feel my stomach lurch as he fiddles with her bra strap. I'm going to throw up if I keep watching, so I slump against the house and sit next to Evelyn who has her knees drawn up to her chest.

"I can't do anything," I whisper as I bring my hands up to my head. I could try to get the knife out of her hand with my wand, but if I missed… what if she thought that was Byron trying to stop him and she slit her throat? She would die and it would be my fault and I'm sure Lavinia can't beat an Imperio curse put on her by that guy. He seems like a guy who's studied the Dark Arts.

"God," I hear him say. "You taste so good," he says. "She has the perfect body, doesn't she Flint?" he asks as I hear him kiss his way around her body and I clench my eyes shut. "Full where she needs to be full and slim where she needs to be slim. She's made for fucking, isn't she?"

I cringe.

"Do you fine me attractive, Lavinia?" he asks between kisses and I'm sure that's for Byron's benefit.

"Yes," she says breathlessly and I pull Evelyn to me and I cover her ears.

"Am I more attractive than Byron Flint?" he asks and there's a long pause.

"No," she answers and the kisses stop.

"What?" he says darkly.

"You are not more attractive than Byron Flint," she answers honestly and I hear him growl.

"I have a better idea," he says and I hear him stand. I peek over the window again to see him pull her up. "Go kneel in front of Flint," he tells her as he throws her towards Byron who is still sitting helplessly in the chair.

She stumbles for a second before catching her balance and with quiet steps she walks over to Byron. She drops to her knees in front of him with the knife still in hand. Conrad starts pacing behind her.

"Do you think he's handsome?" Conrad asks sharply. I think he's lost his bloody mind. He looks fucking mental.

Lavinia reaches a hand out and runs her fingers over Byron's jaw like she couldn't help herself and Byron closes his eyes. Conrad's face becomes twisted in anger when he notices. "Yes," she whispers. "He's the most beautiful boy I've ever seen."

"He won't be for long," Conrad says scornfully. "I want you to cut his face."

"W-What?" She stumbled with the demand and that inflamed him further. He walked over to her and yanked her back by the hair. Byron sat straight, but Conrad pointed his wand at his chest until he backed down. This was a nightmare.

This had to be a bloody nightmare.

"Do as I say and cut his face. I want it unrecognizable by the time you're finished."

She blinks a few times, obviously struggling with the curse. The curse must have won out because she shakes her head and turns towards Byron. She brings up the knife to his cheek, but Byron grabs her wrist.

"Every time he tries to stop you, I want you to cut your own face," he says as he steps back and starts chewing on his knuckles like a mad man. "Do you understand?"

"Yes," she says and she's crying as she tries to pull her hand back to cut herself, but Byron tugs on her wrist again, pulling it closer to him.

"I'm not going to stop you," he whispers as he takes her hand and presses it against his cheek, slicing it down so he cuts open his own skin. He barely makes a noise, but his body tenses up.

"Do the other side," he demands and Byron turns his head and does it again. Conrad cusses under his breath. "Flint, Jesus Christ. I know you're into self mutilation, but you are taking all the fun out of this for me. Put your hand down." He hesitates. "Put it down," he demands again and Byron reluctantly puts his hand down. "Good, now… cut him again."

Lavinia's whole arm is shaking as she brings the blade to his jaw and slices down. I wince as Byron tries to muffle a painful groan. She does it again, slashing across his the tip of his right cheek down to the top of his lip. Conrad watches with dark amusement as she does it again, cutting from the tip of his hairline down to his dark eyebrow. This time he can't hold back his cry of pain and he squirms in his chair because he wants to get away but he tries to calm himself by closing his eyes and breathing in deeply before opening his eyes and staring right at her. He really is brave, that Byron Flint. She pauses a moment as she stares into Byron's eyes, blinking furiously like she was trying to wake up from a bad dream.

"Do you still think he's handsome?" he asks and she closes her eyes. "Answer me now, Lavinia."

"Yes, I do," she says with a shaky voice and Conrad narrows his eyes.

"Cut off his ear," he says and my heart stops beating. She furrows her brows. "Cut off his ear," he snaps and she shakes her head. He becomes enraged and he walks over to her and controls her hand as he slashes it across Byron's face, deeper than before, and Byron actually calls out as the cut splits open and starts bleeding.

"Do it again," he says as he drops her hand and I can see her knuckles are white around the knife. She doesn't move and neither does Byron. "Do it again," he demands and he goes to storm over to her, but I see my opportunity.

Lavinia drops the knife and I lift my wand, shooting a curse that hits Conrad right in the side. He slams against the wall and falls against the ground, unconscious from the impact as I climb through the window and help Evelyn do the same.

"That was messed up," I voice out loud as Byron stands up and pulls Lavinia into his arms as she tucks herself against his chest. "Are you alright?" I ask them just to make sure and when Byron nods his head, I walk over to her dress and pick it up. It looks like it's been cut to pieces. "We all seem to be very limited on clothes," I say as I look at the tatter and back at Byron who's stony face is staring unblinkingly forward as blood drips from his wounds. Lavinia cries against his chest and apologizes to him over and over again.

"I'm so sorry," she cries as she fists his jumper in her hands. "I couldn't stop. I was trying so hard!"

"It's okay," he replies flatly. "I know you didn't want to."

"What is wrong with him?" she asks against his chest. "Why would he do this?"

"I don't know," he answers in that same dead voice. I know that voice. Byron is pissed.

She pulls back and looks at his face. It makes her cry harder. "I am so sorry. I can heal you. I promise."

Evelyn walks over to an odd chest of drawers and starts sorting through it. "Here are some clothes," she says as she pulls out a gray hooded sweat shirt and green sweat pants.

Lavinia doesn't move from her spot against Byron as Evelyn walks over to her and hands them to her. I turn away as she starts pulling them on because that seemed too personal to me. I had seen Lavinia in a swim suit before and she was my little sister, so seeing her so unclothed really wasn't much of a shock, but watching her try to awkwardly get dressed again felt wrong to me. The pants are too short for her, of course, and the sweat shirt shows off her midriff with the sleeves up to her elbows. Those are definitely Bailey's clothes. The thought of him leaves a sour taste in my mouth and I shake it away.

"Let's go home," I state as we start walking towards the door. There's not a fireplace in here and I sigh tiredly. "Do you know where we need to Apparate?" I ask Byron and he tightly nods his head.

"Let's go outside the gates," he answers as I walk over to Conrad and I start rummaging through his pockets.

I find two wands and I hand them to Byron and Lavinia. Evelyn gets shafted because she's the youngest and least experienced of us all, but she doesn't seem to mind. She's too busy trying on shoes that are stacked against one of the walls. She finds a pair of white trainers and she feels the tips for her toes before taking them off.

"I think theses will fit you, Liv," she says as she hands the shoes to our other sister. "There are a bunch of rocks outside," she explains as she pulls back on her red rain boots and I glance out the window. It's getting even darker, if that's possible. Night time is officially here and the moon is covered with clouds. I realize how quickly this fucked up day has gone. Out of the corner of my eye I see Lavinia walk back over to her dress and she digs through the tatters until she finds a small ball and she rolls it in her hands for a few moments before putting it in the front pocket of her sweat shirt.

I take Evelyn's hand and I usher her to the door with Lavinia and Byron trailing behind. When we get to the door, I hold it open, but when it's Byron's turn to pass the threshold, he pauses.

"What are you waiting for?" I ask as he looks over his shoulder at the passed out Conrad.

"Give me a second," he says as he goes to shut the door, but I stop it with my hand.

"What are you doing?" I ask seriously, but I feel Lavinia push my hand away until the door snaps shut. "Lavinia…" I say but she cuts me off as she takes my arm and leads me away from the house.

"I learned my lesson," she says flatly and I have no idea what she's talking about.

A few minutes later, Byron comes out of the house, carrying that sword and wiping off the bloody blade with a dirty towel. I don't even want to know, so I pretend like I don't see it as Lavinia walks over to him and brings her hands up to his face. She starts kissing him all over his face like her lips could heal the cuts. I look away again because it felt like another intimate moment I wasn't supposed to see. They started mumbling things to each other in hushed voices and he brings one of his hands up to her hip and plays his fingers along the curve of her body… I tried looking away again. It wasn't working well for me and I couldn't help but feel a little bit bitter about it.

I realized at that moment that I was _jealous_ of them.

Out of all the relationships that I have had in my life, never did I tell a girl I loved her. I've never been in love, to be completely honest, and that kind of pissed me off. I'm twenty three years old, what have I been doing with my life? I should at least be engaged by now. I sneer when I think of the one girl I had my eye as of late and how she sold me out to Bailey and his little team of washed up Death Eaters. What is wrong with me? Why do I attract the worst girls?

"What's that?" Evelyn asks as a black cloud comes swarming towards us.

I squint my eyes and then I inhale deeply when I realize that it's not a cloud at all. "Dementors," Lavinia says worriedly as pulls herself away from Byron long enough to look.

There are a lot… too many. I've never seen so many. "Do you know how to do a Patronus?" I ask my sister and she nods her head as I push Evelyn behind me. "Feel free to use it," I tell her as I lift my own wand and try to focus.

It's not an easy spell to do and I was a little out of practice. I don't run into dementors very often and the last time I used this spell was when I was actually learning how to do it my last year of Hogwarts. It's needless to say I was a little rusty. I wish I could say that my Patronus was something cool and manly like a lion… or even a panther like Gavin's, but I have no such luck. My animal is some type of bird. I'm not completely sure what kind of bird it is, to be honest. I never really cared to study it but when it busts out of my wand and flies towards the hooded soul suckers, I kind of wish I knew. Byron's silver wolf goes running out next and after a few silent moments a small lamb trots out of Lavinia's wand.

"Really?" I say sarcastically as the little fluffy thing goes running towards the dementors who start to scatter.

"I can't help it," she whispers fiercely and I shake my head. "They keep coming," she points out and after our weak spells die, more dementors replace the ones that had run.

I already escaped getting my soul sucked out, thank you very much. I'm not going to go down again and I lift my wand to do an even stronger patronus charm, but something warm and fuzzy and happy courses through me. I smile and I look to my right where Lavinia is holding a small glowing ball. Her mood manipulator.

"I am very pleased that you used that," I tell her with a smile and she hands it to me.

"Throw it at them," she says with her eyes twinkling, the mood manipulator shaping her emotions into something content. "You have a better arm than me."

I wind up and throw the glowing ball right into the cluster of hooded figures. They start hissing and screaming and then there's a loud pop noise before they all disappear. The mood manipulator falls somewhere on the ground and turns off as ashes come pouring down on us.

"What is this?" Evelyn asks as she holds out her hand to catch some of the ashes and I make a face as the emotions manipulator rubs off.

"You're catching a dead dementor in your hand," I tell her flatly as I put my wand in the pocket of my pants. Evelyn cringes and pulls her hand back.

"It's kind of sad that being happy destroyed them," Lavinia whispers softly as we start walking outside of the ward gate of Dr. Bailey's home.

"What's the point of dementors, I wonder," Evelyn says by my side as Byron wraps his arms around Lavinia's waist and I pull Evelyn towards me. "What about Dad?" she whispers and I tighten my jaw.

"I have to get you home," I say and I look over to Lavinia and Byron.

"Byron," I say seriously once we get to a safe Apparation zone. He looks at me. "Can you Apparate two people at the same time?" I ask and he studies my face before nodding his head.

"Thank you," I tell him as I hand off Evelyn to them.

"Wait, no," she says as she tries to push Byron off. Lavinia seems to understand and she takes her hand, trying to pull her back. "What are you doing? Where are you going?"

"Just go home with them, Evelyn," I say and she makes a sad face before Byron pops all three of them away.

I stare at the spot they just left for a few moments before taking out my wand and turning around. I start running back towards the beach, pumping my legs and jumping over rocks and other annoying things that are in my way. When I reach the beach, I climb up the rocks to the cave and pause a second when I realize that the brute isn't there anymore. Where did he go?

I narrow my eyes and start running down the stairs, two at a time. The torches make my body cast a shadow, but I ignore it as I continue to run. Potter is over by Beatrice, holding her body to his chest as he cries and I make a face when I see it as I look around for my father.

"That is Bellatrix Lestrange, you fucking pounce. Would you please stop hugging a dead woman and fucking help me," I hear a hateful voice say.

Well, my Dad is definitely here somewhere.

I take tentative steps further into the cave and I glance around. Where could he possibly be?

"Why are you fighting against me?" I hear the deep dark voice ask. It's the same voice that came from the pink dress creature. "Your family has always been loyal, Malfoy. We would own the world again."

I walk around one of the large rocks and see them. Lord Voldemort, in the puffy pink dress and decomposing body, is standing over my father who's sitting in the shallow end of the water, like he just got hit with a curse and was in the process of standing up. There's some blood in the corner of his mouth and I tighten my hand around my wand.

"You know I wasn't going to let you do anything with my children," Dad says seriously.

"It's a privilege," Pink dress says seriously. The deep man's voice sounded demented and weird coming from the corpse woman's mouth. "You should be proud your son was chosen."

"You can't even begin to understand how wrong you are," Dad says and the Dark Lord sneers.

"I understand everything," he says like someone had called him stupid and he was offended. The Dark Lord was a legend in the magical world, but I just couldn't see the man who had murdered thousands and nearly took down an empire wearing a pink dress.

"Why didn't you just use someone else?" My Dad says hatefully as he stands up. "Anyone else. One of your fucking followers would have worked. I might have even cared to help you, but you had to use my children," he says like the thought angered him so much that he couldn't contain his temper. "My children," he repeats again, like it was the worse betrayal. "And that was your greatest mistake."

"How dare you speak to me that way," The Dark Lord hisses.

"Oh please," my Dad scoffs as he kicks away a rock that was by his foot. It ripples against the water. "You're wearing a pink dress and your followers were referring to you as a woman for the past few months. I can speak to you however I fucking want."

The creature sneers and I notice for the first time that my father doesn't have his wand. He's at the disadvantage here. "You know what I'm going to do, Malfoy," It says as he tilts his head to the side, speaking in a calm like manner that makes me feel uneasy. "I'm going to keep you alive," he says seriously. "So you can witness what I'm going to do."

"What's that?" My Dad asks flatly as he looks over the pink dress. "Knit me a sweater?"

"I'm going to kill your children," he says and I feel my spine tingle. "But I'm going to take my time doing it,"he says as he starts walking around my wandless father like a predator circling its prey. "I will crucio your oldest son into madness and then I _will_ take his body," he states and I swallow the lump in my throat. "And then I'm going to take the other son that you have, the one who acts just like you," he says as he glares at my father. "I'm going to cut out his eyes and make you wear them as a necklace while I flay him alive and use his skin to decorate my new house." He starts walking again. "I'm going let every pervert in Azkaban rape your daughters and then you'll watch while I cut off their heads and then burn their bodies."

Dad tightens his jaw, but looks unflinching forward as the Dark Lord walks closer until he's standing right behind my Dad.

"And then," It says against my father's ear with a demented smile on it's rotted flesh. "I'm going to use your son's body to fuck the wife that _I_ gave you." It pauses a moment for that to sink in. "I might even keep her," he says thoughtfully. "Just so you'll know when you die, that the son that you created is now home to me and the woman that you love will be forcefully fucking her son." He laughs. "She might even start to like it like she started to like you. Who knows? The world is a funny place."

It pauses another moment before stepping back and walking around to face my father again so it's back is to me.

"But it doesn't have to be that way," it says after a few silent moments. Switching it's tone to something more sympathetic. What a manipulative jerk. "All you have to do is apologize and pledge yourself to me again."

What the creature had said had shook my father. I could tell that and even though I never knew the Dark Lord in his prime, I know the stories and I know that he is brutal. Brutal and powerful. What he just told my father wasn't just talk. He meant it and he would do it. Dad is a very prideful and stubborn man, so I could see him wrestling with his decision. The Dark Lord, even in this form, is a stronger wizard and Dad doesn't have his wand. A part of me has to wonder what's going through my Dad's head right now. A part of him has to want to agree and go along with it. He once followed this creature whole heartedly and believed everything he stood for.

He had tortured people and killed people for it.

Dad looked down. There's nothing he can do right now but give in or accept whatever cruel fate the pink dress thing has in store for him… he doesn't have his wand.

But I do.

I step out from behind the rock and lift my wand as my father starts to answer.

"I—"

"Avada Kedavra," I say softly.

The cave lights up in green and the curse hits the creature right in the back. There's a second of dead silence where I thought my curse didn't work. I was starting to panic because I didn't know what to do. I was afraid my curse wasn't strong enough and that the creature would turn around and really torture me like it said it would, but a moment later the person in the pink dress falls face foreword into the water, making a splash. I just kept on staring at it. I've never killed anyone before and I didn't even realize my father had moved until he took my wand out my hand.

"It's okay," he says because he has to practically pry it from my hand.

"I've never killed a person before," I state out loud as I look at the body slumped on the ground.

"Your record is still clean," he says seriously. "That wasn't a person." He tilts my head until he finds my eyes. "Cassius." I blink a few times until I look into his eyes.

"Yeah?"

He puts his hand on my neck. "You did the right thing," he says like he felt like he needed to tell me that and I blink a few more times before I exhale. I didn't even realize I was holding my breath.

"I know," I say even though I didn't sound convincing. I swallowed hard. "Evelyn is safe," I say just to say something. I look at him and nod my head. "She is home and so is Lavinia." My eyes keep wondering to the pink lump in the water.

I had killed it.

Killed it like it was nothing and there it was. Dead.

I just, I feel like that was a little anti-climatic. I wasn't dueling. I wasn't fighting face to face. I had killed someone with a curse to the back and I didn't feel okay with that.

He nods his head and smiles a little. "Good," he says.

"It's…" I look at the thing again. "It's not going to come back again, is it?"

"He had better not," Dad says seriously. "Potter was the last—"

He gets cut off by a yell and we both snap our head towards the person running towards us. It's that brute that I cursed and Dad lifts his eyebrows as he comes barreling towards us.

"Is he really doing that?" My father asks before lifting my wand.

He doesn't curse him, though, someone else beats him to it and when the guy falls over, we see Potter standing behind him with his wand drawn. His eyes are still all watery and he's still only wearing his underwear.

"Oh, good, you decided to help," my father says sarcastically as he hands me my wand. "What impeccable timing."

"Shut up, Malfoy," Potter says as he wipes his eyes under his glasses.

"Let's go home," Dad says as we start walking towards the staircase.

"Wait," Potter says as we start walking up. "I don't understand this. Why is she here?" he points to Beatrice Flint on the table. "What did you mean when you said that thing about Bellatrix? I don't understand what happened here!"

My Dad sighs and stares at him for a long time before walking back up the stairs. "Come on, Potter," he says over his shoulder. "We'll find someone to answer those questions for you because I'm too tired to do it."

Potter hesitates for a moment and he sends one more sad look to the woman on the table before following us out.

We Apparate home, with Potter trailing behind us. "Here," I say uncomfortably as I take off my shirt and hand it to him. It was ripped open with a knife, but it was better than nothing.

"Thanks," he says as he puts it on. Dad watches me from the corner of his eyes. I feel odd. I don't feel well. I know killing the Dark Lord is a good thing, but it doesn't feel good.

The front doors are still blasted open and Dad pauses for a moment to look at it before turning to me. "Go inside, Cass," he says tiredly, taking off his glasses. "I need to talk to Harry."

Harry. I've never heard him call him that before.

"Alright," I say cautiously and I send a look to Potter before walk inside.

Inside I find Mom talking to a group of Aurors which include my distant Uncle, Ron Weasley. Gavin was off to the side, wincing at a wound on his arm and all heads turned towards me when I entered.

"Oh, thank god," Moms says as she runs over to us and hugs me like I was a child again again. "I was so worried."

"What happened here?" I ask as I look at Ron Weasley who's talking to a group of men in Auror robes in hushed voices.

"Where's your father?" Mom asks sharply, like she just realized he should be with me. I explained to her what had happened at the cave, and I told her about Harry Potter and Dad pushing us out as they fought against Bailey and his dementors…. I also told her about Lord Voldemort in the pink dress. She started to look a little pale. I let her know that he was out side, talking to Potter right now "Oh." Is all she says. "Hold on a minute," she whispers as she goes back to talk to Ron Weasley. I glance at Gavin as he goes into the living room and I walk in to talk to him.

"Are you alright?" I ask as I sit beside him on the couch.

He nods his head and pulls something out of his arm. It looks like glass and I cringe. "Glad to see you're alive," he says sarcastically.

"Likewise," I tell him and he spares me a painful little glance, like it hurt him to move his neck. I remember what the creature had said about him, what he would have done, and I try to shake the words off

"Is Dad okay?" he asks quietly as he turns back to the wound on his arm. Evelyn walks into the room with tired steps and I watch her as she comes over to us.

I slump back in my seat as Evie takes a seat in-between us like the annoying little sister that she is. "Yeah," I whisper.

"Do you suppose everything will be normal tomorrow?" Evelyn asks tiredly as he leans her head on my shoulder. "I am so very glad you're okay."

"Probably not," I answer honestly as Gavin shifts in his spot to give himself more room.

"I wish things would be normal again," she says seriously, then she yawns. "I do not like interesting things so much anymore."

"Yeah," Gavin says flatly. "I know what you mean."

After a few moments, Evelyn falls asleep against me and her body slumps further back as she opens her mouth in exhaustion. I give her a sad look before glancing at Gavin. He raises his eyebrows for a moment before facing the fireplace with a sigh.

"Cassius," Lavinia says in relief as she walks into the room. I give her an acknowledging nod. "They sent Aurors to that Hospital," Lavinia says tiredly as she walks further into the room with Byron walking closely beside her. "Weasley says that they sent 'top secret' Aurors… whatever that means."

"He's only doing that because of Harry Potter," I say bitterly because I know he could care less about our father.

"At least he's doing something," she says as she takes a seat on the chaise lounge that's against the far wall. She kicks off Dr. Bailey's shoes and cracks her ankles a few times before laying back and covering her eyes with her arm. Byron stares at her for a few moments before he crawls in behind her and kisses her temple.

Gavin makes a noise and looks away in disgust as the lay beside one another and Lavinia turns so her back is towards us as they whisper to each other. What are they talking about? I'm irritated with their relationship all over again and Gavin and I share a look of annoyance before going back to staring at nothing before us. A part of me is glad that we're all here, all safe, but another part is pissed off that we all had to go through this.

"Gavin," I say after a few silent moments as Byron plays with a ring on Lavinia's finger. He kisses her palm and I look away. Ugh. "Tell me about your daughter."

"What?" he snaps distractedly and I turn my neck towards his.

"Tell me about your baby." I want to think about something pleasant.

"Oh," he says and a very uncharacteristic look crosses his features. He looks almost…almost happy. I haven't seen that warm look on his face for a very long time. Maybe I only ever did when we were boys and he didn't know any better to hide it. I think the look suites him. "You'd like her," he says and he smiles a little to himself. I find myself smiling in reaction to his. "She's cute."

"What's her name?" I ask as I shift Evelyn's head so she's resting against my lap so I can see Gavin better.

"Emma," he says as he looks at the fireplace. "Emma Josephine Malfoy," he says softly like he was trying it out on his lips. "What do you think of the name?"

I smile at him. "I think it's a great name."

"I didn't really get to choose it," he says softly. "But I think I like it."

"I can't wait to meet her," I tell him and he smiles at me before turning away like he was catching himself doing something embarrassing. "What color hair does she have?" I ask to keep the conversation going and he smirks.

"Blonde," he says smugly and I laugh a little at the proud way his voice is. "Like ours."

"That means it's there to stay then," I tell him jokingly and he smiles again and then looks at Evelyn who is slouched down in between us.

"Do you remember when she was a baby?" he asks and I nod my head. "She had white hair." He puts his hand out and touches a lock of her curls. "I wouldn't mind this color either," he says like he was weighing the options in his mind as he twirled Evelyn's strawberry blonde curl between his fingers.

"Hopefully she won't be as mean as Evleyn was," I say as I remember her as a child.

"She wasn't mean," Gavin states and I roll my eyes.

"She didn't hit you all the time," I tell him. She used to smack me every chance she got and Mom tried to say it was because she liked me, but I knew better.

"She just didn't like you," he says smugly, smirking at me. "She loved me."

"Because you would put soda in her bottle," I say sourly. "That's the only reason she liked you more. You're lucky her teeth didn't rot out."

"Hey, they were baby teeth . They come out anyways."

"Oh, that's wonderful logic."

"It works for me." He pauses for a second. "I saw Mom curse an Auror," he says as he stares ahead of him. He laughs a little. "It was glorious." I smirk, thinking of it as Gavin glances over at Byron and Lavinia. "What happened to his face?" he asks and turn to him.

"Who's face?"

"His," he says nodding to Byron and the cuts on his cheeks. "What happened with that?"

"Oh," I say as I turn away. "You don't want to know," I say darkly and I can feel him staring at me questionably.

There's commotion in the hallway and Gavin and I both snap our heads towards it. I see Mom run towards someone and I suspect it must be Dad. Something close to relief washes over me, I don't know why, really… I knew he was okay, I guess I was just worried about that talk he was having with Potter. I carefully slide Evelyn's head from my lap so I can stand up. I glance at Lavinia and Byron once to see if they're going to follow Gavin and me out… but they're both fast asleep as well. I guess everyone has had a tough day.

Standing in the front hallway is Dad, Harry Potter, and small group of Aurros with gold Phoenix badges on their Auror robes. Daniella is the only one with plain clothes on and I cross my arms when I see her. Those new Aurros must have come in with my Dad. She's holding a large golden necklace with a snarling lions head on the end. I know that necklace.

"They ran as soon as the Aurors came," Dad states in that deep bold voice of his. "When they saw what she had, they panicked," he says as he nods to Daniella. "And they started to ward down the building."

"I couldn't get the other one," she says as she walks towards Ron Weasley. "I didn't have my wand and the guy protecting it was very hard to get pass."

"Terrance," Gavin snorts. "That's doubtful. He's an idiot."

I give him a look before turning back to the conversation. "Darren will try to cover this up, you realize," Dad says seriously. "With the others getting away they're going to be able to spin this."

Out of the corner of my eye I see Gavin pull out a chain from under his shirt. "Who was left at the Hospital?" Ron asks.

"A lot of people they had stationed at different posts. As soon as they went to the beach there was a signal for all of them to go to the hospital. They were probably preparing a celebration. They were putting up unplottable wards when I left. I'm afraid what they will do with that other artifact now that their plans fell through."

"What is that?" I ask Gavin as he stares at the red button on the necklace. He looks at me and tucks the necklace back under his shirt. "What is that?" I repeat as he looks away.

"Nothing. I'm not that cruel," he says softly as he walks out of the room. "I could use a drink," he says to me, ignoring everyone else in the room. "Do you want something?"

He doesn't even bother with my answer as he leaves.

People start talking to each other and Mom pulls Dad to the side and studies the scars on his face, barely able to contain her worry. "What happened to you?" she whispers as she touches one that runs from his neck to the tip of his cheek bone.

He doesn't say anything and I stiffen my spine when Daniella finally sees me. She sighs in relief and runs over to me, pulling me in for a hug. I push her back. "Thanks for selling me out," I tell her sharply and she tightens her eyes.

"I'm sorry, Cassius, but it gave me a distraction. We knew we were going to go to the beach anyways to help you. Nothing would have happened."

"You would have been too late," I tell her hatefully. "If my Dad wouldn't have showed, I would be someone else right now. Way to throw me under the knight bus."

"I…." she trails off and shakes her head. I look at the necklace in her hands. I think of all the people's souls stuck in limbo because of it and I think of the life I took today. "I'm sorry. I thought I was doing what was best. It worked out in my head when I was coming up with a plan. I was able to get the key to get your mother out."

"Give this to me," I tell her shortly as I snatch it from her hands and I walk back into the sitting room. Evelyn is still gently snoring on the couch and Lavinia and Byron are still wrapped around each other, deep in sleep. Byron had dropped the sword by the chaise. I walk over and pick it up as I put the necklace on the table.

"Cassius, I need to bring that to the Auror department. The department of mysteries said that it needs to put it in its data base. They have a specific room designed for cursed artifacts,"

"Yeah?" I say because I'm really not listening. I put the tip of the sword to the lions head and I tilt my head to the side as I put both my hands on the handle.

"Hey, what are you doing?" she asks as I bring the sword up. "You can't just…'

I bring the sword down and it cracks into a million different pieces. It starts smoking and hissing and then it turns silent as it lays scattered across the table and floor. I feel better now. I feel like all those people on the Island are finally going someplace better and I felt like I actually did something good today. I feel good about that. I take in a deep breath as I let that settle in. They're where they need to be and we're all alive. It wasn't such a terrible day after all.

"What have you done?" she asks in a panic as she gets down on her knees and starts scooping up all of the pieces. "This is tampering with evidence."

"Ask me if I care," I say, sounding so much like Gavin that I almost annoy myself. "It's better this way," I whisper to myself as I drop the sword.

I know I should do the same with the other Horcrux, but it's unattainable to me right now and if I really think about it, why would I even bother? No one is stuck on that artifact. No one but Paige. I think of her and shake my head. Yeah, she can wait it out.

Dad comes into the room and then eyes slide to Evelyn on the couch. He goes over to her and lifts her up like she was a little girl again. Scooping her up bridle style without even bothering to say a thing to me. She makes a sighing noise as she wraps her arms around his neck because this was a routine she was used to and he puts his arm under her legs so her feet dangle in the air.

"Daddy," she whispers tiredly as he carries her out of the room.

"Gin," he whispers as he walks by her. "I'm going to put her in our bed. I don't think she should wake up alone."

"Okay… I'll lay down with her," she says, looking a little frazzled as she pushes hair away from her face. "Can you…" she looks back at the Aurors and Potter before looking back at him. "Be nice to each other."

She follows him up the stairs and she puts her hand on his back as they walk, like she just wanted to touch him and I have to wonder if she'll still wants that divorce.

"Cassius, are you listening to me?" Daniella says. I look at her with a raised brow. I wasn't even aware that she was talking to me.

"No," I state honestly as I lean against the door frame and cross my arms.

"I was saying that I hope you can understand why I did things the way that I did."

"Yeah, sure," I say tiredly and she takes my hand and kisses my palm. I raise my eyebrows at her.

"Dani," Ron Weasley says with a stern voice and she drops my hand. "Professionalism, please."

She blushes and walks towards the other Aurors. Gavin approaches me with a bottle of firewhiskey under his arm and two glasses filled to the brim with the liquor. He hands one to me and leans against the opposite door frame as we watch people we've never thought we'd ever see in our house converse civilly with each other. I take a sip and wince as it burns down my throat.

"So," Gavin says seriously. "Why is Harry Potter half naked in our foyer?"

"It's a long story," I tell him as I take another drink and he laughs tiredly.

"One I'm sure you'll tell me sometime, right?"

He looks at me and I nod. "Right. Sometime."

Dad comes walking down the long stair way, barking orders to a house elf that's trailing beside him. When the elf pops away, Dad pauses with his hand in his pocket and stares at all the people in his house.

"This should be fun," Gavin comments as Dad puts his hand on the railing and starts jogging down the rest of the stairs to talk to the others.

"What happened to him?" I ask as I look him over. He has red scratches all over his face and neck, like he was attacked by some kind of clawed monster. I didn't really notice it before because I was kind of shell shocked. "Why does he have all those cuts?"

"They're scars," Gavin says softly, taking an emptying gulp from his glass and unscrewing the lid to the bottle so he can pour himself some more. "I'm not very good at healing."

"What are you good at?" I ask, trying to joke, but he doesn't smile. He just shrugs.

"Chopping the heads off zombies," he states seriously and I stare at him. After a few moments he notices and turns to me as well.

"For real?" I say because I would believe anything. Things have been so fucked up.

"For fucking real," he says seriously and I give him a surveying look.

"Well, cheers to that," I say as I hold out my glass and he clinks his against mine. I smile to myself. "Gavin the Zombie slayer," I say out loud and he snorts.

"It sounds nice," he says with a small smirk tilting the corner of his lips. "I should put it on my business cards."

"Hm, that would bring in a lot of new business to Malfoy Enterprises."

"Look at Dad," he says as he nods towards my father who is in a deep discussion with Ron Weasley. "His wand hand with practically twitching. He can't stand that guy."

"But they're all trying to be civil," I point out as we watch Potter push up his glasses as he and my father tell their story to Ron Weasley who writes it down in a small notebook.

"You can't fucking do anything!" Dad ends up yelling in frustration and he tries to calm himself by cracking his neck and taking in a deep breath. Civil time is over, I see. "You know that Darren is going to cover this up. If anything, we will be blamed for what happened. They're going to spin this. You're no longer important at the Ministry, Potter."

"Thanks to you," Potter say bitterly and my Dad raises a condescending eyebrow in his direction.

"Dad killed about fifty people," Gavin whispers seriously. "He would definitely go to jail if they spun this." He pours himself another glass and I give him a concerned look.

Even though that's shocking news…. It's kind of sad to admit I'm not surprised. I saw the damage he could do when we were in that cave. Dad is a force to be reckoned with.

"What do you mean he killed fifty people?" I ask and Gavin glances at me before looking away.

"Get out of my house," Dad snaps. "We'll discuss this later. I need to put the wards back up and I don't want any of you fucking welcome."

"Pleasant as always, Malfoy," Weasley says. "We need to take some statements from everyone. Piece this all together."

"I wasn't joking when I said to get out," he says with a tight jaw. I finish my glass as they all awkwardly stare at each other. Good old Dad. "I'll contact you."

"Malfoy—"

"Get out of my house," he snaps again, this time more hatefully.

After a few tense moments they all start leaving with other Aurors that have been tied and bound. I raise my eyebrows at it but don't question it as I tap my glass against Gavin's arm so he'll refill it. He does without looking and, when everyone is gone, Dad walks over to the busted door and looks down at it with his hands on his narrow hips. I put my wand in my pocket as I go over to help him lift it back into place.

"Where the fuck is my wand?" Gavin asks like he just realized I should have it and he walks over as well. "If I remember correctly, you were the last one to have it," he says as he walks beside me and bends down to help us lift it. It's a heavy fucking door. One of the front doors at Malfoy Manor isn't just made out of paper.

"I'm sorry I lost it," I tell him seriously as Dad counts to three and we heft it up. It strains my muscles and I can feel the veins in my neck bulging. "I don't know what happened."

"Great," he says with a strained voice as we lift up the door.

"We can get you a new one," Dad says as we walk the door to where it's supposed to be and we prop it into position. "Hold it still while I seal it back on," he says seriously as he pulls the wand from his pocket. He begins to put the door back on and once it's in place, he opens and shuts it a few times before slamming it shut and locking the door.

He starts putting up the complicated wards while Gavin and I start repairing the broken things in the hallway, a vase here, a candle holder there…. Putting the place back the way it was before all this crap happened.

"Mr. Malfoy." Byron steps out of the sitting room, looking uncomfortable as he pulls the sleeves of his sweater over his hands. We all turn towards him and I wince again when I see those cuts on his face. "Could you heal me?" he asks uncomfortably. I wonder what was going through his head when my sister was doing that to him. It must have been hell.

I have more respect for him now than I ever did before because he sat through that and took the torture instead of letting Conrad force my sister to do it to herself. I hope everyone else can see what a good guy he is now.

Dad stares at him for a few moments. "Is she still asleep?" he asks, referring to my sister and Byron looks behind him before nodding his head.

"Let me get my wife," he says as he runs a tired hand over his face. "Cass, will you bring your sister upstairs? Your Mom is in my bedroom, so ask her to come down and put her with her sister. Byron…" he looks at him. "Let's take a seat in the kitchen. Gavin will bring you something to deaden the pain."

"I will?" Gavin says.

"Gavin will," Dad confirms as he walks over to Byron and puts his hand on his shoulder so he can steer him towards the kitchen. "Get a pain relief potion from the medicine cabinet please."

I walk past them so I can go get my sister as Dad and Byron start walking down the hall "Tell me what happened…."

I walk up to the chaise and look over Lavinia with a sigh. Should I carry her? I probably could. I bend down to scoop her up, but her eyes flutter over and she blinks a few times before moving away from me. "Lavinia, come on," I whisper as I touch her arm. "Let's go to bed," I whisper and I go to pick her up again but she shakes her head and sits up.

"I can walk," she says with half lidded eyes and her voice thick with sleep. She blinks a few times before standing up tiredly.

"Where's—"

"He's talking to Dad," I answer before she can finish and I put my arm around her as I lead her out of the room.

"Oh," she says, not fully awake as she lets me guide her to the stairs. She leans her head against me as we walk.

"You're tired," I point out and she nods her head.

When we get to my parent's bed room, Lavinia crawls in beside Evelyn and lands heavily against the pillow. Mom's awake and she sits up.

"Dad would like you to come downstairs," I tell her as she moves hair away from Evelyn's face. "Byron needs to be healed."

"Okay," she whispers as she stands from the bed. "Let me change first."

"I'll be downstairs," I answer.

I pause a moment as she disappears in the closet and I look down at my sisters as they sleep. I wish things would be normal for our family. They're both lying on top of the blankets, so I go over to the couch by the fireplace and I take the quilt that's resting along the back. I unfold it and go back over to them to cover them with it. What a wild day.

I look at the closet again before grabbing one of my father's shirts to put on. I chuck off those disgusting boots before leaving the room because I don't want to wear them and be reminded of what happened. I jog downstairs, catching the tail end of Byron and Dad's discussion as I walk into the kitchen.

"He used the Imperio curse on her," Byron says softly. Gavin is standing across from them with his arms crossed as he listens. "She couldn't stop."

"Damn," Gavin says as he hands a potion bottle to him. "You're lucky she didn't get your eye."

"Gavin," my father gives him a looks because he's being insensitive as Byron drinks the potion. "What happened to him?" Dad asks and Byron looks at his knees.

"You know," Byron says after licking his teeth. "She was trying really hard," he says quietly. "I could tell. She was fighting it and even before Cassius cursed him, she beat it. She dropped the knife first." He sits back like he was thinking of something. He smiles a little. "She really is a powerful witch."

"Okay, what do I need to do?" Mom walks past me with her wand ready. She takes one look at Byron and sighs sadly. "What happened?" she asks as she walks towards him and kneels in front of his chair. "What kind of curse was used?"

"There was no curse," Dad says gently as he stands back. "It was a knife."

"That's some good news," she says sympathetically. "They won't scar," she says and Byron shrugs as she takes his chin in his hands.

"It wouldn't matter," he answers as Gavin goes back to his bottle of firewhiskey. Dad takes it from him and takes a long swig. "I have so many."

"We're going to have to talk about your mother, Byron," she whispers as she closes up the cuts on his fact. "This is all very confusing and Harry is very confused as well."

"I know," he says seriously. "But…. But I don't want to talk about it now."

"We all need to rest," Dad says as he leans against the wall and watches Mom as she works. "Why don't you and your brother start cleaning up the library," he says seriously as he looks at each of us. "At least seal the windows so that animals don't get in. The elves don't know how to do that kind of work."

"Alright," I say and Gavin makes a face before following me out. We barely speak to one another as we seal up the library and after half an hour Byron comes into help, his face looking nearly perfect again, but I notice something different about his hair. He has a white streak at his temple that stands out sharply against his black hair. I try to ignore it, but I can't. I won't ask him about it, though. Not right now. Gavin finally steps back after we turn over a few tables the right way and he puts his hands on his hips.

"I'm going to take a shower," Gavin says. "Are you going to go home?" Gavin asks and Byron stares at him.

"Where's that?" He answers flatly and I feel like I should step in.

"Come on, Byron," I tell him and when he looks at me I make a motion for him to follow. "You can borrow some of my clothes."

"Thanks," he mutters tightly. Gavin disappears as Byron and I start walking out of the room. Halfway up the stairs I realize I forgot my wand.

"I'll meet you up there," I say and he raises his eyebrows. "I left my wand."

I jog past the kitchen to get it from the library, but stop in the door way when I see my parents. Mom has her back to him as he takes another long drink from the alcohol bottle.

"We're going to have to have a talk about all of this," Mom whispers as she finally turns to face him. "I can't believe all of this has happened."

"I could obliviate their memories, if you'd like," he offers and Mom frowns.

"Yes, because that worked out so well for you." She snaps and he raises an eyebrow. "You're not doing that to them."

"It was just a suggestion," he says tiredly as he puts the bottle in the sink.

Mom looks him over for a few moments. "Do they hurt?" she asks softly after a few moments of awkward silence.

"Does what hurt?"

"Those scratches," she says as she takes a step closer to him and runs a hand along one on his cheek. "Do they hurt?"

"Not anymore."

She pulls her hand back and turns around again, pretending to tidy up the counter. "You should see a proper healer. They may be able to get rid of them."

"Ginny."

"What?" she says dismissively as she picks up a random napkin and puts it in an empty tea cup just so she has something to do with her hands.

"Look at me." She doesn't. There's a long bout of nothingness as he stares at her back. "Look at your husband, Ginny," he says in a deep voice and she freezes. His tone must have made her pause because she started to turn her neck so she could look over her shoulder.

"What?' she says lightly with a fake curious tilt of her eyebrows.

"Did you really fight against some Aurors today?" he asks and the corner of her mouth tilts up.

"Did you really fight_ with_ Harry Potter today?"

"There's a first time for everything," he says. His movements are quick. He grabs her arm and turns her around, moving forward so he can press his body against hers, pinning her to the table. "Do you still think I'm handsome with these marks?" he asks and I glance down the hallway towards the library.

Is it worth it?

"Yes," she whispers honestly as she stares at his lips. "Of course I do."

He smiles and then he bends down to capture her lips in a passionate and disgusting kiss. I make a face. It's not worth it. I leave my wand behind as I close the kitchen door and head back upstairs. When I reach my room, Byron is laying on my bed with his arm thrown over his eyes to block out the lights. I stare at him for a few moments before I'm sure he's asleep and I click the light switch off so he's in darkness and I close the door.

I hear a click and then I see a flash of light out of the corner of my eyes. I snap my head towards my little brother as he reels back the film on the camera that's hanging around his neck.

"Why did you just take a picture of me?" I ask and he shrugs.

"I'm going to go see my baby girl," he says as he looks up at me. "Would you like to come?"

"Yeah," I say after a few moments. "Yeah, I would."

I smile at him as we start heading towards the stairway to hopefully see one of the silver linings in the large dreary cloud that's been our life lately.

"Where are Mom and Dad?" he asks as he messes with the camera and I make a face.

"Shagging in the kitchen."

"That's disgusting," he says and I snort.

"Says the man who just had a baby."

"Says the man who's not getting any," he says before snapping another picture of me. I grab the camera from him.

"When did you get this thing anyways?" I ask as we walk down the stairs. It looks like a muggle camera and I bring it up to my face to look through the lens. We reach the landing and start walking towards my father's study to use the floo network.

"Mom gave it to me," he says and I give him a look, but I don't bother asking more. He turns on the floo and grabs a handful of floo powder after giving me the address.

When we floo into the Addison's living room, I kind of feel uncomfortable because there was no one there to greet us. That told me two things. Obviously no one knew we were coming, and that Addison's family had terrible wards.

"Wait here a second," he says as he ventures further into the house as I look around the room. It's all floral and polished oak wood.

I hear an odd noise coming from the cloak closet. I walk towards it and press my ear against the door. When I hear it again, I gently creek the door open and frown at what I see. A small bassinet is at the center of the little closet and I look around once more before stepping towards it timidly. I peek over the edge and see a baby. A tiny little baby with pink cheeks wrapped up in a purple blanket. I look around the room again. Uh, why is the baby in a closet? Who does that? I set the camera down and tilt my head to the side as I look at her.

She looks just like Gavin.

She's wearing a small knit hat and I push it back gently, smiling when I see blonde curly hair. I jump when she makes a noise and I send another look around the room, waiting for someone to come out and take her. Where is everyone? The baby moves her head a few more times and then she starts to cry.

I panic and try to calm her.

"It's okay," I say as I put my hand on her stomach. "Don't cry. What do you need? What is it?" I don't know why I'm asking a baby that can't talk what it needs.

Even if she was capable of telling me, I'm sure I'm not the one who should be doing it. She has a blue pacifier by her hand and I pick that up and ease it into her mouth. I have no bloody idea what to do and I'm too nervous to actually pick her up. She looks too small and too breakable for that. She stops crying after a few moments with the pacifier and I sigh in relief as I bend down and wipe a few tears away from the side of her face. She really is tiny. Her little hand wraps around one of my fingers and I smile.

Yes, I like her.

But why was she put in here with all of these forgotten things? What did that mean? I know this is no way to treat a newborn.

I hear footsteps behind me, so I look over my shoulder. "This is really odd…" I start off saying, but I trail off when I see the look my brother has on his face. "What is it?" I ask because he looks shell shocked, like he'd just seen something he wished he could unsee. "Gavin, what's wrong?" I stand up straight and face him.

"I can't…" he says and his eyes are blood shot and watering, like he's about to cry. "Theo told me…" he trails off and hits the wall with his fist, breaking the plaster and shaking the frames on the wall. "I didn't believe him." The noise wakes the baby wake and Gavin's head snaps towards me when she starts crying. "What was that?" he asks as he runs over to me and pushes me aside so he can look into the closet.

"I heard a noise," I tell him as he picks the baby up and looks over her face like he was trying to make sure she was real. "She was just lying in her bassinet."

"They were trying to hide her," he whispers as he cradles her against his chest and stares at her in a relieved way only a father could, I guess. It's a look I've seen my father have a few times today.

"Where are they?" I ask slowly, almost dreading his answer as he walks into the living room and sits down on one of the couches.

"Upstairs," he says distractedly as he places the baby on his lap and starts to unwrap her from her blanket, like he was checking to make sure she was all there and okay.

I watch him for a few seconds and he lets a tear escape from the side of his face as he counts his daughter's fingers. I haven't seen him cry since we were little boys. I furrow my brows and look at the stair way. With careful steps I start heading up, with my hand on the railing and my stomach doing weird turns. It's like my body knew I was coming upon something terrible.

I found Addison's parents in the hallway, slumped over each other on the floor with their eyes open and staring straight ahead. I knew they were dead right away. I could just feel it and I felt my heart twist as I passed them and pushed open one of the bedroom doors where I found Addison on the bed. Gavin must have covered her up because there was a sheet over her body. I couldn't help myself, I walked over and lifted the sheet just in the off chance that maybe she was still alive. Maybe there was some hope that she wasn't dead, maybe there was a spark left that could be revived… but as soon as I pulled back the sheet I knew there was no point in hoping for any such miracle.

Whoever had done this to them was not kind to Addison and I knew that this was some kind of punishment for my brother… or my family… I don't know which. It looked like she fought because her hands had blood on them and few of her nails seemed to be broken. She was covered in bruises and her pants seem to have been torn from her body… there was a generous amount of blood between her legs. I covered my mouth when I realized what that meant and I shook my head and put the sheet back down. I doubt I'll ever be able to get her open blank eyes out of my head now. That's going to be something that will haunt me the rest of my life and I felt my own eyes burning because I knew her. I knew her and she was dead.

I thought of my brother downstairs and then I felt anger for the people who had done this to them and to him. I've really never seen anything like this before and with heavy steps I made my way back downstairs. Gavin was right where I left him, sitting on the couch and speaking softly to his daughter on his lap. I notice he's let a few more tears slip out.

"I'm so sorry, Gavin," I say gently as I walk into the room. He doesn't even bother to look at me and I put my hand on the back of my neck because I feel terribly uncomfortable. "We should call the Aurors or something."

"Which ones?" he asks spitefully. "The good ones or the bad ones? What's the point? They're already dead and, like Dad said, the Ministry would just cover it up anyways."

I knew where he was coming from, but I still felt like we should do something.

"They said that all of those Death Eater's who survived went back to the hospital right?" he asks and I nod my head as I watch him closely. He blinks more tears away, so I cave and sit beside him, putting my arm around his shoulders even though I know he probably wants to shrug me off. He doesn't like to touch. "They put up the wards so no one could get inside. They're going to be safe there until Darren sorts this all out for them."

"I guess," I answer softly and I move my arm when he moves back and pulls that strange necklace from under his shirt again. "What is that?" I ask as I look at that odd looking red button dangling from it.

"Cassius," he says seriously as he stares at it with the baby in the crook of his arms. "What was that place like?"

"What place?" I ask carefully, cautiously.

"That place where you went when you died," he says calmly.

I know what he's talking about. The Island. Why is he asking, though? It wasn't like a real afterlife, or at least, I hope it's not. Addison wouldn't be there if that's what he's thinking.

"It was like a repetitive hell," I tell him honestly and he nods his head tightly before pressing the button on the necklace. "Can you explain to me what that is?" I ask and he shakes his head.

"No," he says and he starts to hand the baby to me after putting that necklace back under his shirt. I lean back because I wasn't ready for it. "Hold her for a moment. I'm going to pack some of her things."

"Oh… oh," I say as he places her in my arms and he stands up. I watch him walk out of the room and I look back down at the little girl. "I'm sorry, Emma," I tell her once I'm sure I'm not going to break her by breathing too hard or anything. I feel bad for her. She lost her mother before she ever got to know her. "I'm so sorry."

"Okay," Gavin comes back into the room with a bag slung over his shoulders. "Let's get out of here. I think I got everything I'll need."

"Are you sure you don't want to contact the Aurors?" I ask as I stand. He comes over to me and takes the sleeping baby from my arms.

"I just want to get out of here. Then we'll tell them," he states seriously and when we floo home he stops in front of the fire place. I nearly run into his back when we floo in.

"What are you doing?" I ask as I step around him.

"Cassius," he says seriously as he looks at me. The baby's is crying now, probably because the flooing scared her. "What… What am I going to do?" He asks, looking generally lost and I sigh as I look at the baby.

"Let me get Mom," I tell him before hurrying out of the room. I tentatively knock on the kitchen door and peak my head in because I don't want to catch them doing anything nasty.

"Yeah?" Dad says and when I open the door all the way I see them sitting at the kitchen table, facing each other and drinking tea from mugs. Thank God.

"Mom, Gavin needs you," I tell her and she tilts her head to the side before standing up. "He's in Dad's study."

"Okay," Mom runs her hand along Dad's shoulders as she passes him. "I'll be right back."

When she's out of the room, I shut the door. "Are you okay?" Dad asks as he sits back in his chair. "I know it's been a tough couple of days."

"Dad…" I say because I'm not exactly sure how I'm going to say this. "I need to talk to you," I tell him before walking over and sitting in the chair across from his. "Things just got more complicated."

He replies with a tired voice, putting one of his scarred hands around his mug. "Story of my bloody life," he says before taking a sip and listening to more bad news that I have to tell him.

It seems to be the story of my life as well.

Oh, the joys of being a Malfoy.


	22. Chapter 22

_**AN: This is the second to last chapter… FYI.**_

_**Ginny **_

"I really did love her," Gavin tells me and I nod my head as I hold him closer. "I know things weren't perfect, but I did love her."

"I know, sweetheart," I tell him gently as I stroke his hair.

It breaks my heart to see him so torn up about this and it is so unbelievably sad that I can't help but feel gutted as well. I did like Addison and she didn't deserve what had happened to her and now my son is heartbroken and his daughter has lost her mother. They had the funeral two days ago and it was all very hard to sit through. I know Gavin's been drinking all morning, but I ignore it as I kiss his temple. I pull back and I sigh as I run my fingers through his thick hair as he lets tears fall. I caught him staring out the library window for the third day in a row and I finally approached him and forced him to talk to me about it. He'd been all but mute since it happened and he sleeps all the time now, more so than he usually does, and that's troublesome. Draco and I have been helping with Emma because he has no idea what he needs to do.

"It's not fair," he states angrily and I nod my head. "Things were going to be good again. It's not fair!"

I let him cry it out. He needs to do it. He won't cry in front of his siblings and especially not in front of Draco. Not like this, anyways. He's too prideful for that, but there is something about being around your Mom that lets your be vulnerable and I'm glad that I'm here for him.

"I'm glad they found them all dead in that place," he says viciously and I frown.

It was odd. One of the men guarding the artifact had activated it somehow once they all gathered there and now they're all considered dead just like my son was considered dead. The Aurors have been questioning us, trying to figure out how Cassius came back so they can use it on the people at the hospital, but we haven't spoken a word about it. We don't care if they come back or not and they've covered up the murder saying it was a random act of violence.

"I'm glad they're all in hell."

He wipes his eyes and stands up, walking over to the library window as he glares at the sky. He's done crying and he'll probably never shed a tear over it again. "Don't say that, Gavin," I say gently. I don't want him to be vengeful and angry. That just eats you up on the inside. I stand up and walk over to him, placing my hand on his back. "You're a father now. You have to put that first and be the man you want for your daughter."

"I saw Dad kill people. A lot of people," he says flatly and I drop my hand. "Is that the way a father acts?" he asks me snidely, looking over his shoulder and raising his eyebrow. "Those people deserved it. All of them. I should have killed Theo Nott when I had the chance and I hope he's in terrible place now."

I tighten my jaw and take a step back. Draco didn't tell me that. He never tells me anything and I look away in anger at the thought of him doing something so terrible in front of the kids.

"Stop talking like that," I snap because I can't stand that he sounds so much like Draco used to. When he was bitter and hateful and I couldn't stand him.

"Like what?" he asks darkly, putting his hand on the window pane as he looks at the sky. He reminds me so much of his father sometimes that it hurts. "I'm just being honest."

"Gavin, look at me," I tell him softly and he turns around and gives me a jerky cock of his head. I sigh and put my hands on his face. His eyes are still blood shot and his pale skin is still tinted pink from crying despite the cold look he's trying to give me. My poor baby boy. "I know this hurts. I know it does, and I know you feel lost, but you can't let this poison make you bitter."

"What am I supposed to do?" he asks as he turns his head away. The movement makes me drop my hands and I cross my arms because of the slight. "Forgive them and move on? Everybody who does that is fucking lying to themselves. There is no moving on from this."

"I know it feels that way now…"

"No, mom," he snaps at me. "It is this way. Period. You can't begin to know…" his voice cracks and he turns away in embarrassment. "I don't want to talk about it anymore," he says softly and I look at his back sadly.

"Hey," I tell him after a few silent moments. I walk over again and touch his arm again. He doesn't bother responding. "I was thinking that maybe we should go and get you a new wand today," I tell him in hopes of lifting his spirits. "I know Evelyn and Lavinia need to get one too. I think we should go together."

"I'll think about it," he says tightly and I nod my head.

"Okay," I say softly. I reach up to kiss his cheek. "I'll come back before we leave."

He nods his head and I go to leave the room, looking over my shoulder once to see him put his hand back on the frame. I sigh sadly before shutting the library door and walking down the hallway.

I need to get out of the house. It is far too depressing here and I might kill Draco if I stay another minute. He's not telling me things again and I hate that. I don't know what his motives are for keeping secrets, but he is constantly holding things back from me and even now, after we've been through all of this, he still holds up in his study, locking the door so no one can get in while he does secret things only he's allowed to know about.

I knock on his study door and when he tells me to come in, I peek my head in. "Hey," I say tightly because I'm angry with him but I don't want to fight.

"Yeah?" he says distractedly as he sorts through papers with his glasses set at the edge of his nose.

"I'm going to take the kids out to replace their wands," I say and his eyes snap to mine. He frowns. "Will you watch Emma? I'll bring her cradle down for you."

He stands from behind his desk and eyes me curiously. "I don't want you to go anywhere just yet," he says and I know why he says that. He's not trying to be a jerk… or controlling. He's just worried, but I'm too upset with him to care.

"I'm not asking permission," I tell him and that struck a chord with him. He narrows his eyes. "I wouldn't have even told you if I didn't need you to watch the baby."

He furrows his brows and tilts his head to the side. "Why are you speaking to me like that?" he asks softly, like I had hurt his feelings by being so short with him. He takes off his glasses and takes a step closer to me. "I thought we were okay again."

"How many people did you kill?" I ask sharply and that stops him in his tracks.

"Excuse me?" He says flatly and I cross my arms.

"You heard me."

"I was doing what I had to do," he snaps at me, angry that I would approach him in such a way. "Don't look at me like that. I did it for our children."

"How many people?" I repeat and he narrows his eyes.

"I'm not doing this with you," he says and I hate it when he says that to me. He walks back around his desk and sits down heavily, scooting his chair up and putting his glasses back on as he takes up his quill. I glare. The honeymoon faze is over and even though I'm so glad that he's alive and well, I'm right back to being angry with him. "You can bring her in here now if you want."

I stare at him for a few more moments. Even after all these years Draco has a hard time talking about things with me. I stare at him for a few long moments before slamming the door. He makes me so mad. I stomp all the way upstairs to the nursery where I find Lavinia feeding Emma with a blue bottle.

"Do you want to get a new wand today?" I ask and Evelyn pokes her head out from behind the couch. I have no idea what she was doing back there, but I don't question it. I walk over and pick up the baby from her arms, placing a kiss on her soft curls before looking at my girls. "I was thinking we could all go together."

"Is Daddy coming too?" Evelyn asks as she stands from behind the couch.

"No. He has work to do," I lie because I have no idea what he's actually doing.

"What about the press?" Lavinia whispers and I make a face at the thought of it.

"I 'm sure Olivander's will shut the store down for an hour so we can be in there alone. They did it when Cassius got his first wand."

It was such a media storm the first year Cassius was due for Hogwarts. I have no bloody idea why, but I can understand why famous people get perks like that now. I'm no longer bitter about it. I have one of the elves put the cradle in Draco's office and when I put the baby down in it, I don't even acknowledge him. I glance at him once before I leave the room as he looks into the cradle and smiles down at the baby inside. He's a jerk who shouldn't be smiling at babies, I think bitterly, before shutting the door.

"Let me see if your bother wants to go," I say to the girls before walking back to the library. He's not in there and I sigh in annoyance before glancing out the window. I can usually spot the blond hair from miles away now and I can see Gavin with his hands stuffed in his pockets, walking towards the Quidditch pitch with his brother by his side. I squint my eyes and see Cassius put his arm around Gavin's shoulders as he holds two brooms under his right arm.

Cassius has always been a good influence on Gavin and I think that's what he needs right now. I wonder what things would have been like if Gavin was the first born and Cassius was second… I wonder if that would have changed their personalities. I smile sadly again before turning around and heading back towards the front hall.

"It will just be us today," I say when I reach them.

Lavinia and Evelyn walk to the front hall and I go towards the closet to get our cloaks. Fall is drawing near and it's getting colder outside. I hand them their things and I clasp my own cloak around my neck, pulling out my gloves and hat as well.

"Why aren't Gavin and Cass coming?" Evelyn asks seriously and she clasps the silver neck of her new white cloak around her shoulders.

"I think they need some alone time," I state seriously as I hand Lavinia her knit beret and black mittens. "Besides, just a girls day out would be good, don't you think?" I nod my head but neither of them bother to respond as we go outside and start walking down the walkway. It is chilly so I pull on my hat and leather gloves.

"Are you and Dad fighting?" Lavinia asks softly by my side and I give her a sideways glance.

"Why would you ask me that?" We weren't fighting in front of them. I hate it when they pick up on this stuff.

"It's just that… he didn't walk us to the door like he usually does…."

"I wouldn't worry about it," I state curtly because I don't want to talk about it and I hold onto Evelyn as we Apparate to Diagon Alley. It's after school season and too early for Christmas, so the streets are practically bare besides one or two shoppers who are loading up for the weekend. I take Evelyn's hand like she was a little girl again as we start walking down the street towards the wand shop.

No one is inside and I walk over to the counter and wait for the old man to walk out. I have no idea how old Olivander is and I doubt he'll ever die. My great great great grandkids will probably buy their wands from the same man.

"Hey, Mr. Ollivander," I say warmly as he adjusts his glasses on his face and smiles at me as he limps over to us. "I was wondering if you could help us replace my daughter's wands. We seemed to have lost them." That was an understatement, but I didn't feel like going into details. "Could we possibly lock the doors just in case the press comes? We'll be quick. I promise."

"Oh, yes, yes, yes, of course," he says as he walks over to the large double doors and slams them shut, locking them and putting the close sign up as Evelyn runs her fingers along the boxes of wands on the shelf. "Let's see here… are we going for exact replicas or something totally new?" He walks over to Lavinia and studies her face. "Oh, my, well…. Unicorn hair won't do for you anymore, dear," he says and Lavinia frowns.

"What do you mean?" she asks as he disappears down a row of shelves. She looks at me. "What did that mean?"

I shrug, and when he shows up again, he has six wand boxes in his hands. "You need something totally different than before."

"You remember me?" she asks softly and he nods his head.

"I remember everyone, dear girl. Now, try this one," he says as he hands her a rather short and fat looking wand. She picks it up and nothing happens. "Okay, well, that won't do," he says as he throws the wand over his shoulder. "This one," he says as he pulls a longer, dark wooden one out of a velvet case." Lavinia picks it up and looks it over. A shelf falls over near the back, sending rows of boxes to the ground, and Olivander snatches the wand from her hand. "That won't do either. Let's try wand number three."

He hands it to her and it glows with a lumos spell. He grins at her and she gives me an uncomfortable look. "That will do! It's good that you lost your old one," he says as he throws the other boxes behind the counter. "You've changed so much it doesn't suit you anymore anyways."

"Not that much," she replies stiffly and I look at her curiously as she bites her lip.

"Oh! I think I found mine!" Evelyn comes running towards us from the back of the store. She's covered in soot and the new white cloak we bought her for this winter is covered in the blackness. She's holding a wand that looks like dark blue marble. "Look, it's my favorite color!"

"Where did you get that?" Ollivander asks seriously as he glances at the wand like it was treasured artifact that she wasn't allowed to touch.

"Oh, in a pile in the back."

"Under a sign that said 'Do Not Touch?" he asks and she smiles at him.

"Is that what that said?" she asks and I almost smile because no matter what Evelyn has been through, she will always be the same silly little girl. "Well, if you didn't want anyone to touch it, why was it out in the first place?"

"She has a good point," I say and Ollivander adjusts his glasses again.

"That was one of the last wands my father ever made," he says as he stares at it.

"Oh…." Evelyn feels guilty now and she looks down at the wand. "I'm sorry. You can have it back."

He doesn't accept it when she tries to hand it to him. "Well, give it a whirl then. Let's see what it can do."

She gives me an excited look and then she flicks and swishes the wand until sparks fly up in the air. "I _want_ it," she whispers as the blue sparks start to fall on us from the ceiling.

"Then you can have it. Take good care of that wand, Miss. It's one of a kind."

"Aren't all the wands supposed to be one of a kind?" Lavinia asks suspiciously as she looks down at the wand in her hand.

"Come on, let's pay so Mr. Ollivander can open his shop again," I say as I usher them to the checkout counter.

Once they pick out the wand cases that they want, I put my purse on the counter and take out the money purse from my bag as Ollivander gives me the total.

I make a face. "Is it that much because of Evelyn's one a kind wand?" I ask as I count out money. Even though I have Draco's bank vault at my disposal, I still feel odd spending a lot of money. It just doesn't feel right to me.

He nods. "Afraid so," he says. "It's made from one of rarest blue wood trees in the world." I nod my head and hand him the money. Before he takes it, he stares at me until I cock an eyebrow. "Are you sure, Mrs. Malfoy, that now is not the time to invest in your own wand?"

"I already have my wand," I answer politely. He asks me this every time I come into his shop and he becomes more persistent each time.

"That is not your wand," he says and I can feel my girls staring at me as Ollivander reaches under his desk and pulls out a cherry wood wand case. "I have been waiting for you to pick this up since you were eleven years old."

"What's wrong with her wand?" Evelyn asks curiously as he opens the case and I stare at the wand inside that's made of some blonde looking wood with twirls and etchings along the sides.

"It's not her wand," he repeats. "I was disappointed when you never came when you were a girl."

"My wand works perfectly well," I repeat. It's actually not my wand. It's was my grandmother's wand and I used it because my family couldn't afford to buy me a new one. I want to hold on to this one. It's the one thing that I have in my life right now that is actually _mine. _It's something from my old life that I don't have to share with Draco. "I like my wand," I repeat a little more firmly so he doesn't bother me anymore.

"Why don't you just hold this one," he says as he tries to hand the wand to me. I look at Lavinia and she raises her eyebrows. "I think you may have second thoughts once you hold it."

"I think you should, Mom," Evelyn says as she eyes the wand in his hands. "It is much prettier than yours."

"Fine," I sigh, giving in and I grab the wand. A feeling jets through me as soon as I touch it and I know right away that this wand was meant for me and that I have to have it. Damn that Ollivander. "I…" I stop myself. I don't want to buy my wand with Draco's money. I really don't because this is mine and I don't want him to be a part of it. Even though I love him… I want things that are just mine alone and he has no idea what to do when it comes to personal space. "Fine, I'll get it," I say bitterly and Evelyn claps her hands as I pay for it.

When we finally leave the shop, with my new wand case in my purse, I put my hood up and look at my daughters. "I think we should go to the Gallery," I say. I'm going to take money from my stash there to replace the money I used just now to buy my wand. I want it to be mine too badly to have Draco's money pay for it.

"Can we get ice cream first?" Evelyn asks and I stare at her as I put on my gloves.

"It's so cold out today, Evie," Lavinia says as she pulls on her beret. "Why would you think ice cream was a good idea?"

Evelyn shrugs. "I just love ice cream. Can we please go, Mom?" She's looking at me so sweetly now and I give in. She deserves some ice cream. She deserves to act like a fourteen year old after what she had been through.

"Let's go then," I whisper and she grins as she follows behind me and her sister as we head towards the ice cream parlor.

"Your cloak is filthy," Lavinia says to Evelyn as they walk on either side of me.

Evelyn glances down at her soot covered cloak and shrugs as we walk into the ice cream shop. "I don't mind soot," she says lightly as we take a seat at one of the metal tables. I always get paranoid when we're like this in public. Anything could happen and a part of me almost wishes Draco was here, but I beat that thought away. I'm an independent woman and I don't want my daughters thinking they constantly need a man around to do things.

"Oh, yes, um, hi," Evelyn waves down a waiter as Lavinia hides her face in embarrassment. "Could I have a Sunday split with nuts and sprinkles and two cherries, and also a chocolate milkshake?"

"Okay," the flabbergasted man says as he writes it down on his notepad. "Medium or large?"

"Well, a large Sunday split, but a medium milkshake," she says and Lavinia shakes her head as she picks up the menu.

"Why even bother with the medium," she mumbles and Evelyn looks at her for a few seconds before nodding her head.

"She's right. I want a large in both of them." I give her a look and she smiles at me. "I didn't eat lunch," she admits and I smile at her.

"What about you?" the waiter looks at my other daughter and he blushes when she glances at him. I smile again. Lavinia is very pretty and she has no idea she is.

"Um, well, I guess I'll have the fruit parfait," she says and I stare at her for a few moments because that seemed like odd choice. Laivnia has always been semi-conscious of her weight and she's lost so much this summer that I'm actually starting to worry. "A small, please, with non fat yogurt."

"You can't get a yogurt parfait at an ice cream place, Liv," Evelyn says with a crinkled nose and Lavinia frowns at her. "That's just silly."

"Then why is it on the menu?" she counters.

"I'll have a diet coke," I cut in before they start bickering. "That's all."

The man nods and takes our menus as Lavinia slumps against her seat and Evelyn starts reading the special's menu that's nailed to the wall. "So…." She trails off and I glance at her. "So…. What happens to everything now?"

"What do you mean?"

"I mean. I'm not having anymore nightmares," she says and I wasn't even aware that she was having them so I give her a sad look as I put some curls over her shoulders. "What happened?" she asks. "Can someone explain to me why all this happened?"

"The Dark Lord will never go away, that's why this happened," Lavinia replies bitterly and I look at her for a few moments before looking at my youngest.

"No one really knows what's happening, honey."

"But why us?" she says seriously. "Why did all the bad stuff have to happen to us?"

I've thought that a million times this summer to be honest. Why us? Why me? Why my children? I just couldn't understand. Harry Potter was the last Horcrux of the Dark Lord, that's why he was still around and kicking it, where ever he was, I know that. I know that Bellatrix Lestrange and he had some big plan that involved the biggest PR move in history. They were planning on taking new bodies and ditching the old ones to start a new regime because the resistance was gaining so many followers at the time. I know that Draco and I were set to be those new bodies. I guess that's why the Dark Lord actually allowed Draco to take me as he did.

Of course Tom Riddle had a plan for everything after all. It's kind of refreshing knowing that it was out of Draco's control as well.

Harry ended up 'killing' the Dark Lord. I have no idea what he was doing after that, but he must have been doing something because Theodore Nott and that Dr. Bailey fellow were still following him years later. I have to wonder how much Draco knows… how much he knew… Did he know Darren Greengrass had affiliations with them when he chose him as his successor to the ministry? Why doesn't he tell me anything?

"Mom, are you okay?" Lavinia asks as the waiter comes back with our orders. I nod my head and take my glass without saying word and I start sipping from the straw as I stare off into space, trying to work this whole thing out.

Why did it take so long? It didn't take me long to become pregnant with Cassius, of course, and Gavin was so soon after that. I wonder if they were waiting until they had a perfect little family to pass off as their own. Draco had mentioned before that even before Harry took down the Dark Lord, that people outside of the inner circle were planning a mutiny. The Dark Lord was nervous. The Dark Lord was going to start over and not be a monster.

How much did Draco know?

He never tells me anything and we always fight. I doubt that will ever stop. I look at Evelyn as she digs into her ice cream and then I look down at the table. When Evelyn was a baby, things were nearly perfect. We were happy and she was actually born into a healthy relationship. I remember it fondly, like everyone always seems to do when things are going wrong and I put my chin in my hand as I watch Evelyn's glossy curls reflect the light from the ceiling lamps. She was the only one of our children not born at Malfoy Manor. She was overdue by a week and the doctor told us that I just needed to get out and walk. He said doing that would induce labor naturally so Draco and I took the kids to a carnival somewhere in northern Scotland. It was a very hot summer that year and it was miserable to be out and about, but the kids were having fun.

We walked around for hours, playing games, letting the kids ride the rides, and we were in one of the animal petting barns when I felt it. I knew it was coming and there was no way to get me home because my water broke as soon as I went into the bathroom. I had been ignoring the pains all day because I was stupid and I thought it was because I was walking so much. I had so many false alarms by that point that I didn't want put any one out… but there I was, in the humid toilet stalls with the concrete floors and the pig smell, ready to have a baby.

It wasn't funny then… but I guess it's kind of funny now. It looked like I had wet my pants and I began to sweat so much that my white baby doll shirt was sticking uncomfortably to my body in the most disgusting way. I was wearing a pair of khaki capris, so the whole water breaking thing was very noticeable. When I stuck my head out of the loo, I saw Draco lifting Lavinia over one of the fences so she could look at one of the baby ponies in the adjacent barn. Cassius and Gavin were waiting right where I had told them to, by the bunny cages, and I called Cass over to me. He was eight at the time and already acting like an adult.

"Are you okay?" he asked as I breathed in deeply when another contraction hit me.

"Get your father," was all I said and he ran over to the other barn as I leaned against the wall and closed my eyes. A woman walked by me to go into the bathroom and she gave me a cruel look before going inside. I didn't even care. I looked down when I felt a little hand take mine and I cracked my eyes open to find Gavin holding my hand. I smiled at him. Gavin was always sweet… he just didn't like to show it to people.

I needed to sit down. I needed to throw up. The pain was starting to get intense and I couldn't believe I had ignored it earlier. When another contraction hit me I knew I was screwed because they were so close together. There was a bench in the bathroom, so I pulled Gavin in with me and tried to sit down, but it hurt so I just leaned against it. Gavin wetted a paper towel for me and started running it over my forehead after I told him I was too hot. I loved him more than anything at that moment.

"Gin?" Draco knocked on the door awkwardly and after a few moments he hesitantly stepped inside with Lavinia against his hip. "Hey, what's wrong?" he asked in a panic when he saw me and he put Lavinia down and told Cassius to hold her hand.

"I'm so stupid," I told him and then he looked at my khakis and realized what was happening. "We need a doctor—Ow!" I was going to start crying.

"Shit," he cussed and ran his hands through his hair. "The floo line is on the other side of the park," he snapped because I couldn't Apparate. "Do you think you can make it?"

"I am not having my baby around sheep and goats!" I hissed. The woman who had glared at me before flushed the toilet and stepped out of the stall, awkwardly staring at us as she walked over to the sink to wash her hands.

She was staring at us through the reflection in the mirror and I knew that she recognized Draco because of the way she was eyeballing him. It was after all the Death Eater business but before he was Minister, but he was still well known. He was on the Wizaengamot at that time and the press had always followed him, but I was still relatively unknown in the political world.

"Um, hi," she came over as I winced and turned my face away in embarrassment because I was in a stupid bathroom at a stupid country fair with my whole family surrounding me and I just look liked I pissed my pants. "You're Draco Malfoy, right?" she said and I sneered at the wall because of course no one cared about me. They just cared about him. He nodded his head as he gave me a look and he rubbed my back soothingly. I knew he was trying to work out what to do and we had all the kids with us as well so that made it harder. "Did you say you needed a floo line?"

"Yes," he said swiftly, sparing her a glance. "My wife needs to get to St. Mungo's. I think that much is obvious."

"The employees have a private floo line in the building next to this one. I have the key if you want to use it."

"Thanks that would be wonderful," I snapped because I was angry that she didn't want to help until she knew who he was. Draco took my arm and the kids trailed beside us as we followed the woman to the second building. I thought I was going to faint. As we walked, she was telling Draco about how she was on the board of directors for the fair and how they needed more funding. I was going to kill her. When we reached the floo line we headed straight towards St. Mungos, leaving that nasty woman behind.

"She was a bitch," I said when we got to the waiting room and he smirked even though, if the situations were reversed, I would have scolded him for cussing in front of the children. I was thankful he didn't bother. "You are not giving her any money for that stupid carnival," I told him as I sat down in one of the wheel chairs so they could put me in a room to have the baby.

Draco contacted his mother right away and she came to watch the children so he could be in the room with me. I was actually kind of scared to have the baby in the hospital. I knew that was silly, but I had only experienced home births and everything seemed so clinical and cold there, but Draco, Draco was perfect. He helped me, he reassured me, and he held my hand as I gave birth to another one of his children. I loved him so much that day. …

I shake my head as my ice cubes clink against each other in my drink and I focus on Lavinia as she picks at her yogurt and stares longingly at Evelyn as she devours the dessert that's as big as her body. "Do you want something else?" I ask gently and she snaps her eyes to mine before shaking her head and morosely moving the granola grains around in her yogurt and fruit.

I sigh and lean across the table. "Lavinia, you have a beautiful body," I tell her and she blushes like I called her out on something embarrassing. "You have nothing to worry about," I tell her as I hand her a spoon and push the giant Sunday split in the center of the table.

"Hey!" Evelyn says around a mouthful of chocolate syrup and banana. "That's mine."

"We're sharing," I tell her as I pick up a spoon and take off the part with some of the sprinkles. Lavinia hesitates a second before smiling and digging in. I smile at her too.

Why did it have to be them? Why Cassius? There had to have been a plan from the beginning. I mean, it couldn't have just been by chance. I was locked in that stupid cold room at that hospital when that Daniella girl came and let me out. She told me that this was a plan that went way back. What did that mean? Why didn't Bellatrix officially take over Beatrice's body? Why did she use the poly juice potion all those years? Was she just waiting for the dark lord to be strong? I don't know… I never know anything.

"I have to go to the loo," Evelyn says and I scoot in my chair so she can pass me. I watch her until she passes through the door and then I turn back to Lavinia.

"Can I ask you a question?"I ask as I push my spoon through the vanilla ice-cream in the bowl.

"What is it?" she asks suspiciously before taking a large bite of the chocolate fudge.

"Why did Conrad Foxworth treat you that way?" I ask seriously and her eyes widen. "How did he know you?"

"Well," she says uncomfortably as she puts down her spoon and wipes off her mouth with a napkin. "He was one of the healers that worked with me when I broke my back, that's how I met him," she tells me and I nod my head so she'll go on. How does it go from that, to the possessive way he was staring and holding her against him? He was a part of that group and he was obsessed with my daughter… He reminded me more of Draco than I would have liked, actually. "He… He just liked me, is all."

"Is all?" I repeat flatly. That is not all. "Did anything happen between you two? It seemed like there was some history there."

She blushes and looks down at her lap. "I don't…" she trails off and she looks like she's about to cry. I feel bad that I brought it up now and I reach across the table and put my hand on hers. "I don't know why he liked me so much," she says seriously. "I thought he was normal… I thought he was nice, but he wasn't."

"Did you date him?" I ask curiously as I try to figure this out. Hasn't she been with Byron this whole time?

She shakes her head. "I just saw him a few times. I didn't do anything to encourage his behavior. At least, I don't think I did," she whispers and I think about Draco and how I barely even knew him when he made me marry him. "I guess… I may have given him the wrong idea a few times."

"You didn't do anything to warrant being treated that way by him," I state sternly and she nods her head. "What he did is not your fault," I tell her. I know I don't know the whole story, but Conrad just reminds me so much of Draco and I know there is probably more to it. "What happened to him anyways?" I ask because no one seems to have mentioned him since we've been back.

She licks her lips and then looks at me. "Byron…"

"They didn't have any paper towels in the bathroom," Evelyn says as she walks towards us with wet hands as she grabs a handful of napkins to dry herself off, officially cutting Liv off. "That's not really encouraging good hygiene, is it?" She looks up at Lavinia for a response and frowns. "What's wrong?" she whispers because Lavinia's eyes are watering.

"Nothing," she says quickly as she brings her napkin up to her face and she turns away. "Can we go home now? I'm starting to feel uncomfortable with everyone staring."

"Sure," I answer and Evelyn looks sadly down at her Sunday before grabbing her milkshake and following us out after I pay the waiter. "Let's go to the gallery," I state as we leave the small ice cream shop. "We can floo from there. It's not good to Apparate when you're full," I say and I also want to get money. I still refuse to let Draco buy my new wand.

As we're walking down the street, Evleyn wraps an arm around my torso and leans her head against my shoulder as she chews on her straw. "What are you doing?" I ask as our steps synch up and she pushes herself into me a little more.

"I'm glad I didn't kill you," she says and I give her an odd look and stop walking. Lavinia stops as well as I look at Evelyn as she blinks up at me.

"I'm glad you didn't either," I whisper as I push curls away from her eyes. "You could have worded that a bit better, though." She hugs me again. She's been hugging everyone lately and I let her as I bring my hand up to stroke her back. Her hugs feel desperate now, like she's trying to hold onto something just to make sure it's real. "Evelyn, it's okay. Everything's fine now." Everything but Addison and her family, but I don't want to bring that up right now.

She pulls back and looks into my eyes. She's losing all of her baby roundness now. She's officially turning into a young woman. "For a millisecond I thought I had hurt you," she says with her brows furrowed and I bring my hand up to her face. I had no idea that they pulled her from Hogwarts, that they gave her to my Mother for the night.

They found my Mom stunned in the basement of her house after all this was done and we've been speaking almost every day since. She really liked Evelyn.

"What you did was very brave," Lavinia says seriously by my side. "I could never have done it."

"Brave or stupid," she mutters. "I was just so scared. I never want to be scared again," she says and I know that's something I can't promise her, so I don't say anything. Instead I lean down and kiss her forehead. "When we get home we should play a game," she says and flicks her eyes to her sister for back up. "Like a fun board game or something. It would be nice. Like old times," she says and I smile her.

"That's a good idea," I tell her as I take her hand and we start walking towards the Gallery again. "We'll have to convince the boys to play," I tell her.

"Cassius will," Lavinia answers softly by my side. "He always does what we ask him," she adds softly and I nod my head.

It was true. Cassius is always sweet.

We pass by the Leaky Cauldron on the way and run right into the person being kicked out of the pub.

I take most of the impact and I end up falling on my back and, whoever the drunk is, gets thrown on top of me. "Ow." I whimper as the air gets knocked out of my lungs.

"Oh, Mom, are you okay?" Lavinia asks in worry as I push the man off of me. He smells like firewhiskey and beer and when I realize who it is, I sigh sadly.

"Why don't you girls head to the shop and floo home? I'll be there in a second."

"Are you sure?" Evelyn asks as she eyes a drunk off his rocks Harry Potter who is holding his head as he sits on the curb. I hand Lavinia the key.

"Go on, then," I say and I watch them make it safely into the gallery before I look down with my hands on my hips. "Harry, what are you doing?" I whisper as I sit down beside him and I help him up. I knew he had a drinking problem. He has for a while and that was common knowledge. A part of me can't blame him after all he's been through. Especially now.

Did he really just get kicked out a pub in the middle of the day, though? How utterly pathetic.

"I left my wallet in there," he mumbles as he holds his head in his hands and I sigh as I look at him. "And my wand."

"Hold on," I tell him tiredly as I walk back into the pub and I go over to the bartender. "Hey there," I say and when he recognizes me, he widens his eyes. "I think Mr. Potter left his wallet and wand in here. Do you happen to have it?"

They hand me his things and I nearly cringe when I think about the things that are going to be written in the paper tomorrow. I walk outside and find Harry leaning against the building. "Here," I snap at him as I push his wand and wallet into his chest so he can take them. "I cannot believe you, Harry Potter," I say in disappointment. "You have a baby at home."

"Don't you think I'm entitled to a little afternoon misery?" he snaps and then he looks at me. He finally looks at me and his hateful face drops. "Gin…"

"Come on. Let's get you home. We can use the floo at my gallery." Reporters start to work their way towards us, cameras in hand. I sigh irritably. How do they always know where we are?

"I don't want to go home," he says softly as he stares into my eyes. He hasn't shaved all week and his eyes are blood shot from drink. Someone snaps a picture. "I can't stand to look at him… I can't stand it at all…."

"Harry…" I say sympathetically because I know who he can't look at and why. "He's your son too."

"How do I know that? She killed Siruis, Gin, and I've been… I've been living with her and making love to her… for all I know he might be another incarnation of the dark lord and…. I think I'm going to throw up…."

The gallery has been closed the past two weeks because I honestly just didn't want to have to deal with it and it seemed like the best place to go at the moment.

"No, just hold it in. We're almost there," I say sternly. When I get to the gallery, we run in and I lock it quickly before rushing him to the toilets. He falls down to his knees and starts throwing up all over the porcelain and I stand behind him with my arms crossed, listening to him vomit with a disgusted look on my face. He keeps on going, and it does sound painful, so my heart melts a bit as I go to fill a glass of water and I sit beside him on the tiled floor.

His glasses are starting to slip off his face and I catch them before they land in the puke bowl. I hesitate a moment before I start rubbing his back, remembering distinctly when he did this for me when I was pregnant with Gavin and he and I were playing house when I had run away from Draco. He sits back on his knees and flushes the toilet before slumping against the wall behind him. I hand him the water and he takes his greedily as I close the lid and scoot away from him.

"Better?" I ask and he nods his head. "Oh, Harry," I say with a head shake as I hand him his glasses back and he puts them on, pushing them up his face. Draco has glasses now and they just make him seem more adult, on Harry... he looks more like a boy. "Why are you doing this?"

"The only reason she was nice to me… the only reason she wanted to be with me was because I was the Dark Lord's last Horcrux. That's the only reason. What would you do? James' middle name is Sirius," he mutters softly." I never understood why she thought that was funny." He wipes his eyes and looks at me again. "Everything fell into place for you. I can't be as blindly ignorant as you are and just accept things even when they don't make sense."

I narrow my eyes even though I understand why he said that. "Don't speak to me like that," I snap at him and he pinches the bridge of his nose under his glasses.

"You know, when I was an Auror at the ministry I used to go into the department of mysteries all the time," he says and I tilt my head to the side as he looks at me. "Do you remember… they have that whole room full of time turners."

"I remember," I say seriously and he brings a hand up and bites his thumb nail.

"I always thought it was kind of daft to allow a student to have a time turner. Hermione had one our third year to get to class, but I couldn't help but think what if she went back and actually changed something that mattered…. They couldn't do anything about it. All this power and they just handed it to a fourteen year old girl."

"You know how terrible the punishment is for messing with time turners," I tell him. I remember when I had fought with Draco, after we thought Casssius passed away… we fought about getting one and using it… but even he wouldn't do it and Draco never follows the rules. That's when you know it's serious.

"I know. Some days I don't think it would matter. I wouldn't want to go too far back," he says. "At first I always fantasized going back to when Riddle was born and throwing him in a lake or something like that, but then I could never do that to a baby… even though the world would be a better place," he adds bitterly and I give him a sad smile. "Then I would think, maybe if I went back to the time when Voldemort killed my parents I could stop him then and then I would have my Mom and my Dad."

He looks so sad. So I put my hand on his leg and I scoot closer again. "It's really easy to think about that kind of stuff," I say and he glances at me.

"What would you change if you had a time turner?" he asks and I take a few moments to think on it. Draco had asked me something similar to that years ago. He had asked me if I would change anything about our life together…. I had told him no… that I was happy and that everything had led up to that point, but as I think of all the loved ones I had lost and how my relationship with my husband got started, I can't help but think of it again. Even though I know it's not fair and even though I know I shouldn't.

"I would change Charlie dyeing," I say as I think of my brother and the way Lucius Malfoy killed him like he was nothing. "And Tonks… and George…. And Dumbledore and Remus…" It was a long list and it made my eyes water as I remember the people from my old life and I looked away because Harry was looking at me oddly, but if none of those things happened…. I wouldn't have my life with Draco now. I wouldn't have my children and I can't imagine life without them… it's just… I wish it could have been a different way. "And my cat…" I finish lamely because that was another casualty of my relationship with Draco when it was still in the hard stages.

"What cat?" he says and I shake my head. I don't feel like telling him that my husband had kicked it into a fire. He already hates him enough. He faces forward again and I do too so we're both looking at the toilet. "I guess neither of us lived the life we wanted," he says. I don't say anything even though I know I should interject. I love my husband and I love my children… it's just so hard not to look back sometimes and wonder.

"I guess it will all work out in the end, though," I say optimistically, even though my voice is flat and dead.

"Gin, can I ask you a serious question? I don't want you to get mad at me," he says and I look at him again, in those green eyes that I had loved so much at one time.

"What is it?"

"Why do you love him?" he sounds generally confused by it and I bite my lip.

"I don't know," I say honestly. "I just do."

"You just do," he says as he looks at his lap and puts his fingers together. "You know… I know it's stupid… but I never thought you'd love anyone but me," I make a face and he sits up straight. "I know how that sounds," he says quickly, trying to cover it. "I'm not saying it to be a dick… I just… do you remember how much fun we used to have? "

I nod my head as I think about it. "We were really young," I say because I know this is dangerous waters. "And you are confused," I tell him seriously. "A lot of stuff has happened to you recently."

"Yeah, and those were great times," he says as he looks away again. "The best times… You know, I never loved Beatrice… or whoever that was… I never loved her even though I wanted to. I thank god for that now, but you know I wanted to be married so badly. She was so nice to me… I wanted her to be you." he says and I give him another sympathetic look. "But even though I've dated a lot of woman… I've never loved any of them."

I stare at him for a while. I know where this is going and I stand up quickly. "I think I have some toothpaste and a spare brush in my office," I tell him quickly and I walk out of the bathroom to get it for him.

When I come back, I gently knock on the door, and when I go inside I find him by the sink, splashing water over his face. I hand him the toothbrush and the toothpaste and watch as he washes away his vomit breath. After he spits, he wipes his mouth off with a paper towel and he balls it up to throw away.

"I know every time I see you I make you uneasy," he says gently. "I know you think I still want to be with you, and sometimes I do… but I know we're different people now," he says and it makes me uncomfortable as he looks at me. "I'd have to get to know you all over again." He looks over my face and then he throws away the paper towel. "I don't mean to freak you out, but you kind of left me hanging, Ginny, and I never got over it. And now with all of this happening….This didn't have to happen at all. I wouldn't be in this fucking situation if it weren't for you."

"Harry…" I say in warning and he snaps me a look.

"When I left with Ron and Hermione, I thought I was going to come home to you after all this was finished," he says and I walk out of the bathroom. He follows me. "Listen to me, Ginny. You never listen to me anymore." I turn around in a huff and cross my arms. "I loved you so much and I was going through such a hard time… I just thought you would always be there for me…. "

"Always there for you," I scoff and I narrow my eyes. "You left the burrow in the middle of the night with Ron and Hermione without even telling me," I say hatefully. Remembering the pain that I had felt when I woke up and found them gone. "You didn't even say goodbye…. I didn't know what happened to you. No one told me anything!" I was so mad at him. He remembered love and rainbows and I just remember pain and anger that final year when he left. Every time I fight with Draco or think of our past, I can't help but think of Harry and I always get stuck on that night.

"I thought I was doing right. I wanted to keep you safe. You know that." I hated that. Draco used that excuse too and I was bloody done with it. "I used to take out the Mauraders map when you were in school and trace your movements so I knew you were at least safe. I was in danger every day, Gin. I couldn't live with myself if something happened to you."

"Something did happen to me," I tell him hatefully. If he would have taken me with him, Draco wouldn't have been able to come and get me after the final battle like he did. My brother would be alive. "This is all your fault because you didn't trust me enough to tell me anything!" The stories are over lapping for me right now, I'm yelling at Harry, but I'm thinking about Draco and I don't really know what I'm feeling. I won't say Draco taking me was the best thing that ever happened to me, because it wasn't. It was the worst, but I have a loving family now… I shake my head. This is all messed up.

"I told you I was going to marry you!" he yells back and I tighten my jaw. I remember once when he came back to the burrow and asked me that question.

It was after winter break, and I didn't go back to Hogwarts because he had told me not to. I thought he was the one who told me… but it was Draco…. I can remember now because I haven't allowed myself to think of it for years because it only hurt me. In more ways than one, really. It was three weeks before Draco and his Death Eaters came and three weeks after Winter break had ended. I hated thinking about this, but I couldn't help it.

I can't help it because Harry is looking at me the same way he did so many years ago, on that night.

I was laying awake in my bed for the fifth night in the row. It was so hard to sleep those days. There was a war going on and my parents wouldn't even let me read the papers because they were afraid it would upset me. Everyone thought I was too young and too stupid to handle it, especially Harry and I was angry at everyone for it. I had heard a tap at my window that night and when I saw Harry hovering on his broom, my heart leapt and I knew I would forgive him anything because I was young and I loved him too much. So much has changed and when I look back on it, I just get angry with myself for being so weak and not standing my ground. I never stood my ground on anything and that was half the problem when I ended up with Draco. I just accepted it like I accepted everything.

I ran to the window and opened it for him as quickly as I could and as soon as he was standing on my carpeted floor, I hugged him so tightly he nearly fell. "I've been so worried," I had whispered against his ear. He had scratchy facial hair then because he didn't have time to shave while he was saving the world one day at a time.

"I've been worried about you too," he whispered against my hair. He smelled like dirt and outdoors things. I crinkled my nose against his hooded sweat shirt before pulling back to stare him. When he came to me in Diagon Alley so many weeks before that he had smelled so good and clean… he smelled like Draco always does, I came to realize. "I couldn't find you. I didn't realize you didn't go back to school after winter break. I was scared something happened."

"You were the one who told me to go home," I told him then and he gave me an odd look, but let it slide. Again, I had no idea it was actually Draco in that disgusting room in Diagon Alley, telling me things and kissing me. "Are you okay? Are you hungry or anything?" I asked just to say something. He looked thinner than I remembered and I brought him to my bed and forced him to sit down. "I could get you something to eat." My mother always offered food. That was my first attempt at being domestic.

"No, Gin, I'm fine," he said tiredly and I tried to calm myself down so I wouldn't overwhelm him as I sat Indian style beside him, with my knees pressing into his leg. He looked over my face after I turned on the lamp and he sighed as he touched my cheek. His fingers were dirty, and his fingernails were almost black. "God, I missed you," he said before pressing his lips against mine.

I loved Harry more than anything and my heart started thumping when he did that.

He pulled back and licked his lips. I remember even then that his kisses weren't like I remembered. They weren't like in Diagon Alley and that was disappointing. I think I may have even touched my lips in confusion after the kiss. "You look great, Ginny," he said and I smiled a little. I was glad he liked the way I looked because I loved the way he did. He took my hand. "Things are going to be coming to a head. I think it's all going to end soon."

"Are you afraid?" I asked softly as he scooted back until he was leaning against my pillows. I followed him and rested against his chest. We both knew what was going to happen. He was going to fight Lord Voldemort and only one person was going to survive. Harry was only eighteen… I shake my head thinking about how young we were and the things we had to do. It makes me think of my own children and what they went through recently. It's not fair.

"A little," he admitted and I doubt he ever admitted that to anyone but me.

We laid there for two hours without speaking to one another until I couldn't take it anymore and I finally sat up on my forearms to look into his face. He had taken his glasses off and they were resting in his right hand that was against his chest. He looked so young then, so boy like.

"What have you been doing?" I asked because he never seemed to answer when I asked that question. "I mean… when you're gone. Where do you stay… what do you do?"

He finally opened up and he told me about Horcruxes and how he, my brother, and Hermione were traveling across the world to find them, staying in manmade tents and sleeping on the ground at night. He told me about all of the scrapes he had gotten into with Death eaters and all the near death experiences he had. It made my heart hurt thinking about it. He did all of that and I was just stuck at the burrow, eating food and gaining weight.

"Do you have to leave again in the morning?" I asked cautiously and he nodded his head.

"I wasn't supposed to come here… it's dangerous… but I needed to see you," he said and I kissed him again. It turned into a rather deep and lengthy snog before we paused to take a break. I thought that Harry was the best kisser in the world until Draco… Draco was hard to beat and I just couldn't understand why his kisses were so much different from our last meeting. "I love you so much," he admitted and I smiled a little against his lips.

"I love you too." I meant it then. I truly did. "Maybe…" I said as I played with the string on his hoodie. "Maybe this time you could take me with you?"

"No," he said simply. He didn't even pretend to think about it and I sat up and looked down at him with a frown. "No, Gin, I won't."

"Why not?" I was going to start crying. I could feel it coming so I turned my head away. I was like my daughter. I always cried so easily if the slightest thing hurt my feelings.

"You know why, Ginny," he said seriously, sounding sympathetic as I pulled away from him and sat on the edge of the bed.

"I don't know why," I said and tears were falling so I tried to wipe them away quickly so he wouldn't see. "Why do you like Hermione and Ron more than me?"

It was a sore spot. It always had been and I couldn't help but feel like the fourth wheel with them even when I became close with Harry. I don't know why I always romanticized my relationship with Harry when I was first with Draco… at times it was bloody miserable being his girlfriend. At least Draco paid attention to me, even if it was forced companionship.

"I don't like them more than you," he scooted up behind me and pulled my back against his chest so his legs were resting on either side of mine. His denims were torn and dirty looking and his sneakers were positively ghastly. "I love you more than anything, Ginny. I won't put you in jeopardy. My father did everything he could to protect my mother… I'm doing the same for you."

"Keeping me away from things is not protecting me," I said with a pout and he moved hair over my shoulder so he could kiss my neck. I know I looked like his mother… I know that might have even been a reason why he ended up wanting to be with me, but I never would have admitted that to myself then. I wanted it to be real too badly.

"I'm going to kill Voldemort, Ginny," he said after a few silent moments and he pulled me tighter against him with his arms wrapped around my middle right under my breasts. They had gotten bigger during my stay at the burrow because I wasn't able to play any sports or run around. I was just at home, eating and getting paler. I wondered in a girlish fashion if he noticed, but I doubt he did. Harry barely noticed anything. "I'm going to kill him and when this is all over I'm coming right to you."

"And then what?" I snapped hatefully because I was still angry and hurt that he wouldn't let me go with him. "Keep me here while you go off and have your victory parade? It might be dangerous, you know. A float might run me over."

"Don't do that," he said softly and he sounded sad, so I held my tongue. "Here," he said as he moved me so I was facing him. I got up to get into a comfortable spot and he pulled me back on his lap. Harry had never really been so touchy feely with me. I mean… he was….we kissed and hugged and snuggled a lot… But it never felt this serious or this adult. We had never had sex… just a few uncomfortable fondles and touches… he felt like a man that night. "When I come back…" he trailed off uncomfortably and he looked at my throat. Harry would always get shy and uncomfortable when he said serious things to me. "My Gringotts account is frozen right now… and they'd be able to track me anyways if I drew anything out… so I don't have a ring or anything."

"A ring?" I repeated back and my heart started hammering again.

"I'm not good at this," he whispered and then his emerald eyes looked into mine. "When I come back... I want to marry you," he said and my heart nearly burst against my ribcage. You have no idea how many times I had written Ginny Potter on a piece of paper just to test it out. "So…. Would you… do you think you'd want to marry me too?" he said awkwardly and I felt a grin turning my face.

I hugged him tightly with my arms around his neck and I pulled him back to rain kisses on his face. "Yes, of course I want to marry you!" I told him and then I remembered that I was in my room and that my parents were down the hall. "I love you more than anything," I admitted in a soft whisper as I tried to keep my voice low. I smiled as the hopeful feeling of the wonderful future surrounded me and I pictured my wedding and my children and every other ridiculous thing that little girls think about when they're around a boy that they love.

He smiled and it was a beautiful smile.

We laid back on my bed then and I turned off the light as we talked about how our life was going to be when the war was over. We both wanted a modest sized house with a sizable yard. He wanted to be an Auror…. I wanted to be a teacher… it sounded perfect when we said it out loud. We even talked about the children we were going to have. Little boys and girls with black hair that were named after the people we had loved that had been lost to us.

It was perfect.

We started kissing again and I wanted so desperately for him to kiss me like he did in Diagon Alley. I even pulled him on top of me and put his hand on my breast to try to recreate it, but it didn't feel the same and that was confusing for me, but I kept going anyways. I could feel Harry's excitement against my leg and he sat up on his knees to pull off my night dress and I took off his hoodie just so I could press my skin against his. It was the most erotic thing that had ever happened to me up until that point and I felt my stomach twisting nervously as he kicked off his shoes and jeans and pulled down my knickers until we both were completely naked. I had never actually seen everything down there, and his body felt really warm against mine.

"Please," I whispered after he kissed my shoulder. I was shaking and even though my cheeks were flushed I was actually very cold. I wanted to wait until we were married though. I wanted everything to be perfect. "Let me go with you, Harry."

He kissed me once and then he stared down at me in the darkness. "Okay," he said softly and my heart leapt. I sat up straight and pulled the cover up to cover my nakedness. I had never been naked with anyone before and I was still self conscious of it.

"Okay?" I whispered, barely believing it and when he nodded his head, I jumped up and even screamed a little.

"Sh, Gin," he scolded as he brought his finger up to his mouth as I leapt on the bed and kissed him again.

I could imagine an adventure and wonderful things even though I knew it was dangerous and I slipped my tongue against his before turning on my light and running over to my closet to pull out a tweed suit case that I had found in the attic earlier that year. After Harry left the first time, I always kept it packed just in case the opportunity arouse and I popped it open as I moved the cover more securely under my arms to cover my modesty as I looked at all of my things I had already packed.

"Do you think I'll need to bring a coat?" I asked and I bit my lip before looking up at him. He was totally naked, just laying on my bed not even bothering to cover himself as he looked at me. I couldn't look anywhere but at his face. "Why are you looking at me like that?"

"You're so pretty," he said in a deep voice and then he put his hand out for me to take. I smiled and let him pull me back on the bed. "I'm so tired. Let's worry about all of this in the morning."

"I love you," I told him again as I turned off the lights and pulled him under the covers with me as well.

I fell asleep in his arms for the first time in a year… and woke up alone.

He had left me again, only this time it hurt ten times worse because he told me I could go… but he left without a goodbye.

I didn't see him until two years later, when he was taking me away from my new married life with Draco. Thinking back on it… he never was that much different than Draco, really. Keeping things from me to 'protect' me and keeping me hauled away so I wouldn't get in the way. Harry also always expected me to do as he said…. Like Draco… he just asked nicely, but in the end I always gave in. Draco is just more honest and meaner about it.

"Ginny," Harry says, snapping me out of the memory session I was having. "I thought we were going to get married and then I heard that you married Malfoy… that you loved him."

"Why did you believe it?" I ask because it always hurt that he thought so little of our relationship to go along with it, to take so long to actually come for me.

"Am I supposed to believe it now?" he countered hopefully and I made a face before turning around and walking towards the large window that's in my office.

"I don't want to talk about this anymore," I tell him sternly. "You can go home now. The floo pot is over there," I point to the fireplace, but he doesn't move.

"I want to talk about this now. We've never talked about it and I think I deserve some answers. Especially after everything I've been through."

I turned around and faced him for that comment and I narrowed my eyes. I didn't say anything so he took a step closer and continued.

"When we finally got you away from Malfoy…. I was… I didn't know what to think… you had a baby… you had changed so much, but I still loved you. I told you that. Even when we found out you were pregnant again by_ him_… I wanted us to have that life we had talked about."

"Yeah?" I say just because I didn't know what else to say.

He was right. I was happy with him at the cottage, but I always thought about Draco then. It was like I was contaminated. "You said you wanted to be with me too, remember?" he says desperately and I nod my head because it was true but this is the wrong time to talk about it. I know he's hurting and I know when we were together it was so much simpler… he probably just wants that back so he doesn't have to deal with how messed up things are right now.

"I remember," I say softly and he nods his head. He takes another step closer.

"Then all of a sudden you were gone… I didn't know what to do… and then the next time I see you.. you were so cold to me like you didn't remember anything of what we had…. Out of nowhere you decided to love him. I just don't understand it. Not when I've been carrying a torch for you for so many years. "

"When Draco came to the cottage to get me… do you remember where you were?" I ask and he nods his head. "Where?"

"I was at a resistance meeting with Hermione and Ron," he says and I nod my head.

"Does that sound familiar to you?" I ask and he furrows his brows. "I get taken away when you're off doing god knows what with Ron and Hermione and you're surprised when I see you again?"

"We asked you to come with us," he says in a defensive voice. "You wanted to stay back with the baby."

"Of course I did," I snapped hatefully at him. "I was four months pregnant and I had a one year old who was ready to walk… I wasn't going to go to a fucking resistance meeting. They were always being broken up by Death Eaters. Are you kidding me? And for your information, that was one of the only times you ever invited me to go anywhere with you, Ron, and Hermione that had anything to do with the Order. You didn't even understand why I was so sick of all of it. You are just like Draco," I snap as I think of my husband and Harry saw that as the worst insult. "I thought I was going with you," I say hatefully, randomly bringing up my burn from before. "And you left me in the morning with my suitcase and my hopes… and… I hate you!"

"I am nothing like him," he yells back at me and I scoff and cross my arms. "And the only reason I left you was because I didn't want you to be hurt. I know you hate that but I only did it with you in mind."

"You're right," I tell him. "You know, when I was at Hogwarts my last year, I got a letter from you… telling me to meet you at the Iris pub." He furrows his brows again. "I went during our first Hogsmeade trip and I met you in one of the rooms above the bar."

"What are you talking about?" he snaps and I glare at him.

"Let me finish," I tell him. "You hadn't talked to me all year… not even one letter and I was so happy when you finally wrote me. It was stupid how happy I was. The tavern was… it was off one of the main roads and it was very seedy and gross and I was scared, but I thought that was where you were hiding out. I went into the room where you wanted me to meet you."

"Ginny…"

"I went there, and I was so happy to see you. I went to kiss you and I knew something different…. I could feel it, but I wanted it to be real so badly."

"That wasn't me, Ginny," he says and I nod my head.

"You were talking different, you smelled different…. And when you kissed me," I pause a second as I remember it. I sit down at my desk chair and stare at the wall. "It was different… and I liked it."

He's silent now.

"I knew it wasn't you, but I wanted it to be…. I talked myself into it even though I was suspicious and I knew it was dangerous but I wanted it to be you so badly... but it wasn't."

"Who was it?" he asks softly and I look at him and start laughing. I don't know why I'm laughing. I really don't.

"You had never kissed me that way. It was so passionate and heated and it wasn't you," I say as I cover my mouth to stifle the laugh. "And it was Draco."

"What?" he says flatly and I fan myself because I'm getting hot from laughing.

"It was Draco. He had taken a polyjuice potion to look like you and he wanted me to go home during break so when he came to my house, I would be there." I sit back and relax against the seat. I barely even register that Harry has kneeled in front of me. "You've never kissed me like that before," I whisper again. The kissing was amazing. There was so much to it… and it wasn't Harry. "I loved that kiss."

"You knew it was Draco?" he snaps at me and I finally focus on him. He's so close to me.

"No, no I didn't know it was Draco… not until later. I wanted it to be you, but it wasn't. It never was," I whisper and then I feel his hands on my face. "Don't do that," I say as I try to push his hands off, but he shakes his head. "You're still drunk, Harry, don't."

"No… just…. Just once…." He whispers as he leans in to kiss me. I can see it happen. I'm watching him move in and I watch his eyes closed.

I can't say I haven't thought about what it would be like to be with Harry again. Draco is the only man I had ever had sex with and, if I was being completely honest, the only other person I would ever want to sleep with would be Harry. Even though his kisses aren't as good as Draco's, a part of me will always love him and the older I get the more that I wonder about what my life would have been like with him.

Draco had taken the fidelity spell off of me years ago and I think he saw that as something romantic…. Because he doesn't seem to have a gage on what is actually romantic….anyways, I could let this kiss go further and actually have sex with him in here… It would be desperate on both sides but it could happen. It's not like Draco has been totally faithful to me. I know that he slept with Pansy early in our marriage and I still have my suspicions about his secretary. It wouldn't be so bad and he would never have to know.

I start kissing him back… he tastes like my spare toothpaste and he's not as skilled with his tongue as Draco is… but maybe he's just drunk. I'm married and I'm kissing a drunk Harry Potter inside of my office just a week after the we found out his wife was Bellatrix Lestrange and the Dark Lord was trying to come back using my son's body.

Jesus Christ.

He pulls me out of the chair and sets me on top of the desk where I part my legs so he can settle between them. Harry is broader in the shoulders than Draco and his body feels different. I've never even snogged anyone but my husband in over twenty years… which makes sense now that I think about it… but it felt so odd. Harry felt weird to me, it didn't feel right. Draco and I have been together so long that we just fall right into place, but Harry wasn't fitting so well.

"Oh, Ginny," he whispers as he pulls off my blouse and kisses my neck. "You're so pretty." He used to always say that to me. I sometimes suspected it was because I was a prettier version of Ron.

His stubble hurts and I crinkle my nose. Draco always shaves and it's rare that I feel stubble on his face. I'm not used to it. He starts running his hands up my thighs, bunching up my skirt towards my hips as he runs his fingers over my tights. How odd this feels… how odd and….. wrong. I bring my hands up to his hair and thread my fingers through it. Draco has such soft hair…. I had forgotten how coarse Harry's was in comparison and when I try to run my finger through it… I get stuck on a tangle.

I pull back and sigh, tugging my skirt down.

"I've wanted this for so long," Harry whispers as he moves to my shoulder to place open mouth kisses on my skin. I grab my blouse and start putting it back on and he puts his hands on the fabric to stop me. "I know you want it too, Ginny."

"It's not the same," I say sadly.

"What do you mean… you haven't even let me…."

"I'm sorry. This was a mistake," I say as I push him back and close my legs. He looks like a dejected puppy that I had just hit and I give him a sad look. "I'm married, Harry," I say to soften the truth. The truth is I just don't want him. "I'm married and you're just sad."

"Does he still have that spell on you," he snaps unjustly and I shake my head.

"No, he doesn't. I'm not going to cheat on him," I say as I stand up and tuck my blouse back into my skirt. "I'm sorry," I repeat again because I really am.

I go to walk away from him, but he grabs my arm. I give him a fierce look for the movement and he narrows his eyes. Harry has gotten harder… I guess we all have. "Just once," he says. "I've wanted you since I was sixteen, please…just this once."

"Don't' be desperate, Harry," I state cruelly, sounding like my husband. "It's unbecoming."

"You really have changed," he says as he drops my arm and looks down at me because he's taller. "You used to be perfect."

"And you used to be sober," I counter back. I don't mean to be so mean, but I can't stop myself.

He narrows his eyes again.

"I'm going home," I tell him seriously as he stares me down. "I suggest you do the same."

"What do I have to do, Ginny?" he says, sounding so sad and so put out that I can't help but feel bad for him.

"Nothing. Don't do anything," I tell him seriously. "I never loved you," I say for the first time and it felt weird, but it was true. I did love him of course, just not enough. "And I don't think you ever fully loved me because every chance that we had together never worked out. It could have, Harry. If we both worked for it, but we didn't."

We had many chances, if you think about it. In school, out of school, at the cottage, at the burrow, but choices were made and now we're apart. Draco always went out of his way to get me and bring me back, no matter how demented that was…. Harry never did anything like it.

"I wanted to love you so badly that now I really have to question how real it was. I didn't want to love Draco," I say and my eyes start watering again. "And it wasn't just because I didn't have any other options. I'm not that bloody shallow. I didn't _want_ to love him, but I do now and I don't love you. I never loved you the way I love him and I think that's why we never would have worked anyways."

I wipe tears from under my eyes.

"You don't mean that," he says and I make a frustrated noise because he doesn't understand. "It was real Ginny. Don't say it wasn't."

"It wasn't, Harry!" That's not fair to say, I know that, so I run my hands over my face. "I'm sorry… you're right, it was real within the time frame, but it's not the same kind of love I have now."

"How would you even know, Ginny?" he asks hatefully and I drop my hands so I can stare at him. "It's a sickness… when people are put into a situation like yours…"

"Stop it," I state flatly because I don't want to hear it.

"That Amanda Kent woman," he says and I raise an eyebrow. "When I was a boy living with the Dursley's there was a woman named Amanda Kent who went missing. They found her three years later living with the man in the woods. He kidnapped her and he raped her, and beat her nearly every day. She refused to testify against him because she said she fell in love with him. She didn't really love him, Ginny," he says heatedly and I find myself crying again. "It's called Stockholm syndrome and you have it. You've sympathized with your capture to the point of insanity. You don't love him, Gin. You just think you do."

"Shut up," I say weakly. It's not like I haven't heard anything like that before. I have and every time I do, no matter how much I truly do love my husband, I can't help but think I'm mad.

"And it's not your fault," he says gently. He approaches me again with soft steps and a quiet voice, like he was coming upon a cat who might pounce on him. "Draco shouldn't have done that to you, and just because he's nicer now does not mean that you owe him anything."

"You don't get it," I whisper. I hate this. I hate feeling like this and I hate that Harry is getting closer again.

"I get it, Ginny," he says gently and then he's right in front of me, taking my hands into his own. "I get it more than you could know. What happened to you isn't love," he tells me and I clench my eyes shut and just hope that he'll go away. "If Draco really loved you, he wouldn't have done those things to you. Bottom line. There is no love in violence or force, Gin. You know that."

"It's not…"

"I know it's not like that anymore, but that's only because you do what he wants now, don't you? Imagine if you still fought him, if you still did things he didn't want… if you still thought about me… what would he do then?"

"I…"

"I know you asked for a divorce," he says and I snap my eyes to his. He looks so serious. Like he was trying to sweet talk a snake. "Your mother told me."

"It's good to know I can tell her anything," I state bitterly and he shakes his head.

"Don't do that, Ginny." He says and I narrow my eyes. "What did he say when you told him?"

What did he say? I furrow my brows as I think on it and then I look into Harry's green eyes again. "He said no," I state and it's almost funny because here I am defending the man and I can't really help myself. "He said to give him two weeks."

"Because everything has to be on his terms."

I shake my head and pull my hands away from him. This didn't feel right. "I don't think I need to be taking relationship advice from someone who was fucking Bellatrix Lestrange and didn't even know it."

He pauses for a second and blinks a few times. "That was cruel," he says and then he glares at me again. "That's when I can see him in you, you know. You're so fucking mean now and you never used to be."

"I'm not mean," I tell her harshly. "I'm being honest."

"Maybe I was married to a monster, but I didn't know it," he says fiercely and I grab my cloak and start clasping it. "You know what Draco is. You know what he's done and you know his true character. You can't claim ignorance anymore."

"He saved your life," I say. "You should be a little more grateful."

"He killed a roomful of people to do it," he says and that reminds me of my question from before and how angry he made me. "That's not the way we do things, Ginny. That's not okay."

"How would you know?" I snap because I'm angry. "He was doing what he had to do. They wanted to kill you and take away my son and daughter. What would you have done?"

"He killed a lot of people that didn't need to die," he says seriously. "Some of the people at the hospital were very young. They had no idea what they were doing."

I stare at him for a long time before I throw up my hood. "I'm going home," I tell him again because if I stay here I might change my mind about things and I don't want to do that. "Go home to your son, Harry. He needs you more than I do."

"You're going to wake up one day, Ginny and realize how wrong you've been," he says as I walk out of my office. I don't even care if he stays at my freaking Gallery. I just want to get away from him. "And I won't be there to help you."

"I don't want your help," I hiss over my shoulder before going outside and dodging the press until I reach an Apparation spot. "I don't need your help," I whisper to myself before popping away.

When I get home I go the game room where all four of the kids are playing a card game together…. even Gavin. I smile at them as they play and when they notice me in the doorway, I walk in and take a seat beside Cassius and they deal me in when they start a new game. We don't talk about what had happened, I know we're all trying to not think about it, and after a couple of hours, Lavinia and Evelyn go to bed and Gavin and Cassius go out to ride once more. I walk past Draco's study and I pause in the door way as I see him work on his papers with his ink dipped quill tapping against his cheek. I narrow my eyes.

Draco_ always_ gets his way and he _never_ gets in trouble for his actions. I tighten my jaw as I think of the way he had tortured Hermione so many years ago, and I remember how I lied for him in court. I remember how he used to abuse the muggle borns who worked in the house when Voldemort was still in power and I remember the way he used to force himself between my legs when he was angry.

I look away and tighten my eyes even more. I can't even bring myself to tell on him now, even after Gavin told me about all the people he had killed. He took me away from my home and treated me terribly and what happened? I fell in love with him and gave him four children. He killed countless people and did horrible things for the Dark Lord and he ended up as the minister of magic. Now what? He never has any consequences for his actions. Is he just one of those lucky people?

I thought that what happened with Cassius was punishment for Draco's sins even though that wasn't fair, but now Cassius is back and things are falling into place. Even with the Addison tragedy, that didn't affect Draco directly. It just hurt our son. This is all Draco's fault and everyone suffers for it but him. I glance at him from the corner of my eyes again as he looks over the cradle and smiles down at the baby inside.

Draco always gets what he wants and he always wins.

Even when he doesn't realize he's playing in the first place.

Sometimes I just hate him more than anything. The baby starts crying and he looks at her again. "Don't cry," he says softly as he picks her up and holds her against his chest. He's being so gentle with her and I remember him being so sweet and so caring to all of our babies. He really was a great father despite all of his shortcomings. "It's okay," he tells her sweetly and I glare again. When he does something like that, I find myself loving him all over again.

I look down at my shoes before stomping towards the kitchens.

I wish I could scream out loud until my lungs burst… but I'm not Draco, and I never get what I want.

_**Draco **_

"Don't cry," I tell her as I pick her up from the wooden cradle and I hold her against my chest, gently rocking my body back and forth. "It's okay."

She looks just like Gavin and I smile sadly down at her as she starts to drift to back to sleep, closing her eyes slowly as I rock back and forth. I can't remember the last time I actually held a baby like this. It had to have been when Evelyn was a baby and that was over thirteen years ago. I forgot how much I liked it.

"You're a beautiful baby," I tell her gently before placing her back in the cradle and going back to my desk.

Gavin has been a mess the past couple of days and we convinced him to let Emma stay with us. I imagine we'll be the ones helping to raise her. When I was his age I wouldn't have been able to raise a child if I didn't have Ginny with me and since Addison is gone he's going to need all the help he can get. When I think of Addison and the cruel fate she succumbed too, I clench my fists and inhale an angry breath.

I take total responsibility for all of this happening. I knew when the group was gathering, they had been simmering for years, and I had been approached by them many times. When I was in office, that Dr. Bailey Character had come to me no less than five times to tell me about his ideas to bring the Dark Lord back. I was the Minister of Magic at the time and things were going perfectly for me. I didn't need the fucking Dark Lord back and I told him so. I think a part of the reason why Cassius was chosen for all this was because of my refusal to help in the early stages of the group.

That and karma, I think karma played a big part in it. I was never really punished for my crimes against humanity and the universe saw no better way to torture me than to use my children in it's great plans, knowing that would hurt me the most. The universe is a bitch like that. I look over at Emma in her cradle again. I feel bad that she'll never know her Mother and I know Gavin is hurting a lot more than he's showing because he is my son and he doesn't like showing his weaknesses.

I pick up my quill and dip it in my ink well.

There hasn't been any news about what happened at that old mental hospital, or in the cave. So many people had died, mostly by my wand, but no one knows about it. I suspect it's because the Ministry is trying to figure out how to handle this from a PR standpoint. No matter how many anti-muggle supporters there in the world right now… bringing Lord Voldemort back from the dead is never going to sit well with most people. He wasn't feared because he killed muggles. He was feared because he killed bloody everybody. Wizard and witches included.

I plan on steering it in the right direction. I start writing my letter on blank parchment and I glance up in irritation when someone knocks on my study door.

"Yes?" I snap and when I see Ginny in the doorway, my face softens considerably. "Hey," I say softly as she walks into the room with a bottle in her hand. I put my quill down.

"I thought she might be getting hungry soon," she says as she nods towards the cradle that's by my desk.

"She woke up fussing a little bit ago," I tell her as she walks into the room and closes my door behind her. "But she fell back asleep."

"Oh," she says and she stands there awkwardly for a few moments before walking towards my desk and setting the bottle on it. "I'll leave this with you, then."

"Wait," I tell her when she goes to leave. I stand up and walk around my desk. "Stay with me for a moment," I tell her as I take her hand and walk over to the couch. Things haven't been right between us yet. Nothing has been settled and I still can't get over the fact that she wanted a divorce.

It wasn't like I wasn't expecting it, though. For the better part of twenty years I've been waiting to hear those words from her, but I didn't expect them to hurt as much as they did. I know I don't deserve her, after all that I've done I know I should just do the honorable thing and let her go, but when she said those words it completely gutted me and I just couldn't accept it. I love her too damn much and I refused to let her go thinking I had cheated on her.

"Where are the kids?" I ask once we're seated and I run the back of my hand over her cheek.

"Well, Cassius is out riding with Gavin," she says. I don't know if she means he's riding a horse or his broom, but I guess it doesn't matter. "Lavinia and Evelyn went to bed."

"Evelyn's been sleeping a lot," I point out and Ginny nods her head, looking at the fire place.

"She's been through a lot," there's a long pause as the actions of the prior week weigh into our minds. "How much will it cost to send them all to therapy?" she asks and I smirk.

"Too damn much," I joke but she doesn't laugh.

I know we're going to have to get them someone to talk to. I'm not stupid and I'm pissed off that it has to be that way, but there's no way they'll be able to deal with all that they've seen and all that they've been through without professional help of some kind. One of my goals was to raise the kids well, so they wouldn't have to go to therapy, but life never works out the way you want it to.

"I feel really terrible for Harry," she whisper s and I let my hand drop from her face. "To marry someone only to find out it was a lie. She killed Sirius and that tore him apart when we were in school and he had a child with her. He's sick with it."

"He's a fool," I say and she narrows her eyes. I don't know why she brought it up. I could care less about Potter and she fucking knows it. "If he had no idea that his wife was taking a polyjuice potion every day than he's an idiot."

"We didn't know," she says as she glances at me. "How could we not know? I really thought she was my friend… I believed everything she said. We helped her…. I just don't understand. It makes me feel sick."

"How do you think I feel," I state flatly. "She kissed me. Imagine how disgusted I am."

"I just don't understand it," she whisper and I scoot closer to her.

"My Aunt was a fanatic," I tell her seriously. "She would have done anything the Dark Lord told her and she would do it well. Everyone was fooled."

"I wonder what Byron is going to do… and those girls." She blinks a few times and shakes her head. "Everything is just messed up."

I kiss her cheek and when her face turns to mine, I gently press my lips against hers. She pulls away and looks at her lap. That worries me. "What's wrong?" I ask softly, trying to keep the irritation out of my voice.

"I just, I don't feel well."

"About what? About me?" I ask seriously and she shrugs as she brings a hand up to her forehead. "What does that mean? Don't just shrug me off."

"Draco, I'm tired. I don't know how all of this is going to turn out yet and you… why didn't you tell me about any of this so I wouldn't have been so bloody surprised when it went down."

"What could I have told you?" I snap as I sit back because we're going to start fighting. "I didn't know anything."

"You did too," she tells me hotly. "You had some idea what that stupid group was doing. I always learned about it after the fact." She stands up. "I hate that you do this to me."

"Don't cry."

"I'm not going to cry!" she yells even though she so obviously is. "Just leave me alone," she stomps out of the room after picking up the baby and I slump against the couch.

I takes me a few moments, but there's a vial in my pocket that's weighing heavily against my thigh and I pull it out and stare at the silvery mist inside before I stand up and leave the room. The house seems empty to me right now and I walk all the way to the game room that has the pensive sitting in the corner on a showing table.

I walk over to it and uncork the stopper on the vial as I pour the memory into the basin and I wait a few moments, watching it swirl around before I put my hands on the rim of the bowl and I dip my head in. I land on my feet in an old looking shack that once belonged to Dr. Patrick Bailey and I look around in disgust because it really is a crude little place fit for an animal.

"Open your eyes," I hear Byron's voice and I look towards him as he towers over the blond healer. I know what's coming. I know because Byron told me, but I need to see it for myself. I need to know what he said. Byron takes the sword he has and tilts Conrad's chin up. His cuts bleeding freely down his skin. "Open your eyes."

Like he was coming out of a stupor, Conrad furrows his brows and blinks a few times before opening his eyes and focusing on Byron. I walk towards the window and look out. There's Cassius and Lavinia and Evelyn all outside waiting. When Conrad notices the sword pressed against his throat, he smirks.

"Really, Flint? Could you at least man up and use a wand like a real wizard."

"I'm going to kill you," Byron says flatly and I give him a critical look. He looked like he meant it then… and I guess he did.

Conrad laughed and rolled on his back as he closed his eyes. "Of course you are," he said sarcastically. Byron surprises me, he puts the tip of the sword against Conrad's thigh, and then he presses down as hard as he can. Conrad yells out and he starts laughing again. "Fuck. That hurt."

"I hate you," Flint says and Conrad hisses as he pulls the sword from his flesh.

"Do whatever you want," he says with his hands at his chest. "It's not going to change anything." Byron stares at him. "You're still going to live every day knowing I've been inside your girlfriend's cunt and she loved every fucking minute of it."

"No, she didn't," he says calmly, sounding so detached and so…. Like me that I'm kind of taken aback by it. He lifts the sword over Conrad's chest and he reels back to ram it through his chest, but Conrad puts his hands up.

"Wait, wait, wait," he says seriously as his legs start to pool with blood. "No, don't do that."

"Why not?" Byron asks softly and Conrad starts to panic when he realizes this Byron will not be played with.

"I can give you information, you know. It would be stupid to kill me. Don't you want to know about your mother?" he asks and Byron finally shows some emotion. He furrows his brow. "I know all about her. I can tell you what happened and why she did what she did. I can tell you all of that."

"Give me an idea," Byron whispers fiercely. "And be quick to convince me because I want to go home."

"They've been waiting for the Dark Lord to gain enough strength, that's why it took so long," he says quickly as Byron puts the sword to his throat. "She killed your mother and copied her because she wanted people to believe she was dead before she went into Ginny Malfoy."

I narrow my eyes.

"Why Cassius?" Byron asks as he spins the sword. It cuts the tender skin of Conrad's neck and Conrad clenches his eyes closed.

"Because they thought his father was a traitor. After the Dark Lord went down the first time they approached Draco so many times, but he always turned him down. They wanted revenge and the money. Cassius seemed like the best option. He was also the more popular of the two boys. He would have garnered more sympathy than Gavin."

"Hm," Byron says like it was only mildly interesting information. "Okay."

"Wait!" he yells as Byron presses the sword against his throat again. "No matter how this turns out…. Greengrass is going to hold a press conference condemning Draco Malfoy's actions and he's going to demand that he be put in Azkaban. He's planning on blaming most of the killings on him. He's going to say he masterminded the whole thing if this turns bad. "

"I doubt that," Byron whispers and then he pulls the sword back. Conrad sighs in relief and brings his hands up to his neck as he closes his eyes.

Byron starts walking to the door and Conrad sits up with his back against the wall. He stares at Byron as he leaves as he holds onto his wounded leg.

"Even she knows she doesn't have much a future with you," he says and that makes Byron pause and turn around. He was almost out the door. Conrad should have shut his stupid mouth. "I know she pretends to, but in the darkest corners of her mind she knows… she knows and she will always think of me when you finally leave her."

"I don't know what you're talking about," Byron says calmly and Conrad smirks.

"I know you see a family with kids and a picket fence," he says as he taps his finger against his temple. "I know that's what you wish for, but lets me honest with ourselves, Flint. You won't last that long."

"Shut up," he snaps, showing emotion for the first time.

"Even she knows it, even though her mind can't articulate it," he says and I furrow my brows. I needed to know what he said about Greengrass. I didn't need to know about whatever the fuck this is. "You don't have a future, Flint," he says hurtfully. "It's a struggle every day isn't it? And especially now, after knowing that the woman you called Mom all these years was actually a stranger who murdered your real Mother…" He pulls himself up with labored movements until he's standing, leaning against the dresser. "You don't remember what she did to you," he says coldly and I look at Byron as he stares with hooded eyes. "But I can see it," he says as he studies Byron's face. He smiles again. "Why don't you do us all a favor and just kill yourself already."

Byron tightens his jaw and Conrad looks at the sword with a curious tilt to his head.

"That's what you want, isn't it? That's what you think about. You'll never be normal. The feeling will never go away. Just do it already, or are you too scared?" Byron hesitates for a few moments before approaching Conrad again with his eyes intense. "You don't want to kill me, Byron. Why are you even pretending," he says smugly, like he was reading right from his mind. "You're the one who wants to die."

Byron hits him with the brunt end of the sword and when Conrad falls to the ground, Byron puts the blade against his throat once again.

"Open your eyes," Byron repeats coldly.

When Conrad opens his eyes again, it happens so quickly that the boy on the floor wouldn't be able to stop it. Byron brought the sword down swiftly and hard against his neck, nearly severing it from the shoulders.

"I told you I was going to kill you," he says gently as he walks over to the table and he picks up a towel. He doesn't even spare Conrad a second look as he opens the door, wiping the bloody sword off with the towel as Lavinia runs over to him.

I pull myself out of the pensive and I pause a few moments before going to my study and picking up the piece of paper I had been working on all night. I fold it over and put it in my pocket before walking over to the fireplace and throwing floo powder into the flames. I'm heated and ready to fight, might as well do some good with it. Not many people can boast at having a personal floo line directly to the Minister's office, but I can. It never went out after I left office because I was still in contact with Darren and his decisions with the Wizengamot. That is until of late, when he decided to go off on his own and piss me off.

"Draco….what?" Darren was at his desk, pouring over some old book and he looks like he's seen a ghost.

I raise my wand and point it right at his chest. "Imperio," I say and his eyes glaze over as I walk towards his desk and sit across from him. "Now, let's talk," I tell him as I cross my legs and get comfortable. "Take a seat," I nod towards his seat and with cursed steps he walks over and sits on the leather chair. "I'm not happy with you, Darren," I tell him seriously. I'm not going to waste time. "You used to be a smart man."

I study him and the office that used to be mine for a few moments.

"What were you planning on doing with the bodies at the hospital? Who were you going to blame?"

"You," he says and my anger shoots up. That Conrad boy was not lying. "We thought with the press on your family going missing, we would be able to blame that on you too."

"Why?"

"Because the Dark Lord was supposed to take over with your funds."

I didn't know what that meant and I don't fucking care. "Here's what's going to happen. Are you listening?" He nods his head as I tap my fingers against the arm rest. "Good. Tomorrow morning you are going to resign. You are going to tell them that you were the mastermind behind the deaths at the hospital and that you had Addison's family killed because they knew about it. You're going to admit that you and Theodore Nott were trying to bring back the Dark Lord and you're also going to take the blame for the Moor Murders."

"Okay," he says flatly. My curse is too strong to break, but bless him for trying.

"You're going to apologize and turn yourself over to Ron Weasley, who you are going to promote to head Auror tonight," I tell him as I take out a piece of paper from my pocket and I put it in front of him on his desk. I don't like fucking Ron Weasley, but one favor deserves another. "Sign this," I tell him and he takes a quill and dips it in ink. "You are going to reinstate Harry Potter's position in the Auror department and…." I pause for a second and looks at me with cursed glazed eyes. "And you're going to tell them you killed Pansy White. You were on your rampage and you were upset with the stories she was letting the Dailey Prophet print. I want you to take all of it." I pause another long moment as I look him over and then I look around the room again. I miss this office, actually. "Well, I guess that's it."

I stand up and dust off my pants.

Before I leave, I turn around. "Oh, and you are going to warn all of your friends that if anyone so much as comes within ten feet of my family again that they had better think twice," I tell him as I walk over and start wheeling his chair away from his desk. I pull out the green book on the book shelf and watch as it opens to the secret passageway that leads down a set of stairs. It serves as a quick getaway for the minister if he's in a bind. "Because," I say as I put the chair against the edge and I bend down so I'm close to his ear. "They may have an accident," I say before I push him and the chair. They go tumbling down the concrete steps together and I watch with narrowed eyes as he lands against the hard ground with a painful sounding thump. He's still alive, though, because he's moaning.

I raise an eyebrow and close the passageway. I go over to the door and push it open to reveal the two guards who are standing on either side of the door. One of them being Ron Weasley who requested being put close to Darren after the events that went down last week.

"Minister Greengrass seems to have had an accident," I tell Weasley as I lean against the door frame. "I would suggest getting him to a healer."

"What did you do?" he asks and I look at him.

"You're welcome. I imagine he'll have a lot more to say to you now." I start walking back towards the fireplace. I hear Darren's moans from behind the shelf. I think of my children again and turn towards Weasley as he steps in after me. "You may want to give him a minute," I say hatefully before flooing away. Once back in my study I turn the knob to turn off the floo network.

I wait a few moments before cracking my neck and walking up the long stairway to the third floor. I catch myself going to Cass' room first. Since all of them have been home, I've fallen back into my old habit of checking their rooms before I go to bed and it gives me a real peace of mind after the messed up summer that we had. I open Cass's door and I step in, almost panicking when I don't see him lying on his bed.

I quickly turn on his light and take out my wand, only to see him on his couch, fast asleep with his shoes on and his arm resting over the ledge. I sigh in relief and turn off his light again. Usually I would just pick him up and carry him to his bed in a situation like this, but he is much too big for that now and I am much too old so I pocket my wand and walk over to him. I untie his shoes first and take them off, resting them by the table as he makes a noise in his sleep and turns so he's facing the back of the couch. He folds his legs up and tucks his newly freed feet under the cushions as I grab the comforter from his bed and drape it over him. I stare down at him after I tuck the covers around him and I take seat on the table across from the couch as I survey his sleeping form.

When we thought he was gone…I knew I would never get over it and I was so relieved when he came back to us that I could barely believe that it was real. I still don't believe it sometimes, you know. I'm just waiting for the other shoe to drop and I'll wake up and he'll still be dead. I bring a hand out and touch his hair, my hair, and I sigh. Cassius was the first thing I had ever loved so totally and unquestioningly and it nearly tore me apart to think of him as being gone.

It's a feeling you could never understand until you finally have your own child, but Cassius was my first and he was my introduction into all things good. A part of me always thought he would end up like me. I mean, he looks just like me and he has a terrible temper on him that gets away with him sometimes, but even then he's not half as bad as I was, or am now. He's so hopelessly good that sometimes he doesn't even seem like a real person. He has so much Ginny in him. I'm grateful for that and I'm proud of the man he's become.

He deserves to be happy and I'm sad that it seems to be so hard and unattainable for him to find it.

I put my hand back because I don't want to wake him and I stand up with my hands in my pockets. I saw him when I was down in the cave talking to Lord Voldemort…. I saw him standing by that large rock formation and I was so angry with him for coming back for me. I didn't acknowledge him. I didn't want the Dark Lord knowing that the body he wanted to use was standing right behind him because I knew Cassius wouldn't be able to defeat him in duel. Not because he isn't brave enough, because he is. He is braver than I'll ever be, but I knew Cassius wasn't able to perform the same terrible spells that the Dark Lord was a master in.

Cassius couldn't torture someone.

He couldn't imperio them.

And I thought he could never kill anyone.

I was surprised when I saw the jet of green light hit the Dark Lords back and, when I saw Cassius' face, my heart broke in half. He looked so young with his wand gripped in his hands and even though he had killed the Dark Lord, the most evil wizard in the modern world, he was still torn up about the fact that he took someone else's life. That was something I never thought twice about, and there was my son, upset that he had killed a tyrant. It made me love him more.

With quiet steps I walk out of his room and gently close the door behind me. Gavin has his light on and it's spilling out from under his door. I take it upon myself to turn if off for him. He's actually in his bed and the baby monitor is resting on his bed side table. My second son loves sleep just as much as his mother does and he's hugging a pillow like he was a boy again. I can't help it. I walk over to him and touch his hair, letting my fingers run through the thickness of it. He's had such a hard time lately and I feel so bad for him. I wish things would be good for him, I wish he wasn't in pain.

"Stop touching me," he says in a groggy voice and I nearly laugh at it. I pull my hand back and cross my arms as Gavin opens one eye and glares at me.

"How are you feeling?" I ask and he makes a face before burying his head back into his pillow.

"I don't feel well. I'm trying to fucking sleep."

"You left your light on."

"Dad," he whines and I'm reminded of him as a teenager. "Go away."

"Alright," I say, trying not to be amused by his defensive tone. Gavin, there's no one quite like him. "I'll leave you alone now."

"Thank you," he snaps sarcastically. He even goes so far as to turn his back on me and pull the cover up further. I stare at him for a while. If I ever did this to my father he would have dragged me from the bed and beat me for showing him so much disrespect. He came from a different school of parenting, I guess.

"Go. Away," he repeats again.

I smile at him and walk to the door.

I turn off the light and close his door before walking down the hallway.

I'm on a roll now. Might as well keep on going. I find Evelyn in bed with Lavinia, taking up the majority of the bed with her arms and legs stretched out and falling over the side of the mattress. Lavinia is on the edge of her own bed with her hand tucked under her pillow. They look so young.

I can't help myself, I walk inside and I grab Lavinia's desk chair on the way towards the bed. I set it down by the mattress and I take a seat, placing my hand on Lavinia's cheek and gently running my fingers down her smooth skin as she breathes in and out….

I think of Byron's memory I saw in the pensive earlier. Byron and Conrad. Her very own Harry and Draco and I sigh sadly as I kiss her temple. I won't condone or condemn what Byron did, because in all honestly I would have done the same thing… It just makes me uneasy that that is the boy my daughter loves. It makes me think of Ginny again and I shake my head. Maybe Byron isn't as bad as Conrad made him seem. It would break her heart if he did anything to hurt himself no matter what he's been through. I've always been quite strict with my children… especially my girls and there was a reason for it. I wanted to protect them from everything and I never wanted them to know how painful life truly is.

I failed in doing that.

"Dad," I hear a whisper and I bring my hand back as Evelyn sits up, rubbing sleep from her eyes on the other side of the bed. "What are you doing?"

"Nothing," I state and she blinks a few times, letting her eyes adjust to the darkness as she yawns. "Just making sure everyone is tucked in," I whisper so we don't wake Lavinia.

"I've been sleeping very well," she says and I stand up and walk over to her side of the bed. I take a seat, and the mattress moves with me. "I have had no dreams," she says with a smile and I smile at her just because she seems happy. "I want to never have another dream again."

"Not even a good one?" I ask softly and she shakes her head.

"Not even a great one," she says and Lavinia moves in her sleep so we both wait for her to settle down before Evelyn sits up and leans against the head board. "Did you see my new wand?" she asks and her voice sounds so girlish that I can't help but picture her as a little seven year old again.

She leans over to the bed side table and grabs something on the top. She uses her new wand to light a lumos spell and she smiles at it. "It's blue ," she says in an excited whisper as I take the wand to look it over.

"This seems like a very good wand," I tell her and she nods her head.

"Oh, it is. It's one of a kind."

I hand it back to her and rest my right hand on the other side of her legs so she's caged in underneath me.

"Mom got a new wand too," she says as she twirls hers around like it was a fancy baton. She leans back against the pillows as the light illuminates her face. "Ollivander said he was waiting years for her to finally pick it up." She glances at me. Her eyes look like blue steel. "Why do you think she never got it when she first went to Hogwarts?"

"Her family probably couldn't afford it," I say honestly. I'm not going to sugar coat it. She needs to know these things. "Brand new wands are expensive and your Grandfather never made that much money."

"That's kind of sad," Evelyn says and her lower lip jets out a bit as she thinks on it.

"Don't be sad," I tell her as I hook my finger under her chin and I tilt her face up. "Money doesn't matter that much, and it makes you realize how fortunate you are, right?" I say and she nods her head. "Now, do you think you'll be able to go back to sleep, or have I ruined the night for you?"

"Oh, no," she says as she smiles a dimpled smile at me. "I will be able to sleep. I very much love sleeping now and I suspect I need to make up for lost time. Especially before I have to go back to Hogwarts. You know how hard those beds are."

"Yes, I do know," I tell her with a gentle smile as I place a kiss on her forehead. "Good night, baby," I tell her and she smiles tiredly before lunging at me and wrapping her arms around my neck in a tight hug.

It's unexpected and it nearly makes me fall back from the force. It takes me a moment before I finally wrap my arms around her and participate in the hug, holding her gently as she presses herself against me. It was like hugging a small bird, I imagined. The hug lasted for a while and Evelyn never loosened her grip from around my neck.

"I can barely breathe," I told her after a few moments because she was crushing me against her so tightly. Her curls are getting in my face as well, so I brush them away with my hand as she lays her head against my shoulder. "Evelyn."

She loosens her grip and sighs against my neck.

"I love you so very much," she whispers. I resist the urge to sigh again. Little girls always break my heart and even though Evelyn is officially a teenager now, I still see her as that little girl with red gold curls.

"I love you too, sweetheart," I reply against her hair. I gently pull her back and smile as I brush strands of hair away from her face. She still looks so much like my mother but she has a little bit of Ginny in her too. You can only see if you look hard enough. "Now, go back to sleep."

"I will," she says with a smile as she leans back against the bed and pulls up the covers to her chest. "I will sleep until noon tomorrow."

"You think that's a good idea?" I tease her as I tuck the covers more firmly around her.

"I think it sounds lovely," she says as she turns on her side and scissors her legs so they're touching her sister and the edge of the bed. "Don't bother waking me for breakfast," she says and I smirk at her as I stand.

"Goodnight," I tell her and she closes her eyes as the lumos spell on her new wand fades.

"Goodnight, Daddy," she says and I watch her for a few moments before walking towards the door. She turns in her sleep and plants herself right against Lavinia as I open the door.

"Evelyn," Lavinia whines tiredly as I pause in the doorway. "Stop touching me."

"But my feet are cold and you are warm," she explains in a loud whisper and I smile again before leaving and closing the door.

I have to psyche myself up for the next door on my tour and I pause outside of my bedroom when I finally reach it.

I'm actually a little nervous to go in.

I wait a few moments to gain my courage before opening to door. Ginny isn't in bed so I go towards the nursery to check on Emma. She's in the crib where all of my children slept and she looks sweet doing it. I kiss her cheek before pulling out some bravery and going back to my room to confront my wife

I find Ginny in the bathroom, taking a bath in our large bathtub and I just stare at her for a few moments before I start removing my clothes as well. I know she's upset with me… I know she probably hates me, but I don't care. I want to be close to her and once I'm divested of all my clothes I slip into the tub across from her. She opens her eyes and stares at me, but she doesn't say anything. She doesn't ask me to leave, so I stay and stare right back until she gives in and looks away.

"Where were you?" she asks carefully as she picks up a bar of soap and starts rubbing it in-between her fingers until it foams up.

"I went to have a talk with Darren," I tell her as I take off my glasses and fold them up because the lenses were starting to fog from the heat of the bath. I place them on the ledge and relax against tub with my eyes closed.

"What did you talk about?" she pushes further, annoyed that I didn't just start talking about it and I open my eyes to meet her irritated brown ones.

"I used the imperius curse on him," I tell her. I'm going to be completely honest now. Any other time I would have lied because she would have been pissed that I used an unforgivable, but I'm telling the truth now. She wants to know things and I'm going to tell her. "I'm making him accept blame for the Moor Murders set up and what happened at the Hospital. I'm also making him resign."

"Did you tell him to drop off a cliff too?" she asks as she runs her soapy hand across her pale shoulder and I watch the bubbles against her skin before shaking it off and looking away. I'm starting to get hard and I don't want her to think I'm only approaching her now for sex.

"I could always go back," I say with a small smile. She doesn't smile back. She goes back to washing her body. "Do you need help?" I ask as I sit up straight. "I could do your back?" I offer. My undertone is different and she knows it. This is my peace offering, but she scoffs it off.

"No, I don't want your help," she tells me shortly and I slump back against the tub. I feel her legs brush against mine as she shifts her body and I look at my reflection in the water.

"Ginny," I say to get her attention and when her eyes look into mine I raise my eyebrow. I wish she wasn't looking at me so coldly right now. "You wouldn't get anything," I say and she furrows her brows.

"What are you talking about?" she asks and I lean back again and look at the water once more, moving my hand carefully over the surface so I can avoid looking at her directly.

"If you officially filed for divorce first," I tell her and she tenses up. I can tell the way her muscles are tight in her jaw. "You wouldn't be entitled to anything. You agreed to that when you signed the marriage contract when we were married," I say and she furrows her brows. "Everything that is in my name and bought with my family's money would be forfeit and you wouldn't be able to take it with you. Everything goes to me according to the law, including the kids."

That's everything, is the silent words between us.

She makes a face and turns away. "Was anyone thinking of me when that stupid thing was written," she states bitterly and I look at her profile.

"All I thought of was you," I tell her seriously. I needed to make it impossible for her to leave me. If she ended up hating me, which she did, and threats of violence didn't work, I needed a backup plan. I know that's messed up, okay. I go to therapy for it.

"What about the gallery?" she asks seriously and I cup some water in my hands and splash my face. I hate talking about this.

"It's in my name," I tell her. "I could sign it over to you because your name is on the lease," I say softly. "But all the money made up until that point is in my vault and that will be locked against you."

"I would have nothing," she says and she blinks a few times. "I would literally have to start over."

After a few long painful seconds, I sigh and run my wet hands through my hair so it's slicked back. "I wouldn't actually honor the contract," I tell her and her eyes snap to mine. "You would have anything you wanted," I tell her softly, not able to look at her again because I can't bear the thought of being without her. "The magic of the contract is binding, we'd have to do it the hard way, but I would do it if it was what you wanted. That… or I could be the one to file first," I state seriously. "It would make the contract invalid."

"Why?" she asks with a curious tilt of her head. A lock of hair had come loose from the bun she had put it in and the tip was in the water, starting to curl. "Why would it be invalid if you filed first?"

"I knew I would never divorce you," I say simply. It was true enough, really. After all that work to get her, I wasn't just going to divorce her. I was going to make it work.

She runs her hands over her face and then she stands up and she covers her breasts with one of her arms. I shake my head and smile a little, amused that she's still modest around me sometimes even though I've been _there_ many times. Suds from the soap cling to her skin and I watch as she steps out of the tub and grabs a towel to wrap around her body. It pains me to see her moving away after having this painful talk. I think she really does want to divorce me. When she leaves the bathroom and closes the door, I dunk my head under the water and hold my breath for as long as I can until I resurface for air, breathing in deeply and flicking hair out of my eyes.

I wait a few moments before getting out as well. I kind of feel like hiding in here the rest of the night so I don't have to face her again and what she might have to say to me, so I take my time drying off and I brush my teeth for a good two minutes. I even floss to stall time and use mouthwash as the time slowly ticks by. I stare at my reflection as I swish the Listerine flavored mouth cleaner around and I run a finger along one of the scars on my chest.

I try not to let them bug me, but the narcissistic side of me can't help it. It wounds my vain pride and when I spit out the mouth wash and take a sip of water I go back to staring at the scars. Maybe Ginny lied when she said she still thought I was handsome with them… Even though it's an impossibly girly thought, I don't want her to think I'm ugly. I've never been ugly and I don't want to start now.

I sigh and run my fingers through my hair to tame it before walking out into the bedroom. Unlike Ginny, I don't bother to cover my nakedness. She's seen me this way more than a million times so my body shouldn't be much of a shock to her. She's not in the room and I tighten my jaw as I walk over to my wardrobe to pull out something to sleep in. Maybe she went to sleep in another room. I hate that thought, but it would make sense. The past few days since the big thing went down, we haven't talked much and we would mostly collapse out of exhaustion without bothering to note where we were or who we were with. The past two nights I had slept in my office just because it was easier.

I'm pulling on a pair of boxers when the door opens and I look my shoulder to make sure it isn't one of the kids. Seeing their Dad naked would just be another traumatizing thing to add to the list of things they've seen.

"While you were gone, I was sorting through the books in the library," It's Ginny and she has a book under her arm and a potion bottle in her hand. I look around to make sure she's talking to me before facing her and standing straight. "Because you're too stubborn to go to a healer, I've been looking up ways to get rid of the scars," she says as she walks further into the room, wearing a sleeveless nightdress that stops at her knees.

"Any luck?" I ask and I can't help but be pleased that she was thinking of me while I was away.

She bites her lip as she looks at the book. "I think so," she says as she walks over to her vanity. She puts the book down on the marble table top and opens it to a marked page. "It's worth a shot. Come have a seat," she says and I stare at her for a few moments before doing as she says and taking a seat on her vanity bench.

"Okay," she says as she looks at the book with her eyebrows furrowed. She shakes her head and turns on the lamp to see better and I try not to laugh. We're getting old. "Okay, we should test it on a little area of skin to make sure it doesn't irritate you," she whispers as she uncorks the potion bottle. She picks up a wash cloth and dabs a little of the white potion on it as she keeps reading the book, her lips moving gently with the words, but not voicing it out loud.

"That smells like pure bleach," I tell her as it burns my nostrils. I'm not sure if that's a good idea to put on my skin, but she spares me a little glance before looking away.

"It says it will sting a little bit," she says and she finally looks me in the eyes. "We're going to test it on the one on your shoulder, okay?"

"Yeah," I say as I stare into her dark eyes. God, I love her.

I look down as she brings the cloth to one of the scars on my shoulder and as soon as she rubs it against my skin, it starts burning. Like fucking fire burning.

"Fuck," I hiss as I raise my shoulder in a lame attempt at getting it off of me.

"Does it hurt?" she asks worriedly as I breathe in through my nostrils because my teeth are gnashing together.

"Yes, this fucking hurts," I tell her as I grab her hips just to have something to hold onto and I pull her down so she's straddling my lap. She blows on the burn as she balances herself by holding on to my arm and hooking her other hand around my neck. It does feel better, so I rest my face against the crook of her neck. She always smells so good and because she just took a bath she smells especially clean.

"There's a wand part I have to do," she whispers before blowing on the scar again as I tense my fingers around her small waist. It feels like… well… like I imagine fucking bleach feels if you spilled it on your skin. "Can you handle it, or do you want me to wash this off?"

"Try the wand," I say as I let her sit back and pull out her wand. Her new wand that she just bought today. She looks at the book again as I try to focus on the blond wood wand she's holding instead of the pain. "But bloody hurry," I say so she knows it hurts too much for her to take her fucking time.

"I am," she says worriedly as she looks over the rest of the directions. "It says to move your wand counterclockwise twice," she says as she mimics the directions with her wand. "One swish up and then a flick." As she says it she does it and then she bites her lip. "And then another flick_…. Reducidio_," she says gently and then she takes her eyes off the page to look at the wand.

It doesn't burn anymore.

I see a small smile break out on her face. "It worked," she says happily and I look at her vanity mirror. The skin is smooth once again and I smirk at myself in the mirror because of the suggestive position I was able to get her in. She doesn't seem to mind and she hugs me around the neck. She pulls me against her in a tight hug and then leans back to to kiss me.

I smile against her lips because I'm glad she's kissing me… but I end up pushing her back. She has a frown on her face as I look down.

"What?" she whispers as I glance up at her. "Does it still hurt?"

"Don't play with me," I tell her seriously and she tilts her head to the side.

"I'm… I'm just happy," she says as she grips my shoulders and presses her chest against mine. "Byron still has scars on his back that open up every once and a while and I was afraid that would happen to you. But it won't because this heals them."

"Can we heal them all in one go?" I ask. "Because just doing one was fucking painful."

She grabs the book and puts it in-between us. She's still straddling my lap so we're close enough that she rests the back of the book against my chest so she can read it comfortably. "It says it should be done one by one because the magic needs to be concentrated in the one area," she says and then she gives me sympathetic look. "I'm sorry."

I sigh and sit back in the chair as she places the book back on the vanity table. I take the liberty to run my hands up and down her thighs under her nightgown and she's not pushing me away, so I keep doing it. She shaved her legs. That thought kind of excites me. When you live with someone for over twenty years you tend to get comfortable with one another, when your partner takes the time to shave, that usually means good things for you.

"Why are you being so nice to me now?" I ask curiously. "You couldn't bear to look at me in the bathroom," I tell her gently as I catch her eyes.

"I'm just," she sighs and runs her fingers down my chest. "I'm just so tired of you not telling me things," she says seriously with a tilt of her brows. "I don't like being kept in the dark. I hate that you think I'm too stupid to handle information."

"I don't think that," I tell her honestly as I sit up put my hands around her back. "I've never thought you were stupid. I just think I'm protecting you when I don't tell you things and I don't want you to think differently of me when something happens where I'll know you'll be mad at me for it."

"Why do you do things you know I won't like?" she counters and I look to my left.

"I try really hard to be a good man," I tell her and it has been a struggle for me. "I really do because I know that's what you should have," I say. I'm being totally and completely honest with her now. I need to make her see. "I want things to be perfect for you even though I know I'll never be perfect and when I do things… I'm not a good man and I try but I want you to think that I am . Even though I know I am a terrible person, I didn't cheat on you with that girl. I couldn't. You've ruined me for anyone else." I say that quickly and send a quick look to her before looking away self consciously because what I just said sounded fucking retarded, but I meant it.

"How many people did you kill?" she repeats her question from before and I crack my neck.

"I don't know," I say honestly. "A lot."

"How much is a lot?" she whispers and I shrug because I honestly don't know. I was killing everything that moved in my way. "Don't you even feel bad about it?"

"No," I say truthfully and I think of Cassius again and how torn up he was about what he had to do. I look down . "To be completely honest, Ginny, I was too fucking mad to feel anything. I didn't feel bad then and I don't feel bad now. Not after knowing what their plans were and the way they treated our children. I couldn't let that go unpunished."

"Maybe it's not your job to punish," she says softly and I narrow my eyes.

"Well, it happened and I can't change it. I feel justified with my actions even though I know how wrong they are. What do you think about that?" I ask. I truly didn't mean to sound so fucking jerky, but I couldn't help. It just slipped out that way and she tries to get up, but I hold her hips down. "No, I'm sorry," I tell her so she won't leave and she turns her head to the side when I kiss her cheek as part of my apology. "I shouldn't have snapped like that, but I couldn't let anything happen to them," I tell her. "You can see that from my point of view, right?"

"Yes," she whispers and then she leans her head against my shoulder. I feel her kiss my cheek. "Will you at least promise me something," she whispers with her face still close to mine.

"That depends," I tell her and her breath is warm against my ear.

"Always turning it into a trade off," she sighs and I kiss her neck. "What is your stipulation?"

"I'll promise you whatever you want," I tell her as I stroke her back. "But you're not allowed to divorce me."

She pauses for a moment and inside I start to panic. Why is she taking so long to respond? Did she want me to promise her not to make the divorce difficult? Did she want me to promise her to sign the papers? I want to push her off of my lap and say something mean just to make me feel better because she's making me absolutely sick, but I resist the urge to be a cruel jackass when I feel her fingers start to play with my hair.

I close my eyes when she runs her cheek against mine. I haven't touched her in a while and it's been two months since we've actually had sex. I had forgotten how soft her skin was.

"I don't want a divorce," she whispers and I sigh in relief. I can feel my body actually relax. "I never did. I just wanted to get your attention. I was so angry with you."

"You have my attention now," I tell her and when she pulls back she places her warm hand against my neck.

"Please promise me that you'll never do another unforgivable, no matter what the circumstances," she says and I nod my head. I can do that. Besides, the unforgivables are just three curses that are off limits. There's many ways to skin a cat. "Stop keeping things from me, and only hire male assistants from now on."

I laugh a little at her last request and then I pull her back so I can kiss her properly. "That's a deal."

"I have something else to tell you," she says and I pout against her lips.

"What is it now?"

"We ran into Harry in Diagon Alley… well, he ran into me actually," she says softly and I narrow my eyes. "I sent the girls home because he was drunk…."

"Of course he was drunk," I snap and she gives me a look so I'll calm down.

"We were talking," she says and she looks down at my chest. I hate it when she does that. That means she can't look me in the eyes. "We kissed."

"You kissed," I repeat flatly. I want to push her off of me again, but I try to calm my temper as she flicks her eyes to mine.

"It was… It was just a kiss."

"Just a kiss." I want to yell at her. I want to push her off my lap and yell at her, but I inhale deeply and try to control my temper.

"I didn't like it," she admits and for some reason that makes me feel better. "I thought maybe I would… but I didn't. I just kept on thinking of you and how much I love you. I could never be with Harry," she says and her eyes find mine. "And today made me realize that if things would have been different, if you and I were never together…. Harry and I would never have been right anyways. No matter how angry you make me… I couldn't be with anyone else. I wouldn't want it."

We're silent for a while before she speaks again.

"You're angry with me." It wasn't a question. She knew how I would feel about this. "You should be," she says and she brings her hands up to my face. "But I love you and now I know that no matter what I would never have loved him more than I love you." Her eyes are starting to water as she lets her hands fall to her lap. "I would rather fight with you every day then spend one boring night with Harry Potter."

I stare at her for a few moments. I don't feel mad anymore, actually. I just feel relief. "Never do it again," I state seriously and she searches my eyes for a few moments until she realizes that's me accepting what she told me… that's me actually forgiving her for it. "No more secrets."

She places a kiss against my cheek and she holds me close to her body, with her breath warm on my neck. "I get sad sometimes," she says and I wrap my arms around her. "I get sad when I think about my family and the people that I lost and I always try to hide it from you."

"Why?" I ask seriously and I feel her hug me a little tighter until her chest is right up against mine.

"I don't want you to feel bad," she admits and I furrow my brows. "I don't want you to think I don't want you anymore because I'm sad about them. I'm allowed to be sad about them," she whispers that last part and I kiss her hair and place my chin on her shoulder.

"You're allowed to be sad about them," I confirm and when she pulls back I see tears in her eyes. I bring my hand up to her face. "If you feel sad you can tell me," I say gently as I run my thumb over her lips. "I know I haven't been a good listener in the past, but I can try."

She smiles a little and I lean in to kiss her. She inhales a quick breath as I grab onto her hair and tilt her head back so I can kiss her deeply, letting my tongue slide along hers as she sighs into my mouth. To reclaim what's mine, to comfort her, and erase any traces of Harry fucking Potter. She scoots forward on my lap so she's sitting right on my crotch and I lift my hips into hers so she can feel how frustrated I am. Two months. That's a bloody long time for us. After a few heated moments, she gently pushes my chest back.

"No," she whispers and I frown.

"No?"

"It doesn't," she slumps her shoulders and scoots back. "It just doesn't feel right. Not with things being so serious," she says and I feel my eyes tighten. "I'm sorry. It's just not a good idea, anyways. I haven't been taking any birth control."

"You're forty two, Gin," I tell her and she rolls her eyes.

"Everything still works, Draco," she says with a head shake. "I just didn't think.. since we've been apart recently I kind of forgot. I…" she trails off and goes to stand up, but I stop her.

"No, don't move just yet. I want to be close to you." I pull her to me and place a chaste kiss against her lips before kissing my way down her neck and shoulder.

"Draco…" she warns, but she doesn't move.

I sigh and pull back. "Do you want to finish with the healing?" I ask because I know that burning my fucking skin off with bleach will make me lose the half erection I was starting to get.

"Are you sure?" she asks seriously as I summon a house-elf. "We can do it another time… and you know, they don't even look so bad," she says as she runs her fingers along one on my face.

"Bring me alcohol," I tell the elf when it pops in beside us. "Vodka," I decide and it comes back with the whole bottle. I unscrew the lid and take drink before looking at Ginny. "Alright. Let's get this over with then."

"Just a second," she says as she goes to stand up. I give her a look and hold on to her hips, but she gives me a warm smile. "I just have to get something. I'll be right back."

I let her get up and she disappears into the bathroom. I look at the book and take another drink from the vodka bottle as she reappears with my glasses in hand. "What are you doing with those?" I ask as she wipes the lenses off on the bottom of her gown and she straddles me once more.

"Okay," she says as she puts them on and blinks a few times before grabbing that potions bottle and putting her wand in-between her teeth.

"You know," I tell her as she dabs the potion on the rag again. "It's not good to wear someone else's prescription," I say referring to my glasses. She looks fucking sexy in them, but I know it's not doctor recommended.

"I see better with them," she admits shyly after taking her wand from her teeth and putting it behind her ear. "I'm just not ready to admit it yet," she says, giving me a sweet smile.

I smile back and then I start cussing.

"Fucking Christ, Ginny, you could have warned me," I say as my skin burns from the potion. I arch my chest because the scar she's healing is right on my collar bone. She quickly grabs her wand and does the spell . I sigh in relief when the pain and the scar disappears.

"Anticipation is the worst kind of pain," she says and I roll my eyes as she puts more of that disgusting bleach on that fucking hand towel.

"Give me a second," I tell her, grabbing the vodka and taking another generous amount. "I need to be drunk for this." I have to have over thirty scars on my body right now from that curse. This is going to be a long night.

"It can't hurt that badly," she says as she dabs more potion onto the rag. "I think you might be—Ow!" I guess she was going to try to prove a point to me putting the potion on her own hand, trying to call me out for overreacting. It's safe to say the plan backfired. "This really hurts!"

"I told you," I tell her as I take her wand and do the spell to stop it from burning… but I don't fucking know the spell so I have to grab the book. "Give me my glasses," I tell her because I can't read that small print without them.

"This really hurts," she says and her eyes start tearing up. I give her a sympathetic look before grabbing the glasses and pushing them on my face. I scan the page, looking for the directions before doing the wand work that it maps out. On the first flick of my wrist, though, I mess up and accidently let go of the wand.

"Fuck."

"Draco," she's really crying now and I panic as I stand her up so I can find her wand that rolled under the vanity. "You weren't lying. This hurts really badly."

I get down on my knees to retrieve her wand and I cuss as I hear her sniffle, trying to hold back a sob. "Just hold on a second, sweetheart," I say as I stretch my arm out to reach the fucking wand that's against the wall. "I almost got it."

I finally snatch her wand and stand up quickly, pulling her hand towards me and I do the spell as quickly as I can. She sighs in relief and a long shaky breath leaves her lips as she brings her hand up to her chest to nurse it. I take it and place a kiss on top.

"Look," I say in amusement. "It got rid of your freckles," I say and she looks down at the little patch of skin, now smooth without a trace of her little spots.

"It burns the imperfections right off, doesn't it?" she says with a voice thick with tears and I kiss her forehead.

She inhales deeply as I take a step closer to her and I bring my hand up to the back of her neck so I can pull her against me.

"You weren't lying," she repeats and I smile a little.

"I wasn't lying," I confirm as my breath ruffles her hair.

"I don't want to do that anymore," she whispers against my chest. "I don't care. The scars aren't even that visible," she lies as she pulls back and looks over my face. "I can barely see them."

"I have a high pain tolerance," I tell her as I take a seat on the vanity bench again. I pull her back on my lap. "I'd prefer you do it now." Before I chicken out, I want to add, but I'll hold onto my pride.

"Are you sure?" she whispers and I nod my head, putting my hands back on her thighs to prepare myself for it. "I'm serious, Draco," she says earnestly, as she moves some hair away from my face. "It really isn't worth it. You still look handsome."

"Just do it now, Gin. I'd rather do it sooner than later."

"Are you—"

"Yes, I'm sure," I snap because she's trying to talk me out of it and I take of my glasses and carefully place them on her face, pushing them up the bridge of her nose as they fall into place on top of her ears. "Come on, then, foureyes," I say and she smiles a little before getting to the task.

I empty the bottle as she works her away around my body, practically burning those fucking scars off with that potion and then cooling it with her wand. I would cry if I wasn't so determined to make it seem like it wasn't a big deal because I know she would freak out and stop and in all honestly I don't want to be covered in scars. I'm not bloody Harry Potter.

"I think I've got them all," she says softly, picking up my arm to look at my ribcage to make sure.

"Thank fucking Christ," I say as I stand up, forcing her to stand as well. I walk over to the mirror to check myself out and I squint my eyes at my reflection. I'm a little drunk from the vodka, but still sober enough to walk and see properly. Ginny comes up behind me and places the glasses on me. I smile when I come into focus and kiss her hand. "Thank you," I tell her because I'm scar free once again. Even the scars on my arm caused by my aunt bellatrix and Death Eater training are gone and I give the Dark Mark a thoughtful look.

"What is it?" Ginny asks as she kisses my shoulder blade. "Did we miss one?"

"If it took off your freckles," I tell her as I glance over my shoulder. "Will it take off this?" I ask as I hold up my forearm so she can see what I'm referring to. It's so light now that I can barely see it, but I know it's there and no spell or potion has been able to get rid of it. That Dark Lord's magic had branded me for life in more ways than one.

"We could try," she says gently and I turn around with my back against her vanity as she takes the potion bottle and dabs the remaining drops on that now soiled rag. "Are you sure you want that… off?" she asks uncomfortably, trying to be partial to my beliefs even though she doesn't believe them.

"Yes," I state plainly and she looks up at me for a moment before gently smoothing the potion over the brand. I tighten my jaw but I try not to make a noise as it burns into my skin. She blows on the burn before raising her wand and doing the charm. It disappears and I smirk after the painful burning subsides.

"I never thought I'd see this gone," she says and I bring my hand up to her face.

"Should I get Ginny written there now?" I joke and she smiles as she takes my hand away and kisses my forearm where the Dark Mark once was.

I smile down at her and she leans up on her toes to kiss me on the lips. "Let's go to bed," I whisper against her mouth as I flick my wrist and turn off the lights. I start walking her backwards towards the bed, keeping one hand on the back of her neck to keep her in place while I kiss her with a brutal intensity.

I love kissing her.

She molds right up against me and after all these years we know exactly how to fall into motion with each other. There are no awkward turns or odd bites like in the beginning, now we just flow, like we know what the other one is going to do even before they do it. When the back of her knees hit the bed, I pause so she can scoot back on it, with her elbows on the mattress and the night gown rising up her thighs as she crawls backwards up the bed. I watch and when I catch a glimpse in-between her legs, I smirk again because she's not wearing any knickers.

I gently crawl on top of her and lean my hips into hers as I settle in between her legs, letting my lower body rest on top of hers, but keeping my upper half supported by my forearms because I don't want to crush her. I felt like a teenager again because we're just snogging, running hands over each other as we kiss. I kind of like the simplicity of it. We made out for a good half hour before the baby started crying.

I pulled back and my lips were hot from kissing her so fiercely and I felt her run her fingers through my hair as I looked towards the nursery door. She starts to get up, but I push her down. "I'll get her," I whisper, kissing her one last time before jumping off the bed and grabbing my glasses.

I put them on as I walk towards the nursery door, still tasting Ginny on my lips. "You can bring her back in here," Ginny says as she sits up. I can see her outline in the darkness as she pulls her knees up to her chest. "She's probably afraid to be all by herself. She's too young to be in there without someone beside her."

"Okay," I agree with a whisper, to my utter disappointment.

I wait one second with my head against the cool wooden door to calm myself and my body down before I go in there and after a second of breathing deeply, I gently turn the knob.

A rush of memories hit me as I start to push the door open. To be honest, I haven't opened this door in the middle of the night like this since Evelyn was a baby. I kind of missed that too. I was about ready to walk over to the cradle that held the baby, but I stopped myself because I saw someone else walk in from the other door. I froze with my hand on the doorknob, but let myself relax when I realized who it was.

Gavin rubs sleep from his eye as he walks to the center of the room and he sighs as he looks down at the baby. I cross my arms and lean against the door frame to watch him with something funny resting on my chest. To be honest, I kind of figured Ginny and I would raise Emma because Gavin is so young and totally not ready to raise a baby on his own, but when I see him pick her up and kiss her cheek I'm forced to reevaluate the expectations I had for my youngest son. I knew Gavin would be a good Dad, there was not question about that… I just didn't think he would be the 'hands on' type. He needed a Ginny in his life just as much as I did at his age.

"What is it?" he says with a voice thick with sleep. "Are you hungry?"

I watch as he starts rocking her back and forth and I pause a second, watching his profile in the moonlight, before slowly closing the door. "Is she okay?" Ginny asks as I climb back into bed beside her.

"Yeah," I say seriously as I sit on the edge of the bed with my feet on the floor. Ginny comes up behind me and kisses my shoulder.

"I thought you were going to bring her back in here," she says as she runs her fingers down my chest. "You could have brought in that cradle. All the kids slept beside our bed for the first couple of months."

"She's alright," I say over my shoulder as I take her hands and hold them in my own. Her breath is warm against my ear and I sigh as I feel it against my skin. "Gavin has her."

"Really?" she says, sounding surprised. "He's such a deep sleeper."

"I doubt he's been sleeping well," I state honestly and I let that hang in the air.

"Lay down with me," she whispers as she scoots back to her spot, pulling back the covers so she can cover herself. "I want to cuddle."

She lays down and gives me a smile as I crawl over beside her and let my hand rest on her hip. Cuddling to me is a code word for sex and I start kissing and biting at her neck until she pushes me off.

"Just cuddling tonight," she says sympathetically as I lean over her, resting my chest against hers. "You know how easy we get pregnant."

She's right, of course. We had Gavin and Cassius back to back and Lavinia came along right after she stopped taking the birth control potion… and Evelyn… well, Evelyn was a happy accident during one of the months were Ginny was too stressed out to remember to take it. We'd probably have twins or something ridiculous like that if we fucked tonight.

"Fine," I say as I lie on my back and exhale slowly. Ginny rolls on her side and kisses my chest as I put my hands behind my head.

"Don't be cross," she says and I bring my arm down to wrap around her.

"I'm not," I tell her even though the disappointment in my voice is making me sound quite jerky. "I could pull out?" I offer and she actually laughs out loud at that and covers her mouth with her hand.

"Draco, we're a married couple in our forties. I never thought I'd hear 'I could pull out' from you."

"It's just an option," I tell her with a smile as I turn on my side as well so we're face to face and I take her leg and hook it over my hip suggestively because if I get her laughing she'll probably give in. "Or we could do other things…." I trail off with a smirk and she leans in and kisses me.

"I'm tired," she says when she pulls back and she goes to turn her back on me, but I stop that shit from happening.

"Oh, no way," I tell her as I roll on top of her and pin her down as I settle between her legs again. "You are not tired… I know what you're playing at."

"And what's that, Mr. Malfoy?" she asks in a teasing voice and my eyes darken as I press my hips against hers. Still no knickers. I don't answer, but I smirk darkly and she catches it in the moonlight. "What?"she asks after a few moments and then I start moving down her body. She sucks in a breath as I pull up her night slip and I kiss her stomach. "No, no…." she says as she threads her fingers in my hair and she tries to pull me up.

"What?" I ask against her skin, refusing to stop my downward approach.

"You are not doing that," she says with a laugh. "I know what you're going to do and I won't allow it."

"Come on, Gin," I say as I kiss her hip. "You know you like it."

"I will not be manipulated," she says, trying to sound firm around her amusement.

"Give me fifteen minutes," I say with smirk before going down. She tries to push my head away again, but I am too fucking persistent and when I feel her legs relax and part a little more to accommodate what I'm doing… I smirk against her inner thigh.

I win.

It barely even took me ten minutes before she was pulling me up desperately. "Fine, okay," she says breathlessly as she pulls me on top of her and takes me in her hands to guide me into her body. I smirk against her lips as I slide into her and she exhales slowly. "I hate you," she says and I laugh before I push myself up so I can start moving.

"No, you don't," I tell her. She used to. She really did, but she doesn't anymore.

"No, I don't," she repeats as she closes her eyes and rests against the pillows as I put her leg up and throw it over my arm so I can go deeper. We haven't sex like this in a while. I mean, it had been two months of course, but we haven't really had slow missionary sex like this for some time. We had been so busy and so tired this whole year that it was limited to quickies and odd positions in opportune moments.

She pulls me down even closer so my face is against her neck and our chests are pressed against each other as she wraps her one arm around my back and the other she threads through my hair at the base of my neck. "Just go slow for a while," she whispers and I kiss her cheek.

I close my eyes as she kisses my shoulder so I don't start pounding her. It had been too long and my body wanted to get on with it, but it was nice to be this close to her again. She is as soft and sweet as I imagined her being when I was younger…. At least that part was true.

"I love you so much," she whispers into my ear and it makes my chest thump oddly.

"Here," I say as I turn on my back and pull her on top with me. "Why don't you show me?" I tell her with a smile as I pull the night gown over her head to reveal the rest of her body to me. This is the best idea. There way she can go at her own pace and I won't be the jerk who can't control my hips.

She takes her time lowering herself down, and I can't stand that so I grab her hips and push her down roughly until she has all of me. She gasps and closes her eyes as she rests her hands on my chest for balance.

"Move Ginny," I tell her as I raise my hips up quickly. That makes her gasp again. "You have to start moving," I tell her or I'm going to turn us around again and get to work.

I hear her inhale a shaking breath and I sit up against the head board so that I can get a better look at her face but I'm still inside of her. "Gin," I whisper as I move hair away from her face. I can't see very well, so I turn on the lamp by our bed and I stare at her. "Why are you crying?" I ask seriously as I grab my glasses and put them on.

She presses her chest against mine and gives me a quick kiss before she starts moving against me. The movements send a pleasurable hum through my body, but I need to know why she looks so miserable to be fucking me.

"What is it?" I ask in a panic as I push heavy hair away from her face and I cup her face with my hands. "Am I hurting you?" It had been a while… maybe her body wasn't ready for me yet. I still her hips as she tries to move on top of me and I force her to make eye contact with me. "Why are you crying?" I repeat in a whisper and she shakes her head.

"I've never been alone," she says as she lifts her body up and goes back down. I close my eyes to collect myself. "I've always been with someone… . Ever since I was thirteen. I've never been on my own."

What the fuck did that mean?

"Ginny, either we're having a serious talk or we're fucking. I can't do both." I tell her as I bite the corner of my lip when she tilts her hips in a certain way that drives me mad. I know I said I would listen, but come on.

"Tomorrow," she says as she starts to quicken her pace. "Tomorrow I'm inviting my mother over for lunch and you're going to join us," she says and I sigh. As soon as she said 'my mother' I picture Molly Weasley in my mind.

There goes my erection.

I stop her again and pull her off of my lap. "I want to get what I want sometimes too," she whispers as she settles beside me on the bed and I glare down at my body in bitterness. "I never get what I want."

I close my eyes and rest my head against the head board as I try to calm my body down. "What do you want?" I ask, sounding sharper than I intended. "I give you everything."

"I know you do," she whispers as she pulls the covers over her body to cover her nakedness. "I wish I was more like you," she says and I furrow my brows again as I glance at her.

"What do you want?" I ask seriously. "Just tell me what you want."

She licks her lips and stares into space for a while before looking back at me. She sends a look to my naked lap and then back at my face. "I want…" she trails off as she turns on her side and she kisses my shoulder. I give her a look because I hate that she's messing with me like this. "I want you to be rough," she says shyly, like she was embarrassed as she takes my arm and pulls me on top of her. "Go hard."

"What are you doing, Ginny?" I ask as she takes off my glasses and throws them. I watch them land against the floor and crack in half. Great. She turns my head back to her and presses her lips against mine, running her hands down my back.

She only asks me to be rough when she's upset about something and she wants to forget about it…. she wants to give up control. I never know how to feel about it. Of course, I do as she asks… I've always been more dominant in the bedroom, so that's nothing new to me. I prefer to be in the power position and I know Ginny has always been more submissive in bed… there's nothing wrong with that. My therapist said it's healthy…. It's just, I don't know if she likes the violence or the actual sex part and that always makes me feel uncomfortable.

"Please, Draco," she says as she arches her back so her chest presses into mine and she wraps her legs around my torso. We always reach this stage, right before I give in, and I realize that I'm not the one in charge at all.

"Ginny…" I say softly because I was enjoying the slow sweet sex we were having earlier. I really didn't want to make it that hard.

"Come on, Draco," she leans up and kisses me again. "Show me that I'm yours," she whispers against my lips and it sends a tingle down my spine. She reaches down in between our bodies and wraps her hand around me. I close my eyes. "Show me who I belong to again."

Oh, fuck me.

"Fine," I tell her as I press my body into hers and I bite her lower lip. "You asked for it."

She smiles at me and I rub my nose against hers until she laughs. "Be serious," she says with a pout and I smirk down at her as I ram into her without warning. She jumps and makes a noise. "Draco!" she scolds as I start moving and I silence her with a heated kiss.

"You're mine," I tell her and she smirks against my lips. She used to hate it when I said that to her. She used to detest it, but now it makes her smile. Things change, I guess. Imagine that.

"You're mine," she repeats and she means it. I smile again and go to her neck, where I bite down and she moans loudly as I put my hands under her to lift her hips more towards mine.

A couple of hours and three rounds later we finally stopped and we fall against the bed in an exhausted and sweaty heat. Ginny lays with her legs open as she throws her arm over her eyes. "I won't be able to walk tomorrow," she says and I smirk as I turn on my side so I can touch her. I'm breathing heavily because of all that we just did and my cheeks are hot. I don't have the stamina I once had but I can damn well try to match it.

I smirk and put my right hand between her legs, letting my fingers run up her sex. She snaps her legs shut and I laugh. "Was that hard enough for you, princess?" I state with a thick voice and she uncovers her eyes. I lift my brows playfully when she looks at me. "Do you want to go again?"

"I think I would die," she whispers and I laugh as I bend down to kiss her abused lips. She latches onto my lower lip with her teeth when I go to pull back and I smile as she tugs.

"So, be honest," I joke once she lets go as I run my fingers up and down her moist skin. "I'm the best you've ever had."

She laughs and turns on her side to match my stance with her eyes twinkling. Like how she used to look at me before this summer shit happened. "You're the only one I've ever had," she says with a smile. "You could be complete rubbish for all I know. I have nothing to compare it to."

"I can assure no one else would come close," I tell her as I lean in for a chaste kiss against her lips. She smiles again.

"What about me?" she asks as she brings her hands up to my hair and runs her fingers through it. Making it stand up every which way. I run my fingers up and down her side, following the curve of her waist and her hip. "Am I the best you've ever had?"

I smile wolfishly at her as she plays with my hair. "Eh," I say jokingly with a shrug. "You'd be in my top five for sure."

She makes a face at me and pushes me on my back where she straddles me again. I look smug so she pinches me. "Top five," she scoffs. "How can you speak that way to your wife," she says and I smile fondly at her. I can't stop fucking smiling. Things just feel right again. "You're going to give me a complex."

"Oh, we can't have that," I saw as I overpower her and roll us again so I'm on top. We're right at the edge of the bed now. "I can honestly say, Mrs. Malfoy, that you have been the best fuck I've ever had," I say and she laughs. "Even though you won't let me—"

She puts her hand over my mouth and laughs as the sweat makes the little hairs at her temple curl. "I'm never going to let you put it there," she says. "So don't even say it."

"Oh, you're too classy for that," I say when she lowers her hand and she nods her head.

"Of course."

"But not too classy to—"

"Sh!" she covers my mouth again with a laugh. She looks so young when she laughs. "Stop it or I'll never do it again," she says with her eyes sparkling and I just look at her for a while with a stupid grin plastered on my face until she leans up and gives me a sweet kiss. "I like us like this," she says seriously and I lean down to kiss her neck.

"Me too," I agree and then she yawns against my shoulder as I lay on top of her. "Let's have marathon shags every day."

"I don't think you could handle it," she says with another yawn. "You're getting so old now with your glasses and these white hairs," she says as she runs her fingers along my temples.

"Is that a challenge?" I ask with lust in my eyes and I get up on all fours so I can turn her around.

"Oh, no, I'm too tired," she laughs as I hold onto her waist and I turn her around so her back is pressed against my chest as I pull her onto her knees. She rests her head on her forearms and I kiss her upper back as I scoot her legs apart. "Honestly, I am too tired," she says and I smile as I slap the side of her leg playfully. "Draco!" I can't count how many times she's said that to me tonight. That makes her get up on her hands and she glares at me over her shoulder as I run my hand down her spine. "It's almost four o'clock in the morning."

"Who's old now?" I ask her as I start preparing her body again. It's like an old tune on a violin I could play blind folded.

We haven't had a full night of sex like this since we were in our twenties and I'm enjoying every amazing minute of it. After a while she stopped complaining and laid her head back down against the pillows as I enjoyed the view of her smooth back, with that perfectly placed little freckle on the right side of her hip. She starts to make soft moaning noises into the pillow after a while and I hold onto her hips a little tighter. I continue to grip them until I feel that tightness in my spine.

"Come on, Gin," I whisper as I let go of her hip and I lean more on her back so I can reach underneath her. "Come on," I repeat in a strained voice as I kiss her back. Without warning she bows her back and throws her head back, saying my name. I finally let myself let go and I try to hold in my growl as I finish inside of her, slumping to the side once I'm completely spent.

"Now I'm hungry," she says as she falls on her back and pushes heavy hair out of her eyes. "But I can't walk."

I laugh as kiss her cheek as I pull the covers on us. "That's why we have elves," I tell her and I call for one of them. "What do you want?" I ask when the elf comes into the room. "Gin," I say when she doesn't answer and I look over at her. She's asleep and I smile again before sending the elf away. I turn off the lights and lay back after tugging the curtains around the bed to keep out the light. I turn on my side and wrap my body around hers, sleeping peacefully for the first time in months.

Four hours later my alarm goes off. I don't even care. I turn off the alarm and I look at Ginny again. She's still deep asleep and I smirk at her red lips, knowing they will probably burn from all my kisses when she wakes up. I smile at her sleeping form and I kiss her cheek. I pull back the curtains of the bed and the morning sun from the window catches Ginny's hair, making it shine in shades of golds, reds, and browns. It hasn't changed color yet; it hasn't changed at all from the color that always attracted me to her when we were younger.

I knew I had always wanted her of course… ever since I was young and I saw her in Diagon Alley I knew… and I can still distinctly remember what happened that made me have to have her. I had just turned sixteen and I was still wrestling with the whole death eater issue. I wasn't sure if that's what I wanted to do and the Dark Lord was recruiting people who were younger and younger. I had been invited to an initiation and my aunt had offered to train me. Of course, my father couldn't refuse but I was made to believe the choice was up to me. I was told I could have anything that I wanted and I wasn't sure what that was. I had always wanted Ginny, but I didn't think I could actually ask for a person . How would that even work? I didn't need money and I didn't need any big favor like that, so really, I was lost.

The summer before my Father had been in Azkaban for helping with the break in at the Ministry. It was a rough summer on my mother and I, with beasts coming out of the wood ward trying to take advantage of the situation and with the Dark Lord back, he was drawing out large amounts of gold from our faults to use towards his cause as punishment for my father's failure. Even though I knew it was wrong, I still idealized the Dark Lord and the power and fear he could instill in people. I knew that high that came with being in control. I knew how good it felt to have people avert their eyes when you came into the room and I knew what it was to relish in the pain of others. I thought the Dark Lord must have been on top of the world with it, and I wanted that for myself.

I was young and stupid of course, so that helped.

I was dating Pansy Parkinson at the time… we were a year into the relationship and I was debating with myself whether I wanted to stay with her much longer. I thought she was pretty despite what Potter and his friends thought and she was my equal in many ways at the time. She came from a good family, she was good at sex, she was ruthless, and she loved me. To be completely honest, I actually liked her then. I thought she was kind of fun when she wasn't being an annoying fucking bitch. I knew I had to marry young, though. It was what purebloods in high society did after all, and at that time 'high society' was still firmly in place. I just wasn't sure who I wanted to marry.

I mean, I could have always married a woman like Pansy and had a content life with a woman who adored me and shared my views on the world. If I had to have Ginny, I reasoned with myself, then I could always take her on as a mistress or something like that. She would still share my bed, but I would have the society wife that would understand the world I came from and what was expected of her. It was tempting, but every time I saw Ginny from across the Great hall smile at something one f her friends said I knew I couldn't just make her my mistress or my fuck buddy.

I wanted more from her.

I couldn't see Pansy being a much of a mother to my children…. There wouldn't be much of a relationship there, but I knew Ginny with be a good mother, and I knew we'd have beautiful kids. I saw the way she was with Potter, the way she smiled at him and held his hand as they walked down the hallways together. I grew jealous of their sweet relationship, not only because it was Ginny who was in the relationship with someone who wasn't me, but because it was something I had never had before. I didn't like touching in public and I detested cuddling. So did Pansy, so that didn't matter much but there were times when I would look at Ginny and wonder what that kind of life would be like.

There was one night, when I went for a contemplative walk after shagging Pansy where I heard voices coming from one of the alcoves. I paused and listened as I heard a girlish giggle and boyish laugh. I stood at the top of the stairs and watched as Ginny ran by, with her wand lit as Potter chased behind her.

He caught her around the middle and turned her around. I saw the look she gave him, the sweet warm and gentle look that made my heart twist bitterly as he smiled down at her.

"I got you," he said with a smirk and she leaned up on her toes to kiss him after they had a heated filled moment of staring.

I could have blasted them away right then and there because I was feeling so disgusted and angry with envy, but a loud voice beat me to it.

"Oy!" Ron Weasley came out from a dark alcove crossing his arms. "Please keep that to a minimum."

Other students started to appear from hiding spots on the ground level of the castle as Ginny stepped back from Potter and blushed like she was caught doing something bad.

"The can was right there, Ginny," Granger had said matter of factly as she pointed to a tin can right by Ginny's foot. "All you had to do was kick it and you would have been safe. Honestly," she says with an eyeroll. "It's like you wanted to get caught."

"Can't imagine why," Potter had said with a laugh in his voice and he winked at Ginny. I felt anger prickle down my spine.

"Alright, Ginny, that means you're it and Harry you have to play right or I'm quitting. We can't just keep on going in between you two… and Neville," Granger, ever the bossy know it all, was directing her voice loudly to everyone. "You can't hide by me anymore. You breathe too heavily."

"Sorry," the pudgy Longbottom had replied with his cheeks staining red against the moonlight.

"Let's pair up this time," Hermione said sternly. "This is taking too long with just one person. Ginny pick someone to be it with you." Ginny smiled and turned to Potter. "And it can't be Harry."

"Why not?" Potter had said when Ginny let her smile fall.

"Because you won't make it past the counting stage before you start snogging. Pick someone else, Gin."

"Oh, alright," Ginny said with a fake sigh. "Come on then, Luna."

Some blonde girl, who wasn't in Gryffindor, stepped out of the shadows and stood by Ginny.

"Now, let's go again," Hermione said. "Start counting Ginny and Luna."

I didn't know what they were playing and I furrowed my brows as Ginny went against the wall and put her hands over her eyes while the others started to scatter into different hiding places. The blonde covered her eyes too and I just stood there. I didn't know stupid games like these. I didn't have any friends my age when I was a boy and a part of me always felt a little out of the loop because of that. That's why I was glad when Gavin came so soon after Cassius. I didn't want them to be lonely like I was.

" One… two…. Three…." She counted all the way to thirty before uncovering her eyes. "Ready or not, here we come." She began looking around the ground floor, behind curtains and under tables while that Luna girl was looking ridiculous places like under the rug and inside of a vase.

I didn't know what to do with myself, so I just stayed where I was standing by the stairs and after a few moments Ginny glanced up. I was totally in the darkness. I didn't light my wand and the torches all burned out hours ago. I saw as she squinted her eyes and saw my outlined form… then she smiled as she went bounding up the stairs. Her hair was in a pony tail and it bounced with each step. The blonde glanced up from looking behind a painting and she came chasing behind Ginny as well. I almost ran, actually, because I didn't know what to do with myself. She was running right towards me, thinking I was one of her hiding friends that she was going to catch, but I was going to stay my ground. I didn't run for anyone, not even her.

She lit her wand again as she approached and when she was three steps below me, her light finally reached me. She stopped in her tracks as when she spotted me and the blonde with large eyes bumped into her back. I could tell she was holding her breath as I tilted my head to the side and looked her over ignoring the blonde as she stepped out from behind her. Ginny's mouth was slightly open and I put my hands in my pockets so I wouldn't do something stupid with them. I felt my heart doing weird things and I was wondering if hers was as well. She licked her lips and I nearly cussed because my mind had already been in a lust fog because of the fuck with Pansy. I couldn't see her just do things like that and not have my body respond.

"You're out of bed after hours," I said flatly and she furrowed her brow and snapped her mouth shut. The weird heart thing went away when I was being mean and I narrowed my eyes. "I could give you detention," I lied to her, letting her think I was patrolling as a prefect but if that bitch Granger heard me say that, then she totally would have called me out on it because she was the one that made the schedules. I flicked a glance to the blonde who sighed like I had told her she was pretty or something stupid like that. "And I could take away points from both houses," I added for her benefit and she smiled at me like I was doing something adorable.

"I just… we're just…." Ginny was obviously stunned at seeing me and she was stumbling around her words. "We're just playing."

"Playing?" I repeated coldly with a sneer and she inhaled deeply and looked behind her to see if any of her friends would come to the rescue. They never did. I don't know why she was even holding out for the hope. "How fucking old are you, Weasley?"

She started to blush deeply and she looked down at her shoes. I wanted to kiss her for being so timid.

"It's a fun game," the blonde said softly. Her voice sounded airy and annoying. I hated her immediately. "It's called kick the can… it's like hide and seek," she explained and she smiled at me. I gave her a critical look before looking back at Ginny, because I liked looking at her more. "You should play with us."

Right. "Stop talking to me," I snapped at her. I was kind of pissed that she was here with us. I had never talked to Ginny by myself and I was missing the chance because she was fucking standing there. "Your voice is irritating."

She paled at my words and I could tell I hurt her feelings as she turned around and started to run down the stairs. Ginny didn't move, but she looked upset and she gave Luna a sympathetic look while her long blonde hair flowed behind her as she went sprinting down the steps and into an empty classroom… probably to cry. I wanted to say I was sorry because it looked like Ginny was hurt by my words as well, but I didn't because I wasn't sorry.

I just kept on staring at her. We weren't exactly alone, but this was as alone as I had ever been with her and I wondered if I would be able to speak to her normally this way. Sort of test out the waters… Maybe I would tell her that I thought she was pretty. It was a stupid thought, and I batted it right away. She was so close to me and she smelled so nice. So different from Pansy and the countless other girls I had been intimate with by that time. I lost my virginity when I was fourteen and I wasn't wasting any time. Her chest was heaving because she was nervous and the movements made me look down.

Of course, I was a teenage boy as well and her shirt was cut low enough where I could see down it at my angle. Ginny had developed the body of a woman by the time she was fifteen and that it was painfully obvious to me at the time. She knew I was looking down her shirt and when my gaze slid up to her eyes, she was blushing deeply again. She looked almost scared and her breathing was shaky. I held her stare then, wanting her to say something to me so I could hear her voice.

I noticed that her eyes weren't just brown; they were lighter, almost yellow with a honey color laced in them. I looked down her body again as she crossed her arms and I found myself looking at her legs as I imagined them wrapped around me. I wondered then, what her sex would be like and I imagined it was much softer and sweeter than what I was used to. I liked that idea. I could almost touch her, she was so close to me, and I almost did. I took my hand out of my pocket and went to touch her hair. Her eyes followed my hand and she gave me an odd look as I went in to grab a strand from her pony tail, but someone came running from their hiding spot towards that tin can in the middle of the floor and they kicked it. I snapped my hand back.

"I'm safe!" Neville fucking Longbottom said loudly and Ginny swiftly turned her neck around to see him. I sneered when he saw us at the top of the stairs because of the light on Ginny's wand. His body tensed together and he furrowed his brows in worry. "What are you doing, Malfoy?"

We heard a cat's meow and we all knew Filtch was coming. Longbottom voiced his concern to the other hiding Gryffindors and Ginny glanced at me as I turned around and headed back towards my dorm room. I could feel her eyes following me as the others started to scramble back to their stupid tower. I went to bed that night and stared at my ceiling for three hours as I remembered seeing her first when I was eleven and knowing then that she was something I wanted.

I even toyed with the thought of giving her money to be with me. Hell, I knew that she fucking needed it and I had a lot to spend, but I knew she would never go through with that and if other people found that out it would have been embarrassing. I didn't know what to do.

After that night I began seriously thinking about the kind of life I wanted to have…. The kind of wife I wanted to spend my life with. I had idealized Ginny to the point where she was almost too perfect and she just seemed so sweet to me. The morning after that incident, at breakfast, I saw her running her fingers through Potter's hair, trying to tame it down while he read from a book and she ate her toast. It was so horribly disgusting and domestic looking from my spot, that I couldn't finish my food.

I wanted that, I decided. I wanted her to treat me the way she treated Potter, I wanted her to giggle as I chased her, and I wanted her to love me. I was foolish enough to think it was going to be easy. I thought that surely she would feel the same way about me if she was around me more, and since I was having such strong feelings towards her I naturally assumed she must be feeling the same way. I wouldn't have to change a thing… she would just fall right into place. After all, I always managed to get what I wanted and people normally did what I told them to do. I didn't understand that relationships were meant to be built upon and that kind of love didn't happen overnight. My father has always told my mother what to do and she always listened and obeyed. She was sweet like Ginny.

Obviously then I didn't love her. I wanted her, but I didn't even know her. I assumed she would just love me if I told her to and forced her to accept it. I didn't get that concept because love was so superficial to me. I was better than Potter… that made sense. What wouldn't she like? I was richer, better looking, and smarter than he was in all things and I could give her a wonderful life that Potter never could. I would take her away from her poor family, because I couldn't understand why she would want to stay if she was upgrading to a larger house, to better things…. To me. I didn't need to date her or get to know her because I already had an idea in my head… and idea that I thought she would just conform to because I said so.

I was on the winning side of the war, after all. It's strange that I was thinking of all of this before I was even of age, but I had to be practical. I grew up way too fast and I had to be ahead of it all so nothing would surprise me.

Ginny was always unattainable to me and I continued to wrestle with my thoughts all the way up to my initiation. I wasn't sure if it was fair to ask for her. I couldn't try to go in and take her before then. I couldn't try to talk to her or ask her out… She was afraid of me, she was scared, and I couldn't bring myself to help that situation because one or more of her retarded friends were always around and I couldn't seem weak in front of them. I wouldn't and my jealousy had always gotten the best of me. I even grabbed her arm and threw her against the wall one day after seeing her kiss Potter. I called her disgusting because I couldn't think of anything else and she was far too stunned to do anything to me. Any normal chance that I might have had, I kept on ruining. So it didn't matter.

Why couldn't she fucking come to me? I would get angry sometimes that she wouldn't look at me when I stared at her, that she wouldn't smile for me when I so desperately wanted her to. Granted, I was never nice to her…. If anything I was cruel especially when she was with people I didn't like, but for some reason I thought she would understand why. Sometimes I would fantasize about dragging her into a class room and fucking her senseless and she would confess that she loved it and she always thought about me, thinking no one would know. Nothing works like, though, even in my diluted mind I knew she wouldn't love me until I made it impossible for her to be around anyone she could love more.

It was almost too much work. One month before my initiation and the summer holiday, I had convinced myself that I was going to ask for something I could actually use. I was going to forget about Ginny and find someone to replace her and ask for something I could actually have… I just couldn't think of anything but her and that pissed me off. She seemed to be everywhere I was that week. I stared at her with narrowed eyes in the great hall as she laughed and played with her friends… I glared at her as she walked in front of me in the halls on the way to my classes, with her hips swaying and a bit of her skin exposed on her thigh as her skirt road up when she went up the stairs. I was fucking angry that she smelled so good and that she looked so soft and that she kept laughing.

She was always laughing and smiling. I think I stopped smiling for a year because I was so bitter about it.

I just wanted to touch her to see if she really seemed as perfect as I was making her out to be. I was going mad. I didn't know whether I wanted to fuck her or kill her and I was walking that fine line between hate and love that had me going mental. I hated that I wanted her so badly and I wanted her so badly I fucking hated it. I had placed her on a pedestal and was resolved to keep her there until a cold February afternoon in the library, when I decided that I was indeed going to ask for her and that she was going to be mine, whether she liked it or not.

Blaise Zabini had always been a jackass but he was normally quiet and reserved around other houses. His mother had taught him to be a silent killer with sweetness and charm before going for the jugular and he was my best friend at the time. Well, as good as a friend as I had ever had. Crabbe and Goyle were always there with me of course, they just made things easier because they were so big, but they were fucking stupid and at least Zabini could read.

All of Slytherin house knew that I thought Ginny Weasley was good looking. I wasn't going to hide that. I wasn't fucking embarrassed or anything to admit that she was pretty, because she was and everyone who saw her knew it. That 'blood feud' wasn't holding me back from anything. That was my Father's problem, not mine. I hated Ron Weasley because he was a bloody tool not necessarily because of his last name. Obviously I had a pre conceived notion about him because of my father's bias, but I ended up hating him because of who he was, not because of what he was and I never saw Ginny as a Weasley anyways… I never saw her as anything but what I wanted her to be, to be honest. To me she didn't have a family, she was just waiting for me to have her.

Zabini liked the way she looked too and he was so vain that he was very selective with the girls he chose to be with. I knew I was good looking, but Zabini was probably the best looking one in the school…. Like Byron Flint, only with more confidence and that alone made him dangerous. He knew it he was handsome and used it to his advantage. Pretty people rarely ever get in trouble, and once I confessed that I liked the way Ginny Weasley looked despite her unfortunate situation with her family and friends when he and I saw her swimming in the lake one spring morning with a couple of her friends, Zabini saw that as a free pass. If I okayed it, then he saw that as something he could have.

We used to talk about her in the common room, crude teenage boy things that would make me angry now, but it was all in good fun then. We even started a bet to see which one of us would be able to get far enough to find out if she was a real red head. I was joking about it. He wasn't. Pansy knew of my interest and she would bristle every time I made a comment about Ginny, so she took it upon herself to help Blaise win the bet.

He had cornered her once at Hogsmeade and she turned him down swiftly with one word before running off and taking shelter with a large group of girlfriends, not allowing herself to be alone as she kept on sending confused looks at Zabini for the approach. I don't even think he finished his sentence before she left him standing there, staring at the wall. She was too shy to handle it and she probably played it off as nothing. She probably doesn't even remember it, but Zabini never forgot. I was pleased. Obviously if she would have said yes, I would have stopped that right then and there, but she didn't she turned him down. No one had turned down Zabini before and he was inflamed. He became almost as obsessive as me after that. No because he felt for her the way I did, but because she had said no to him. No girl had ever said no and he couldn't handle it.

I was going to let it run its course. I had no idea what I was going to do anyways and she was with Potter at the time, so there was no way Zabini would be able to swoop in and take her from him, not when she loved him so damn much. I was going to let it pass…. That was until the library incident. I had kept my feelings under wraps for most of the year. Of course, they all knew I thought she was fit, but they didn't know how much I thought about her, or how I thought she'd be a good mother to my future children. She was something so different from the word that I came from that I wanted it so badly. They didn't know the seriousness of it.

I was still dating Pansy, but I had started shagging Astoria Greengrass on the side. She was Daphne's little sister and she was as close to Ginny as I could get. She had red hair and a curvier body and I could pretend she was someone else when I fucked her and she didn't question me when I told her to say certain things or act a certain way…. A way I thought Ginny would act when I finally bedded her. Or the way I wanted her to act, anyways… I had pulled her behind one of the dusty bookshelves for a quick shag in a public place that Sunday just because I was upset that I saw Ginny snogging Potter in the hallway a little earlier. I've never handled jealousy well and I needed some outlet for my aggression.

When we were finished, she was zipping up her skirt and I was buckling my pants and tucking in my shirt when I rounded the corner and caught Pansy and Zabini speaking to one another in hushed voices. I put my hand out to stop Astoria from walking out, and she must have assumed it was because she didn't want Pansy to catch us because she nodded her head and turned around, walking the other direction, but I didn't follow, I waited and I listened.

"Are you sure this will work?" He asks as he up a small vial of orange liquid up to the light.

Pansy shrugged her shoulders and crossed her arms. "Marcus said his Mom made it."

"Marcus' Mom is a drug dealer?" Blaise asked curiously as he pulled the cork off the vial and sniffed it. He made a face and put the cork back on. "How can I get her to drink it? She never looks me in the eyes."

"You'll figure something out, I'm sure," she said hotly as he glanced at her. "It will work, Blaise," she said seriously because he still looked skeptical. "If she even finds you the least bit attractive it will pull that out."

"Of course she finds me attractive," he said smugly and she rolled her eyes. "And she'll really do what I want with this?" he asked as he eyed the potion again. I found my hands clenched at my sides because for as much as I was obsessing over Ginny and as much as I wanted her…I didn't want her like that… with potions and spells and made up things. I wanted her real. "She'll even give me head?"

"Stop being disgusting," Pansy snapped and Blaise smirked at her. "You'll get what you want, okay? Just be careful with that. You don't want to give her too much or it will be like a real love potion and she'll start stalking you."

"I'm used to being stalked," Blaise said arrogantly and Pansy shook her head again.

"That's illegal for a reason, Zabini," she said hatefully.

"Whatever," he said as he shrugged his shoulders. "Thanks for the help," he said and he kissed her cheek before walking away. She wiped off her face and rolled her eyes again, but she stood at attention when she saw me step around a book case.

"Draco, what are you doing in here?"

"Do you own the library?" I asked meanly and she blushed because she always blushed like that when I was mean to her.

"No, it's just… well, what are you doing in here on a Sunday. I thought you didn't have any homework this week."

"He's going to give that potion to Ginny Weasley, isn't he?" I had asked and she raises an eyebrow and popped her hip, ready to fight with me.

"So?"

So.

I hated that fucking word.

I wrapped my hand around her chin and slammed her against the book shelf. It rattled and we were shushed, but I ignored it as I stared into her frightened eyes. I had never been rough with her and even though I would say cruel things that were send her on the verge of tears I had never handled her the way I was doing right then.

"You 're going to get a fucking life and stop helping Zabini try to get into Ginny Weasley's skirt," I told her in a fierce whisper because I didn't want anyone else to hear or come check on us. "This is your one warning. If I find out that you've been doing anything like this again, I will fucking kill you."

"Get off of me, Drake," she tried to push me back but I just held myself firmer against her. She was no match for my strength. Even with as lanky as I was then she was no match for me. "Why do you care so much!" she yelled.

We got shushed again, so I let go of her and stepped back just in case someone came to see. "Just do as I say," I said darkly and she stared into my eyes for a few moments before she raised her eyebrows. I could tell that she had figured it out… that she_ knew. _She knew and she sneered at me as I glared at her. "I am not kidding," I told her once before leaving her there.

I suspect now that it must have been Pansy who told people that I wanted her. She may have told her father as she cried over summer break. That would explain why her brother was at my initiation. It did seem convenient at the time, really, the ultimate test….the test of my loyalty by betraying the woman I would come to love one day more than anything.

I went to find Zabini after that and he was kitchens, attempting to bribe one of the house-elves to put the potion in Ginny's goblet at dinner that night. The elf wouldn't be bribed with gifts or money, all she needed was an order and she would do it, no matter what the request. Zabini was a pureblooded wizard and Elves, besides the ones that went mad, always favored purebloods.

"Blaise," I had said and he stood up when he saw me in the doorway. "I need to talk to you."

He quickly put the potion in his pocket like he wanted to keep it from me and he tilted his head to the side before following me out of the passageway and into the dark hallway. "What is it?" he asked uncomfortably. He knew something was wrong and I wasn't going to let him feel easy about this.

"Let's go outside."

In reality, I didn't understand why I was so upset. I had never laid a claim on Ginny. In fact, I may have even encouraged Blaise's obsession just so I could talk about her more without people catching on to me but it was bad enough seeing her kiss Potter, I refused to sit by and let her screw Blaise fucking Zabini. The wind was blowing hard outside and it started to mess up my hair as we walked down the stairs towards the courtyard. Blaise was reluctant to follow, but he managed to keep in step beside me until we reached the lake. I zipped up my fleece jacket as we walked around the perimeter and he stuffed his hands in the pockets of his khakis.

"Draco, what is this?" he asked cautiously as I headed towards the forest. "Is this news about your initiation?"

"Yes," I said flatly so he would shut up and a part of that was true. My wand hand was twitching, but I didn't want to use my wand. I was too angry to do magic and once we were out of eyesight by the trees I turned around and faced him head on. "Give me that potion," I said in a cold voice and he furrowed his brows.

"What—"

"Give me the damn potion," I told him, flicking a glance to his pocket where I knew the vial was. He slowly took it out and handed it to me. I uncorked it and poured the contents on the ground.

"Draco—"

"Let me be very clear about something," I told him dangerously as I take a step closer to him. "Ginny Weasley belongs to me."

He made a disbelieving laughing noise and he shook his head like he thought I was joking. "Look, I know you think she's hot…"

"I'm going through my initiation in June and I'm going to ask for Ginny. I want her untainted by you until that time. Is that understood?"

He scoffed. "You can't ask for a person."

"I can ask for anything I want. Her family is part of the Order so you know he'll enjoy that." He wasn't taking me too seriously. I could tell. "Stay away from her."

"You think she isn't letting Potter have a go at her? Girls who look like her don't last very long and she's so fucking poor, you know she has nothing else to fall back on. She isn't going to be some blushing virgin when you get her. If you get her," he told me cruelly. "Honestly, when the Dark Lord offers you anything in the world, you really are going to ask for a fucking impoverished teenage girl. That's fucking pathetic, mate."

"What did you just say to me?" I stepped closer to him and kept my voice menacing as I stared down at him. I was taller than most boys at that age and I used my height to intimidate. Blaise's good looks would have no affect on me either so he was out of luck.

"Get out of my face," he snapped back.

I hit him in the jaw and he staggered back in surprise. I hated muggle fighting and I constantly made fun of people for doing it, but I was too angry to focus my wand right now and I went at him again while he was still reeling in shock and my fist connected with his shoulder and then his cheek. It was before my Death Eating training, so my movements were sloppy, but I was still determined to make my point and Blaise was too in shock to fight back. I rarely ever allowed my hands to get dirty like this. Usually I used my wand or I had someone else handle my fights, but I was on fire. When he fell to the ground and curled his body, I started kicking him in the stomach.

I didn't stop until he started crying and begging me to stop.

I was sweating by the time I was done he was a bloody heap on the forest floor. I wiped my forehead off with the sleeve of my jacket and glared down at him. "Do you understand now?" Apparently he didn't understand, because even after I had Ginny I had to put him in his place again, putting those scars on his face when we were older… and the last time he had messed with Gin she had killed him. It would have worked out better if he just would have listened to me in that forest.

He nodded his head and I left him there with a sneer on my face. On the way back to the castle, I kept flexing my hand because it was soar from the pounding I gave Zabini. I didn't really realize how much time had passed until I went inside and found out that it was time for dinner. I was hungry and on the way to the great hall I walked past a group of girls. Ginny was among them and I stopped dead and just stared at her with Blaise's blood still clinging to my knuckles. My expression was intense and after a few seconds of talking and laughing with her friends she turned her head like she felt that someone was looking her and her eyes found mine.

I could see it then. Even though she pretended to ignore it and she still claims she has no idea of my intentions… I could tell at that moment she _knew _what I wanted from her, just like Pansy had known. She knew even if she refused to admit it to herself. She became uncomfortable with my gaze and she turned away quickly and crossed her arms.

It was hell, the three years I had to wait until I could have her. I had built it up so much in my head, how things were going to be and how she was going to be that I was all together disappointed when I was finally able to claim her and she wasn't as compliant as my fantasies had imagined. By that time I was harder than before, with three years of training and being a real Death Eater under my belt and I had no patience with it. I thought that things would just work out the way that I wanted them to and everything would be perfect, I had no idea that for any of it to work, I was going to have to be the one to change. I couldn't be the only one dictating the relationship.

I'm going to be late for work if I keep thinking about it. I shake my head of the thoughts and walk into the bathroom to take a shower. I wash and shave and get dressed with the door shut because I don't want to wake up Ginny. She does love to sleep. Once I'm in the dress pants and shirt I want to wear, I go back into the main room and pick up my glasses from the floor. I mend them with a quick spell and put them on. I guess I'm not that good at mending because they were a little crooked. I shrugged it off because I had more in my office that I could use. I went to grab a pair of socks and a tie once I could see properly and I fumble around in the dark with my wand lit in a lumo's spell between my teeth as I sort through my sock drawer. I hear Ginny rustling on the bed, so I stop what I'm doing until she settles down again. I pull on my socks and go towards the wardrobe where my ties are hanging inside.

I start sorting through my different ties until I feel hands on my shoulders and a familiar body pressed into my back. "Wear the blue one," she whispers with a tired voice as she reaches out and pulls the blue silk tie from its spot. "You always look so handsome in blue."

"Blue it is," I say with a smirk. I turn around as she turns up my collar and I flick on the lights. She squints her eyes and makes a noise because her eyes weren't used to the brightness and I smile as she starts doing up my tie for me. She's wearing her night slip again after it had spent the night lonely on the floor and her hair is messy.

I remember when I used to make her do this. I would tell her to come over and do up my tie even though she hated it just because I wanted to feel like a normal husband and wife. Now she just does it because she actually wants to and I note how we both have changed to make this relationship work.

"How are you feeling?" I ask smugly and she smiles a little.

"I'm a little sore," she answers honestly and I smile down at her.

"Good."

"Are you sure you have to go into the office today?" she asks with a yawn and I put my hands on her hips. Like old times. "Couldn't you just stay here another day? I'm not even sure what you do, to be honest."

"I haven't been in or talked to anyone in a week," I tell her seriously. "I have to make sure the place isn't burned down."

She nods her head and uses one of her hands to rub sleep from her eye as she straightens the tie. "You should wear a jumper. It's supposed to get cold today."

"I'll only be there for an hour or so," I tell her with an amused smirk because of her concern. "I need to have a few meetings and then I'm telling them I'm going on vacation."

"Vacation?" she repeats softly as she looks up at me. I smile at her and kiss her lips.

"I think we could all use one, don't you think?"

"Yes," she whispers as places another gentle kiss on the corner of my mouth. "I do."

"Good," I tell her simply as I pull back. "I'll be back soon. Go back to bed."

She nods her head again as I head towards the door. "Draco, wait," she says and I look over my shoulder as she comes walking towards me with the matching black suit jacket that goes with my pants in her hands and my leather brief case. "It's going to get cold," she repeats again as she hands it to me. I roll my eyes and put the jacket on to keep her happy and she rolls on her toes to kiss me again as she buttons it up. "Thank you."

I smile again, and leave her with one more kiss. I go outside to Apparate and I'm actually glad that Gin made me wear the stupid thing because it is a bit chilly out here. When I get to my office everyone starts looking at me like I was a ghost. I guess I can't really blame them. In the past couple of weeks it's been all over the news that I was questioned for the disappearance of my son and wife… and a whole lot of dirt was dug up with those stories. I've also heard that a few of the board members were talking about changing the company name because of the things that had happened. We're going to have to have a talk about that today. A few people try to avoid my eyes as I walk towards my office and a girl holding a stack of papers actually drops them, sending them flying all over the floor.

I don't help to pick them up.

The girl who is supposed to man my desk is missing, and I guess they sent her home when I stopped showing up to work. I pause for moment at my door before someone calls my name and I look over my shoulder to see Titus holding a few folders.

"You're back," he says and I raise an eyebrow as I unbutton the first two buttons on the jacket. I'm glad that I'm wearing a full suit now that I think about it. It makes me look more powerful.

"I'm back. I want to see everyone in the board room in twenty minutes," I tell him and he gulps before running off. I had almost forgot how much I liked doing that to him.

I unlock my office and step inside. It looks the same at least. I walk over to my desk and look down at the all the mail that appears in my inbox as I loosen my tie a little. It's stacked up so high it will probably take me a month to get through it. I put my leather brief case on the desk and I start stuffing the letters in side of it and I pull the black stat book off one of the shelves to take with me as well so I can review it. As I'm flipping through it, I hear an odd noise and I look over my shoulder.

Nothing.

I go back to the book, but when I hear it again, I pull out my wand, snap the book shut, and turn around. There's a couch and a few chairs set up the fire place against the fire wall and I walk over to the leather couch with careful steps and a tilted head. I am in no mood to be merciful right now and if I find someone in my office, I am going to kill them. A broken wand lies by the coffee table and I glance over the cushions.

That secretary… Holly or something… is lying on the floor, stunned and frozen with her eyes flicking around the room.

What. The. Hell. I take the curse off of her and she stands up quickly, only to fall on the couch in a week heap because her muscles weren't ready to move just yet.

"Care to explain?" I ask and she blinks her eyes a few times.

"I….I…."

She starts peeing.

She's peeing on my fucking leather couch and I sneer at her. "How long were you stunned?" I ask as she blushes and covers her face.

"What day is it?" she asks in a scratchy voice and when she sees the candies sitting in the bowl on the coffee table she picks them up by the handfuls and starts pushing them into her mouth.

"It's Monday," I tell her. "The fifteenth."

She pales and looks up at me. She wipes off her mouth and stands up on shaky legs. I look at the puddle on the couch and scowl in disgust.

"Your son did this to me!" she screams and I raise my eyebrows. "I'm going to sue you for all your worth! You're lucky I didn't die!"

"Right," I say as I walk back towards my desk. "Why did he stun you?" I ask casually even though I have a pretty good idea. "And what son was it?"

"Gavin!" she yells and I hide my smirk as I reach in my desk and pull out a wrapped plate of cookies I had stashed there for a couple of weeks. "He just came in here and stunned me for no reason."

"No reason," I say and she shakes her head. "So it had nothing to do with you working with Theodore Nott and telling the Aurors that I was the one who had caused my wife and son to disappear?" She gulps. She didn't think I knew it was her but surprisingly enough it was Ron Weasley who told me. That's why he thought it must have been true when the other crooked wizards accused me. "You saw what I did to those muggles that night in the cemetery," I tell her because I know she was there. I recognized her voice when I went to help Gavin and I have been holding this in for a while now. "Do you want to know what I did to your friends?" I ask dangerously and she stares at me with wide open eyes. She's too young for all of this. She's in way over her head.

"I'm still going to sue you," she says and I roll my eyes. "I-I know a lot of bad things about you."

"Go ahead. I get sued by people every day," I tell her and it's true. When you have money, the claims are never ending. "Just so you know I'll counter sue."

"For what?" she scoffs in disbelief.

"Sexual harassment," I state seriously and she almost laughs until I throw the cookies and other sweets she had been attempting to give me all year on my desk top. "Don't think for a second I didn't know what was in these," I tell her dangerously. "I wonder whose lawyers are going to win this argument. Now, you're going to leave my office, and I never want to see you again." I'm letting her off easy, but she's too young to just up and kill right now. Being a Death Eater was probably a passing fad to her anyways. "If I do, the consequences will not be pretty for you."

She tries to be brave and stand her ground for one second before she squeaks and runs out of the office. I stare at the door for a few moments before pressing a button on the speaker on my desk.

"Yes?" someone says. I just beeped a random desk so I don't know who the fuck I'm talking to.

"Yes, get someone in here to dispose of my couch and I'm going to need a new assistant hired immediately."

I stand up straight and stare out ahead of me before cracking my neck and heading towards the board room to have a very lengthy and informative discussion with the people who run my company. An hour later everything is sorted and in place and I announce my vacation plans to a room full of surprised and fearful faces. I leave with a smirk on my face, and when I go home, I find my wife in dining room, eating lunch with Molly Weasley.

I pause in the doorway because I don't want to go in and Ginny catches me before I walk away."Draco," she says nervously as she stands up. She looks at her Mother before walking around the table as she wrings a napkin in-between her fingers. "How was the office?" she asks softly as she walks over to me and takes my briefcase. I usually leave it with the elves at the doorway, but I guess I just forgot.

"It was alright," I say flatly as she kisses my cheek. "Where are the kids?" I ask when she pulls back.

"They're helping Gavin pack up his things from his old place," she says and I nod my head. "I convinced him to stay with us for a while."

"What is this?" I whisper.

"Remember, I said last night that I wanted you to have lunch with my Mom," she says gently so that Mrs. Weasley won't hear as I look at the table.

"I didn't think you were serious," I tell her and she looks down at her hands that are clutching the handle of my brief case.

I sigh.

"What are we having then?" I ask as I bend down and kiss her cheek and she smiles at me as she takes my hand and intertwines our fingers.

"Well, we're having chicken wraps, fruit, and potato salad," she says as we walk towards the table. "And my Mom brought coleslaw," she adds and I raise an eyebrow at the Tupperware container next to the porcelain dishes.

I look at Molly Weasley as I scoot back my seat and I take off my jacket. She doesn't look too pleased to see me either.

"Um, well," Ginny is really nervous and I look at her as she puts her free hand on the back of her chair. "I don't think you two have properly met, actually."

"No, I don't think we have," I say as I look at Molly Weasley in her brown dress and gray wool cardigan. She hates me, I can practically feel it, and the last time I talked to her was at Cass' viewing and I wasn't exactly pleased with her then.

Ginny takes my jacket and Molly watches our interaction with narrowed eyes. "I thought you had house-elves," she comments snidely as Ginny puts my jacket over her arm and I narrow my eyes as Ginny blushes.

"He was at work all morning," Ginny says in a small voice in explanation for her actions and I have to stop myself from saying something. "I'm going to go put these away. I'll be right back," she says as I take a seat and she kisses my temple. "Be nice," she whispers against my ear before pulling back and walking out the room.

I feel terribly uncomfortable now and I take my glass and sit back in the chair. Molly avoids my gaze as she picks at her food and I don't bother saying anything to her as I unravel my napkin and lay it across my lap. It was the longest minute of my life and I was relieved when Ginny finally came back. I stand when she comes back into the room and pull out her seat when she's close enough.

"Thank you," she says softly as she smoothes down her skirt as she takes a seat. "So, I had a chance to show my Mom around today," she says as she looks at me as I resume my seat. "She was really impressed with the kitchen."

"Yes, it's a shame you don't use it more often, Ginny," Molly says and Ginny blushes again.

"Unfortunately I am not a very good cook," she says with an awkward smile and she looks at me again. "What do you think of the meal so far?" she asks softly, to keep the conversation rolling.

I haven't actually touched anything, but I put some of the salad on my fork and I nod my head. "I have no complaints."

She nods her head and she takes a sip from her water glass. No one says anything for a long time until Ginny clears her throat. "So, did you have a good day at work?" she asks me just to fill the silence. I nod my head and she flicks her eyes to her mother who is doing all she can not to look at me. "Mom, Draco's company is right by that culinary school you were always talking about taking classes at," she says. Molly barely acknowledges her and Ginny looks at me again. "My mother is an excellent cook," she admits and I flick a glance at her before going back to my food. "I doubt she would need to take classes, really."

I don't say anything.

Molly Weasley doesn't say anything.

Ginny looks down at her plate and brings a hand up to her forehead. "It's a beautiful day," she says lamely as she brings her hand down and grabs her napkin so she can nervously pick at it. She's really reaching for conversation now and she looks at me again when no one says anything for a good ten minutes. "They said on the radio it's supposed to rain later tonight."

Another long bout of silence goes by and I can tell that Ginny has given up. She sits back in her chair and bites her lower lip and after a few moments she starts staring at her glass as she picks at the threads of the napkin. That bit of cloth isn't going to survive much longer. I stare at her for a few more minutes as Molly Weasley's silverware clinks against her plate. This isn't going as well as she had hoped and I look at Molly Weasley from the corner of my eyes, noticing the tenseness in her jaw and the tightness in her eyes as she pretends to eat. She hates me just as much as I hate her.

I take a large drink from my glass before taking Ginny's hand. "So Molly," I say conversationally and Ginny's head snaps towards mine as I run my thumb over her knuckles. "How are you finding the weather this time of year?"

It was a lame question, but it was something because Ginny squeezes my hand as Molly looks at me. "It's cold," she replies flatly but I ignore her derisive tone because Ginny gives me a little grateful smile.

"It has been cold," I admit, staring at Ginny as she mouths the words 'thank you' in my direction. I bring her hand up to my lips and I kiss her knuckles as I stare into her eyes, so she knows that I'm only doing this for her.

"If you don't mind me asking," Molly says and both Ginny and I look at her. "What is wrong with your glasses?"

I furrow my brows and look at Ginny. "They are a bit crooked," she explains as I take them off. Oh. Right.

"I wonder why," I say as I look at her and she and I both know exactly what happened and I smile at her as I put them back on. I spent all morning with the people who work for me and not one of them mentioned it. I wonder when I go back in a couple of weeks if they all started wearing their glasses crooked just because I did. That thought makes me smirk. "How odd."

"How odd, indeed," Ginny says and we share a secret little look.

I wink at her and go back to my meal.


	23. Chapter 23

_**Epilogue**_

_**Byron **_

"Come on, buddy," I tell him gently. "You know this."

"It's a hard one," he says in frustration and I smile sympathetically.

"Yes, but you know it," I tell him as I press my fingers against the center of his chest. "What is this?"

He bites his lip and I smile fondly at the gesture as I think of the person he learned it from. "Ster… No, wait," he second guesses himself as he furrows his dark brows. "Is it… the Sternum?"

I smile proudly and his face lights up. "Very good," I tell him and he tilts his chin up as I start to button up his white dress shirt. "We have time for another one," I tell him and he smiles. "Do you think you can handle it?"

"Give me a really hard one," he says and I smirk as I look over his body and think of a hard bone for him to name. He really is a smart little thing.

"A really hard one, you say?" I joke as I bring my hand up to my chin in mock thought. I take his tiny arm and I put my hand around his forearm. "You have two bones in your lower arm," I tell him and he nods his head. "What is the name of the larger of the two?"

He smiles wide… He knows this one. "That one is easy," he says and I raise an eyebrow. "It's the Ulna."

I tap his nose. "You are much too smart for your own good," I tell him as I grab his suit jacket and I help him put it on.

Thatcher is my oldest son and he turned five earlier this year. Some days he tags along with me to work at the museum when things get a little crazy around the house because his younger brothers are such a hand full. That's when he started to learn the names of all the bones in the body and he's been obsessed with memorizing them all. I'd almost be worried about the subject matter if I wasn't so impressed with his ability to focus and remember. When his jacket is on I run a hand through his hair to tame it down and I make him face me again so I can get a better look at him.

He looks like me, that much is obvious. He has my dark hair and we share the shape of our eyes, but he has a bit of his mother in him too…He has a few freckles scattered along his cheeks, showing the Weasley in him, and he has a sharp nose that is very Malfoy. I survey him to make sure he looks alright and, when I notice something very prominent missing, I frown.

"Where are your glasses?" I ask seriously and he looks away, turning his bright eyes to his shoes. " You need to wear them, Thatch," I tell him gently. "You won't be able to see where you're going if you don't."

"But they look stupid," he says as I pat him down and find them tucked away in his front pocket. I pull them out and slide them back on his face.

"They don't look stupid," I reassure them as I secure them in place. He scrunches up his nose in annoyance as I sit back on my heels. "Your Grandpa and Uncle both wear glasses, and they don't look stupid."

"That's because they're Malfoys," he says as he blinks at me behind his glasses. He has thick dark eyelashes that frame is light eyes and the effect is quite stunning sometimes.

I sigh as I straighten his tie that I'm told is robin's egg blue. "You're a Malfoy too," I tell him seriously.

He sighs, matching my expression. "But Julian will make fun of me."

I bristle in annoyance when I think of Cassius' red haired little boy. He's the same age as Thatcher but he has a totally different personality. He's a mouthy kid, but he's never malicious, it's just that Thatcher is really sensitive.

"He's not going to make fun of you," I tell him honestly. I know Julian doesn't mean it to be mean, but it really bugs Thatcher and I never knew the special kind of pain that comes along with being a parent in these certain situations. "I talked to Uncle Cassius about it and he told Julian to stop."

"Okay," he says softly and I stand up with my hand on his shoulder. "If you say so."

"You ready to go?" I ask as I check the watch on the mantel piece. "We don't want to be late for Aunt Evie's wedding, now do we?"

I take his hand and we start walking out of the bedroom I share with his mother. When we reach the hallway he tugs on my hand.

"Dad," he says and I look down at him. He's stopped calling me Daddy this year because he thinks he's too old for it. I kind of miss it, if I was being honest with myself. "Are there going to be a lot of people there?"

"Yes," I tell him honestly and when I go to walk again, he tugs on my hand even harder. "What is it, Thatcher?"

"Do I…" he trails off and furrows his brows. "Do I have to go? I could s-s-stay home," he says. He's stuttering now so I know he's nervous.

My Thatcher is shy, almost painfully so, and we knew as soon as he started talking that he had a speech impediment. He had a hard time pronouncing certain words and he'd stutter difficult letters. When it was suggested that we take him to a speech therapist before he started his schooling, I was immediately put off by the idea. I was hesitant because of my history with therapists and the lies that were told to me by them and the people around me, but Lavinia convinced me it would be good for him. I'm glad that I gave in because he really has made progress and he starts primary school in the fall. I want the other kids to understand him. I don't want him to be made fun or thought differently of. I want him to have a normal childhood.

"I could stay in my r-r-room," he offers when I don't say anything and I give him a sympathetic look before reaching under my shirt and pulling the silver necklace over my head.

"You can't stay home," I tell him as I kneel down again so we're eye level. "You have one of the most important jobs in the wedding. Do you remember?"

He nods his head tightly. He's dreading being the ring bearer alongside his cousin. I know that. He's had a stomach ache all week over it.

"It's okay to be nervous," I tell him as I look at the necklace with the odd triangle tangling from the bottom. "But you don't have to be scared. Your mother gave me this," I tell him as I put it around his neck. He brings his hands up so he can take a closer look at the silver triangle. "And when I wear it I am never scared or nervous."

"Never?" he says disbelievingly and I smile before helping him tuck it under his shirt so it's out of view.

"Never," I confirm once it's successfully hidden. "Now, what do you think, mate? Should we Floo or Apparate?"

He thinks on it for a second before a pleased smile comes to his face. His brothers are too young to side along Apparate, so he rarely ever gets to do it. I'm fairly certain what his choice will be. "I would like to Apparate," he says and I smirk.

"Thought so," I tell him as I lift him up and carry him down the stairs. I nearly trip over a few toys along the way and I actually stumble when my foot catches on a stuffed teddy bear.

It makes Thatcher laugh. "You almost fell," he says, not realizing that if I actually fell, I would have fallen on him.

"You need to start cleaning up your things," I tell him in annoyance.

Lavinia and I don't have houseelves. We decided we didn't want any, but with three kids I really wish we would have accepted that gift from her father when he first offered. We thought we were doing what was politically correct but there are times when I really wish we had a servant. Morels be damned.

I finally reach the front door and I put Thatcher down so I can open it up.

"Dad," he says and I glance at him because we're already running late. "You're not ready to go yet," he says like it was a secret and I look down with a furrowed brow.

"Great," I sigh sarcastically to myself. I'm not dressed. I got so far as to get my dress pants and shoes on, but nothing more. I was too busy making sure Thatcher was ready to care. "Stay here," I tell him as I run up the stairs, two at a time. This house is like a time trap and I am constantly running late for things. I don't know what it is. I run into my bedroom and quickly throw on my dress shirt. I button it up halfway and I stop when I send another look to the clock. I promised I wouldn't be late.

I abandon that task and I grab my suit jacket and I throw the tie around my neck. I can handle that later and I run back down the stairs three at a time, bypassing the toys and clothes that litter the walk way. Luckily our house isn't as large as Malfoy Manor is because it doesn't take that much time to get from point A to point B.

"Alright, now we're ready," I say as I tug on the jacket and I go back to my son as he smiles at me in amusement. "What?" I ask as he snickers behind his hand. "What is it?"

"You still gots shaving cream on your neck," he says and I feel my neck and cuss gently under my breath. I was almost done shaving when he called me out of the bathroom to help him buckle his pants and I totally forgot. I pick up a random plush toy from the ground and whip off the cream from under my jaw and then I look at him with my hands out. "Anything else?"

He smiles and shakes his head.

"Good," I say. "Let's go then before your mother comes and finds us."

I hold him against me as we Apparate to Malfoy Manor and I hold his hand as we walk up the long walk way to the house that's decorated to the nines for Evelyn Malfoy's wedding day. Lavinia is in the wedding party, so it fell upon me to pick up Thatcher from his last speech session. He couldn't miss it, we were told, so I took the opportunity to get some work done at the museum before I had to pick him up. I promised not to be late but that was a promise I should have known I wouldn't be able to keep. I push open one of the large front doors and an Elf scans us to make sure we're approved. They have high security for this day and considering all the people that are going to be here, I can't say I blame them.

"Daddy!" I snap my head up to the top of the stairs and my heart starts beating faster as I see my three year old son start to run down. I hate those bloody stairs. They're a nightmare if you have children. "Daddy, you came!"

"Hold onto the railing, Silas." I snap as I run up to meet him half way before he slips and falls and breaks his head open. "You are not allowed to go down these stairs unless someone is holding your hand," I scold him for the millionth time and when I reach him he jumps up into my arms, not seeming to care in the least bit that he almost died. "What were you thinking?" I ask against his hair as I hold him closer and he shrugs his tiny shoulders.

"Silas Flint, you are not allowed to run away from me!" I turn my head to Lavinia's voice as she glares at our son.

"Oh no," I hear Silas whisper against my ear because he knows he's in trouble when she uses that voice and he holds onto me a little tighter like I would protect him from it.

"I caught him before he came tumbling down," I reassure her and when she sees me she sighs in relief. She's holding Sebastian's hand… he's our other three year old and the shyer half to Silas. They're fraternal twins so they have their own individual appearances, but they all look like me. Strong genes on my side, I guess.

"You made it," she says and when she's at the top of the stairs, she leans down and kisses my cheek. "I was beginning to think you were going to be late."

"We made it," I say with a wink and then I put my hand on Sebastian's head and I ruffle his hair. "How has your day been, little one?"

"Oh, it has been so boring," Silas answers for him, like usual, and Sebastian nods his head in agreement. He always lets Silas do the talking and I sigh because it's irritating. "Mama made us sit down and color the whole time."

"You have the toughest life," I joke and Lavinia smiles as I put him on the ground. I look behind me to see where Thatcher went and I smile again when I see him slowly make his way up the stairs, dragging his feet and biting his lower lip because he doesn't want to be here.

"How was your last day at speech, Thatch?" Lavinia asks gently and when Thatcher is close enough she bends down and kisses his forehead. "Did you learn anything new?"

"No," he mutters grumpily and when she looks at me, I shrug because I didn't get anything out of him earlier.

"Okay then," she says with a sigh and then she looks at me. I inhale quickly because I haven't seen her all day and it always catches me off guard when she looks at me full on like that. There are so many colors. "Will you take the twins down stairs with you? I just can't watch them anymore. Evelyn has me running around all over the place and I'm exhausted." She puts her hand on her back and I look down warmly at her stomach that's straining against the material of the dress. She's over eight months pregnant right now and I know she has to be uncomfortable.

"How is the baby?" I ask softly as I take the final step up and put Silas on the ground. The three of the boys run off down the hallway to talk to the paintings. I put my hand on her stomach.

"She's been moving around a lot," she says as she places her soft hands on top of mine and I kiss her temple, inhaling against her hair because she smells so sweet. "I'm too old to be a bride's maid," she says and I laugh.

"You're only twenty seven."

"Then I'm too pregnant to be one."

"That's fair," I tell her gently as I rub her arm with my free hand. "What are you going to do with Thatcher?" I ask as I look over her shoulder to see them mess with the painting of some old woman that is part of the Malfoy family. Poor thing. They're probably annoying the hell out of her. The paintings at Malfoy Manor rarely ever talk, but the grandkids have made it their mission to shock them into conversation.

"Cassius is in the groom's suite with Julian, so he'll be fine if I take him there," she says and she closes her eyes for a moment, inhaling deeply. "I am just so tired. I need a nap. She's been killing me," she says in reference to the baby.

She's convinced it's a girl and she's more than pleased with that. Both of her pregnancies had been pretty hard on her. Thatcher was breech and the healer had to turn him around while he was still in the womb. She was bruised for weeks after that and that instilled a fear of the doctor's office every time we went back. The twins had been such a long and difficult pregnancy, she was on bed rest for the last two months because she kept on going into premature labor and when it finally came for real, she was in labor for two days before they finally came. We weren't going to have any more because of toll they were taking on her body , but she really wanted to have a little girl and with this pregnancy she wanted to be surprised.

I don't have the heart to tell her it's a boy.

"Alright," I say softly, placing a gentle kiss below her ear. "I'll take them."

She brings her hands up and starts doing up my tie. I forgot about that. "My Dad and Gavin are in the ball room if you want to go join them."

I don't even bother to respond to that. Even though they tolerate me, neither of them really like me. I can't say I blame them, really. I don't make much of an effort to be liked. Lavinia catches on to my lack of enthusiasm and she presses her lips against mine. I lick her lips and she laughs as she pulls back, not expecting it. She tastes like strawberry lip gloss.

I smirk at her.

"I'll see you in a little while," she says softly kissing me once more before pulling back.

"Hey, look at me!" We both glance at Silas, the toddler who is constantly talking and constantly moving. He has something in his hair, something white along his temple. "I'm like Daddy!"

"Is that toothpaste?" I ask as I squint my eyes to see.

"How did he get tooth paste?" She questions and I sigh before walking over and grabbing his hand.

"Come on, Sebastian. Silas. We're going downstairs," I say tiredly as I start walking them down. I give Thatcher one last look before Lavinia puts her hand on his shoulder and starts steering him away.

Poor kid.

"Where are we going?" Silas asks as we start walking down the long ass stairs. I hate these bloody stairs.

"Well, first we have to wash that toothpaste out of your hair," I tell him and Sebastian giggles at his brother's frown. "And then we're going to see your Grandpa."

"Grandpa!" Sebastian finally talks for the first time today and I glance at him as he smiles up at me. He does love Mr. Malfoy. I think it's because Draco always talks to him like he was an individual and he refuses to let Silas get away with talking for him.

When we reach one of the down stairs bathrooms, I pop Silas on the sink counter top and make Sebastian sit on the bathtub ledge as I wet a towel and start scrubbing the tooth paste out of the toddler's hair.

"Where did you get toothpaste?" I ask him because I honestly don't understand how he does half the stuff he does. We only turned our back for a second.

"I wanted my hair to look like yours," he explains and I sigh as I look at the mirror over his head. When Conrad Foxworth sent a killing curse at my chest it took the color pigment out of a little streak by my temple. It really confused people after that because I didn't care enough to dye it to match; people either thought I looked really good for my age, thinking I was older due to the whiteness or that I looked really bad for being so young. My sons find it a main characteristic of mine and it always shows up in their crayon drawings just as much as Lavinia's hair. "And I look like you now, don't I Daddy?" he says, giving me a large dimpled grin.

"Yeah, just like me," I mutter tiredly as I start scrubbing it out. "So, how has Mommy been today? Has Aunt Evie been keeping her busy, Sebastian?"

No one answers me. Sebastian is too busy playing with a button on his shirt and Silas is singing to himself.

"Sebastian," I say to get his attention, but he doesn't answer. I put the rag down because I'm finished with his hair and I glance down at the toddler on the tub. "Sebastian," I say a little more sternly and he looks up, blinking his eyes at me. Out of all of them, Sebastian more closely resembles Lavinia. With the same bowed lips and the same large eyes. I find myself more partial to him sometimes… as unfair as that is. "Did you hear me?"

He shakes his head and goes back to his button so I shake my head and help Silas off the counter. "Come on then," I say tiredly as I open the door and let them march past me. When we get to the ball room I find Mr. Malfoy and Gavin sitting at one of the table's speaking to each other in stern voices like they were arguing, but my sons don't seem to notice as they roar into the room. Calling their names and running towards their Grandpa and Uncle. Gavin smiles and stands up, accepting the hug that Silas gives him as Sebastian climbs into Draco's lap. I hesitate in the doorway for a few moments as they greet one another because I always feel awkward being around them. I finally build up the courage to walk in and I nod my head in greeting towards my father and brother in law as I pull up a chair next to them.

"Silas, stop it," I scold because he's trying to pull off Gavin's glasses, thinking it's funny. "Be nice."

"Yes, little man," Gavin smirks as he holds Silas down on his lap so he can't get his glasses anymore. "Be nice."

I smile a little and turn away. I'm glad that Gavin likes my children so much. I was actually kind of surprised by it, to be honest, because Gavin doesn't like me at all. I was kind of expecting him to be a little bias towards them…. But he's not. He loves them because they're his family too, even if they are half mine.

"That's my pocket watch," I hear Draco say as Sebastian goes digging through his pockets. "It's always important for a gentleman to have a time piece on a big day like this one."

Sebastian pulls out the chain and watch and looks over the face of the small clock with awe. "I don't have a timepiece," he whispers in his little boy voice and Draco smiles warmly down at him.

"That's because you're not much of a gentleman yet," Draco answers as he wipes some left over breakfast crumbs away from the toddler's face. Sebastian frowns and then looks at me as Silas gets off of Gavin's lap to join his brother.

"I want to be a gennlemen," he says, mispronouncing a word he doesn't hear very often.

"I want to be a gennlemen too," Silas pouts as they both glare at me like it was my fault they didn't have pocket watches. I sigh.

"Here," Draco says before they start throwing fits and crying. He unclips the chain from his waist coat and gives it to Sebastian. "My Grandfather gave this to me," he says before securing it in the toddler's pocket. "So you have to take very good care of it for me. Do you think you can do that?"

Sebastian nods his head and then sits back as he looks at the clock again like it was the greatest gift he's ever received. I have no idea why Draco did that. Sebastian is three… he'll probably throw that watch in the lake to see if it will swim.

Silas waits all of two seconds before chiming in. "But Grandpa," he whines as he looks at Sebastian with envy. No doubt he's planning on taking that from his brother later. "What about me?"

Draco realized his mistake and he started to look around for something to pacify Silas. He doesn't have his wrist watch anymore. He gave it to me when I married his daughter because he said I would need it more than he would now. It has come in handy when I needed to get a hold of Lavinia quickly.

"Here mate," Gavin says as he takes off his own watch with the black leather band. "You can have mine." He says and he grabs Silas' arm to put the watch on his tiny wrist. Of course it's too big for him and Gavin glances at me. "Do you know any sizing charms, Flint?" he asks.

I nod my head and pull the wand from my pocket. "Come here, Silas," I say tiredly and when the toddler is standing in front of me I start fitting the expensive watch to his little wrist. "Are you sure you want to give these to them?" I ask carefully as I tighten the band until it fits my son. "These two are like bulls in a china shop."

"Eh," Gavin shrugs and sits back with his arms crossed. "I needed a new watch anyways."

Of course. I couldn't even imagine spending the kind of money that the Malfoy's do and shrug off something so easily like that. I've never had much money so that's a totally different world to me. Once the watch is in place, Silas grins at me and he pulls his brother away from Draco so they can go play. The ball room is where the reception is going to be and there are round tables with crisp white table clothes scattered throughout the room. On top of them are place cards for the guests and the plates and crystal goblets are already out and ready for the food that will be placed on them.

"It looks like it's going to rain," I comment just to say something and the two men beside me glance out the window as well. There are dark storm clouds coming in from the south that are promising rain.

"I bet Evelyn is throwing a fit," Gavin says with a smirk and Draco shakes his head and turns back to me. "It's just her luck that it would rain on her wedding after she insisted it be outdoors."

"It'll be fine. We have a charm up to cover everyone if it does."

I watch my boys chase each other around the room as I cross my legs. I bet Draco Malfoy would move the heavens and the earth to make this day work for his youngest daughter.

After another bout of silence Gavin makes a loud sighing sound and runs his hands through his hair. "Jesus I need a drink. When is this thing starting?" he asks as he takes off his glasses and pinches the bridge of his nose. He looks more like Draco now since he's aged considering he always favored his mother more in the looks department. It's odd seeing them side by side now.

Gavin had always reminded me of his father, the way he acted, the way he carried himself and the things he said always mirrored what I imagined Mr. Malfoy was like when he was a younger man. They both are leaning back in their seats now and I glance at them out of the corner of my eyes as they relax into the chairs. Gavin's hair is thicker and he keeps it really short now, parted down the side and combed back like a GQ model and his glasses are more modern looking with thicker black frames and a more square shape. Draco hasn't changed his style much from when I was younger. Still the wireless glasses and neatly combed hair.

"How's work going, Byron?" Draco asks as we all begin watching my children play on the dance floor. "Cassius said that you spoke in one of his classes last week."

"It's going well," I say softly as I cross my arms. "I gave a little speech about anthropology in his carbon dating course…" Of course, no one listened to me. They were all sophomores and I'm sure they're going to change their majors after my boring speech.

"I don't know how you can work at the museum," Gavin says and I tear my eyes away from my boys to look at him. "I get bored when I just go to visit one. I couldn't imagine working in one of those places."

"I like it," I admit, like it was something I wasn't too proud of. I look back at the boys. They're running around the tables, chasing one another. "Hey, guys. Don't run in here," I scold and Silas stops and looks at me with a furrowed brow. "You'll have to sit down with me if you keep doing it."

"But we're playing," he says like it justifies his actions.

"No running," I repeat again and he narrows his eyes.

"Okay," he says and then he starts chasing his brother again. I can feel Draco and Gavin's eyes on me as I stand up.

"Stop running, you're going to break something," I snap, frustrated that they aren't listening to me. Silas runs again to make a lunge for his brother and he knocks over a chair. The sound of it echoes off the walls and I furrow my brows in annoyance as I walk over to them. "I told you to stop running." I say as I pick up the chair and right it. "Sit down or we're going to leave and you won't be able to see your cousins," I warn even though it's not true and Silas grabs his hand back.

"Daddy, I told you we was playing!" he yells at me and I narrow my eyes.

"You're going to ruin all this nice stuff that's set up for Aunt Evie's wedding. She would be very sad if you broke anything."

"I don't care!" he yells. He's tired, I know he is. The twins woke up earlier than usual today to be here with Lavinia and they haven't taken a nap. I know why he's acting this way… it's just so frustrating when you're in the moment.

"Young man," all heads turn to Draco's stern voice and Silas raises his eyebrows at the tone in which his Grandpa is speaking to him. "You don't talk to your father that way, especially in my house," he says and Silas gulps. "Understood?"

I look back down at Silas only to see his lower lip starting to tremble and his eyes tear up. I give him a sympathetic look because I know how scary it is to be spoken to in that voice by Draco Malfoy… loving Grandpa or not. He sends Draco one sad look before running away and hiding under one of the tables. I can hear him sniffing and crying and I turn back to Draco and Gavin… Draco looks like he legitimately feels bad and Sebastian walks over to the table his brother is hiding under and he pulls up the table cloth.

"It's okay, Si," he whispers as Silas covers his face. "We just can't run no more."

Draco sighs and stands up. "They always do this and it gets me every time," he says as he walks past me and bends down so he can pull Silas from under the table. "Why don't you two come with me to the kitchens," he says as he wipes tears away. "I know the caterers have some nice sweets in there that need to be tested."

Silas and Sebastian both nod their shaggy heads and Draco picks Silas up. My son leans his head against Draco's shoulder and wraps his arms around his neck as they walk out of the room, with Sebastian holding his hand.

"You can stay in here," Draco says in the doorway, talking to me. "Gin is in the kitchen so we can handle them."

"Oh… okay," I say because it is actually a relief to get a break from them, even though I didn't have them alone that long. Lavinia must have had one hell of a morning.

When they leave, I realize I'm stuck with Gavin and I loosen my tie before going back over to him and sitting down. He had found himself a bottle of wine and he was pouring some into one of the crystal glasses. He offers some to me, but I shake my head.

"So, when is Lavinia's due date again?" he asks to break the silence as he plays with the stem of his glass.

"Two weeks today," I tell him quietly and he nods before downing the contents of his glass.

It's exactly ten minutes of awkward silence before someone peeks their head into the room to break up how uncomfortable it all is. I'm grateful for it. "Daddy," Emma whispers from the doorway and when she sees that I'm the only one in the room, she pushes open the door all the way and comes running towards us.

"What do you need, princess?" he asks as he puts down his glass and looks towards her.

"It fell down again," she says as she approaches.

Emma will be starting Hogwarts this fall and I realize now as she comes in wearing a more modest covering bridesmaid dress that she really is growing up.

"I'm sure there's someone else who can help you with that, Em," he says tiredly as she stands right in front of him with her hands clasped together in front of her.

She tugs on some of her blonde curls that are dangling in her face, falling from the secured hairstyle she had them in. "But you do it best," she whispers and she spares me a little glance before giving her father a pleading look.

Gavin sighs and stands up, making her turn around so he can fix her hair and I hide a smile at it. Who knew Gavin was so good with hair. After Addison died, Gavin went into total father mode. I was kind of surprised to see it happen and I was almost impressed as I watched him become so openly affectation with someone. Emma became number one priority and he really did step up to the plate and do what needed to be done. Besides, he loves her more than anything and I smile again when she turns around and hugs him around the waist when he fixes her hair style.

"Thank you," she says and when she pulls back, Gavin takes his face in her hands and eyes her critically.

"You're wearing makeup?" he comments and she grins and nods her head.

"Aunt Evelyn put some of hers on me. The lip stuff is kind of sticky though," she admits and when Gavin drops his hands she takes a step back. "She looks very beautiful," she admits softly as she looks up at her father. "Like a princess… she's so skinny," she adds and Gavin frowns.

Emma has always been a bigger girl and she still has the chubbiness of youth still clinging to her features and body. Of course, she looks like Gavin with her thick curly blonde hair, scattered freckles, and a dimpled smile, but her eyes are all Addison's, that is one thing I remember about her. She's also taller for a girl her age and I know she's self conscious of it all. Of course, Gavin would fight to the death if anyone made her feel bad about it.

"Skinny girls are overrated," he says seriously and she looks down. "You look beautiful, Emma," he tells her as he tilts up her chin and she smiles at him. "Doesn't she, Flint?" he asks and he glances at me.

"Very beautiful," I confirm and she blushes as she smiles at me.

"I better get back," she whispers and Gavin kisses her forehead before she takes off.

She's really is a sweet girl, but she is completely spoiled and she knows that. She was the only grandchild for six years… she was everyone's baby and when you come from a family like the Malfoy's that means you could get away with practically anything and have it be okay.

When she leaves through the doorway, I stand up. I don't think I can handle sitting next to Gavin and not saying anything any longer. Some people just don't mesh well and he and I fall into the category. "I'm going to stretch my legs," I tell him and he sits back and raises his wine glass at me in mock salute.

"I'll be here," he comments dismissively as he downs the glass.

I stuff my hands in my pockets and turn down the hallway once I leave the room. I debate whether I want to go to the kitchens and save Draco and Ginny from my toddlers who are currently putting that terrible three's name to the test.

When I walk past the library door, I stop when I hear a strange noise and I gently push open the door so I can look inside. I find myself staring at my wife. She's sitting on the window seat on the opposite wall and she's trying not to cry too loud. I don't go to her right away because I don't know if she would want me to. She's hiding in here, if she wanted to talk to me, she could have come and got me but I have to admit it does hurt to see her cry or be upset in anyway.

I stare at her for a few more moments, deciding what I want to do and just taking her in greedily.

I have the very rare monochromacy colorblindness, meaning I can't see any color at all…but red… I started to see red when I was five. It was odd really. I don't know why or how that even works and I know it doesn't make sense. It was just, one day I woke up and I could see red. Before that I didn't really realize I was colored blind. I was too young and I didn't know any differently until Marcus had asked me to bring him his green mug one time when I was four. When I went to the kitchen to retrieve it for him, I remember staring into the cabinet trying to decide which one was actually green because they all looked like varying shades of gray to me.

I just grabbed the one I thought looked like something green. I had known the name of colors then and I usually associated them with different shades of black and white and gray, I didn't know, but when I brought the mug to Marcus, he called me stupid, told me it was blue, and then hit me in the head with it. I fell to the ground and I may have laid there for two hours before getting up again. I tried to be very careful after that, I started to mark things when I found out what color they were just so I would never make that mistake again, but that day when I woke up and I saw how red an apple was, I knew I was missing out on something.

That's why I asked the sorting hat to put me in Gryffindor, even when he wanted to put me in Slytherin. It's also why I loved Mrs. Malfoy so much when I was a boy because she was the first red headed woman I had ever actually seen so closely before and I thought that the color was beautiful… and there was Lavinia. I could see red, very muted red, I found out, because when I saw Lavinia sitting on the Hogwarts Express when she was eleven I saw everything. I couldn't recall then if she was like this as a baby, if I could see every color on her when she was small and I was around, but it didn't matter. I could see every shade of browns, golds, coppers, and reds in her hair. I could see the peach and pinkness of her skin and the redness of her lips as she licked them and when she looked at me for the first time, I finally saw blue. It was a beautiful color. I literally couldn't breathe for a few moments then.

Again, it didn't make sense. In a world of gray and muted reds, Lavinia stood out sharply as the only colorful thing my eyes could distinguish. I didn't know if it was a spell or some kind of brain damage that made it happen, but I could literally see every color on Lavinia that made her who she was. I was fascinated. I knew there was a reason for it… I knew that she was supposed to be with me. Why else could I see her in color when everything else was black and white?

I tried to recreant that effect when I was older. I tried to talk myself out of wanting someone who was my best mate's little sister, but the red hair I was sleeping with wasn't the same bright shade as Lavinia's and I wanted to see blue again. None of them made my heart beat any faster and none of them made me feel afraid of rejection. It wasn't just the fact that I could see color on Lavinia… that was what made me stare at her all the time, and the fact that she's so beautiful really helps with that, but my heart was doing funny things whenever I was around her, so I knew it was something more.

I pull myself out of my thoughts when she sniffs again and I take a step into the room, closing the door to the library behind me. The noise makes her jump and she looks over to me in surprise as she wipes her eyes, trying to hide the evidence of her tears.

"What's wrong?" I ask seriously as I walk into the room and sit beside her on the window seat.

She closes her eyes and lets a few more tears slip before standing up and turning around to show me the back of her dress. The zipper has busted open… again. I had to fix it once this morning and she was really concerned about it.

"I didn't know I'd grow so much in a week," she whispers sadly as I take out my wand to repair the damage.

"It's okay," I tell her as I start to mend the zipper.

"I was coming downstairs to give you Silas' tie," she says as she nods to the black toddler size tie on the bench. "He left it upstairs and I dropped it. When I bent to pick it up I heard it rip…. " she inhales deeply and shakes her head. "Dani was coming and I was embarrassed so I came in here. I wish I could stay in here all day," She comments softly and I pause a moment so I can stand up and kiss the back of her neck. I look at the freckles on the back of her neck and shoulder, dusted shades of brown.

"Why don't you have one of the girls make the dress larger for you?" I ask once I'm finished with the dress and that was the wrong thing to say because she brings her hands up to her face and she starts to sob. "No, love, don't do that," I say as I pull her to me and I wrap my arms around her. "I didn't mean for that to come out badly."

"I… know…" she says between breaths. I sit down on the window seat again and pull her down so she's resting between my legs and her back is against my chest. I kiss her shoulder and let my fingers run over her pregnant stomach in attempt to cool her down.

I've read stories about pregnant women being all hormonal and terrible, but Lavinia was never really that way. She never demanded pickles and ice cream in the middle of the night and she never pulled large mood swings that made me want to pull my hair out. She just gets little weepy sometimes when it all seems to hit her at once and right now I knows she's feeling very vulnerable.

"We're in the home stretch now," I whisper in her ear. She puts her hand on top of mine and leans her head against my shoulder. "Just a little more to go."

"I wish Evelyn could have waited a couple of more months to have the wedding," she whispers, her voice still thick with tears. I kiss her temple. "We took some pictures this morning and I'm sure I looked like a bloated blimp."

I smile at her analogy and kiss her neck. "I'm sure no one thinks that."

"And you know those photos are going to be in the papers," she says worriedly. "And everyone is going to comment on my weight gain and my stupid dress keeps splitting," her voice cracked at the end and she turned face to the side, brining her free hand up to her forehead. "I'm sorry, Byron," she whispers with a quivering lip. "I know I'm being ridiculous."

"You're not being ridiculous," I tell her seriously. "You're carrying a baby, Lavinia. Everyone knows that and you look perfect," I tell her and she takes my hand and kisses it. "Besides, when he's finally born, no one is going to care about your weight. They'll be too happy that our son is finally here."

She's quiet for a few long moments. "Our son?" she whispers and I tense up when I realize my mistake.

I don't say anything and she sits up and turns around, furrowing her brows as she looks into my eyes. Her eyes, different shades of light blue surrounded in a dark navy… if I look long enough I can almost see some purple.

"It's a boy?" she asks and I look down.

"I'm sorry," I tell her, feeling bad about my slip up but not wanting to lie. I put my hand up and cup her cheek. "I know you wanted to be surprised."

She silent for a while and then she gives me a watery smile and shakes her head. "It was stupid anyways," she says and I give her a sad look because I know she's disappointed. She inhales deeply and stands up. I follow suit as she smoothes out her dress. "Another boy will be fun," she says optimistically. She's going to love another boy just as much… but I know she really had her heart set on a girl this time around. "At least we won't have to buy new clothes or anything for a while," she says and I give her another sad smile because I know she's already been buying things in preparation for a girl.

I take her hand and pull her too me, resting my forehead against hers. "I'm sorry," I repeat again.

She sighs. "Better now than later," she says gently as she brings her hand up to tighten the tie I had loosened. "Another boy would be great," she says with a decisive nod of her head, feeling the idea out. She looks up at me with watery eyes, giving me a gentle smile. "I do love my boys," she says and I smile back. "We're going to have to search for a good name, though," she says, her tears drying and her voice becomes a little more stable. "We've used up all of our good ones."

"I love you," I tell her as I run one of my hands down the smooth skin of her arm.

She smiles again. This time it's a real one. "I love you too." She takes a step back and sighs again as she looks at her watch. "I better get back upstairs. Evelyn is probably calling for me again. It's starting to get so irritating."

"I can imagine," I reply sympathetically. I glance out the window. "It's going to rain," I comment and she nods her head. "I bet she's loving that, isn't she?"

"I've had to hear about it all morning," she says tiredly. "Here," she walks over to the bench and picks up the small clip on tie. "Make sure you put this on Silas before the ceremony…." She looks at me again with a worried furrow of her brows. "Where are they boys?" she asks in concern, like she just realized they were supposed to be with me.

"It's okay," I tell her gently so she doesn't go crazy on me. "Your parents have them in the kitchen."

She sighs in relief and I smirk. "Alright…. Well, I'll see you later then."

She gives me a quick kiss on the lips and then we leave the room together. I walk her to the stairs and watch as she walks all the way up with her left hand clutching the railing.

I don't know what I would do if she didn't love me. After everything that's happened to me, I thought I'd be in the worst kind of shape, but Lavinia helped me realize that it's not the end. Chloe, unfortunately, took the news of Bellatrix and our mother the hardest. Mom had never loved me, in the deepest corners of my heart I knew that, and the memories that surfaced after her death really made that point obvious, but she was a true mother to my sister's, because they were hers.

In true narcissist form I believe Bellatrix loved her children just because she saw them as herself. Chloe had a hard enough time already, she was just getting ready to come out of the closet to her school when all of this happened and it forced her to revaluate her life. She stopped talking to everyone after she found out, especially Lavinia, and I find myself partially to blame for that. I had taken away my sister's one true friend and she had no one. She started doing drugs with her girlfriend Lillian Westwick and after she graduated they both moved to America and got heavily involved into the drugs and modeling scene. I couldn't even wrap my head around it. It was so far away from anything that I knew that I didn't know how to help her. I haven't spoken to her in three years.

James was too young to understand and he's too old to care now. He'll be going into his second year of Hogwarts this fall and Harry has been all over him since he sobered up. He is the only family he has now, and a part of me is glad that he finally warmed up to James. There was a while there, when James was a toddler that he stayed with me and Lavinia while Harry was in rehab. The worst was Samantha though, because it just rolled off her back.

A part of me thinks she always knew and that thought upsets me.

When my mom and Chloe went into 'hiding' it never occurred to me to be suspicious that Sam didn't go with them. I mean, Harry would have watched over her anyways, but knowing that Bellatrix had married Harry to keep an eye on him to make sure nothing happened to him because he was the Dark Lord's last Horcrux, it really makes me think twice about my little sister. I guess it's a good thing that she never ended up with Cassius then because they're officially related. That would have been an awkward conversation to have.

Ever since I've found out, I've always wondered why she had to use the Malfoy children when she had me and my sisters at her disposal. She could have easy offered us up as willing bodies to the Dark Lord and his group and no one would have cared. They wouldn't have had to deal with Draco Malfoy's dark wrath had they done it a different way. I fear that's a question I'll never know the answer to… but knowing the truth about everything has helped.

I've always been clinically depressed, and I never knew that the medication that the 'Doctor' my Mom made me see weren't actually helping that. They were helping cover up the memories she didn't want me to see and they were making me even worse just to keep me under control. I have a real doctor now, and I take real medication. Sometimes I think bad thoughts… sometimes I think about suicide when things get really bad, just like Conrad had said that night that I killed him, but it's not nearly as terrible as it used to be. Besides. I have a family now. A family that loves me and a wife that loves me… not everyone can say that.

I look up the stairs as Lavinia looks over her shoulder and she gives me a shy smile before disappearing down the hallway. I stay at the bottom of the stairs for a few moments, just thinking about her.

I still work at the museum, but I've been upgraded to the preservation wing, where I help preserve the artifacts with spells and potions. I like it much better than being set into a stuffy office and on my vacations I usually go on digs with Cassius like old times. He's a professor at Black University on the off season but he's still an archeologist a majority of the time.

Lavinia decided that she didn't want to be a healer. I think Conrad Foxworth ruined the profession for her, so she decided to go into music instead. She finished with a musical education degree, but she hasn't been able to do anything with it yet. We were in Egypt with Cassius doing a dig when we found out she was pregnant with Thatcher.

She had just graduated from College and she was tagging along that summer before she went back for grad school. She hated Egypt. It was too hot where we were and the sand was irritating for her. We were in the desert and we were sleeping in a tent then and I knew she despised it, but she never complained. I think it was because she just wanted to be around me and that thought made me smile. During the days she would put ten sub blocking charms on her skin and follow her brother and I around as we set up dig sites with the little team of people we were able to assemble for the task. It was so hot that sometimes she would disappear and throw up. I forced her to keep drinking water and a few times I wanted to take her to St. Mungo's for heat stroke, but she refused, claiming she was fine.

We were there for a month and nearly every night we would make love in the tent that was right next to her brother's. I stopped feeling bad about that fact the second night when she woke me up with her mouth wrapped around me. After she realized I was awake, she pulled off her shirt and sat on top of me, riding me until day broke. It was a good trip. I took her into town towards the end of our stay and I took her to one of the clubs there as a 'thank you' to her for being so good and understanding. I wasn't a social person at all. In fact, I hated being around people in general, but I knew she was getting lonely, so we went out, but she refused to drink and when I asked her why, she gave me an uneasy look and pointed a few things out to me. She told me she had been throwing up a lot and it wasn't because of the heat and then she pointed out that we had been out there a month and she never needed any 'feminine' things, as she put it. I think my face was stuck in an odd expression for an hour before she nervously said my name.

"Byron, I think I'm pregnant," she had said. She didn't look too thrilled by it, and I didn't say anything for a long time.

Then I took her hand. She had been wearing my ring for years and, even though it was a promise that I would marry her one day, we rarely ever talked about it. We both had plans. I was going back to school for my doctorate and she wanted to go to grad school. A baby wasn't in the plans, but I couldn't help but feel a little pleased by the idea and when I told her so, she finally started crying and she hugged me around the neck. I think she thought I was going to be upset about it or something and she admitted that she thought she was with child even before we left for Egypt and that's why she insisted she come with me because it would probably be the last big trip we would ever be allowed to take alone.

It also explained all the sex, but I wasn't going to complain about that.

Three days later we were married in a small ceremony with Cassius as our witness. He absolutely hated the idea because he knew that his family was going to be pissed off because there wasn't going to be a big grand wedding, but I _needed_ her to be my wife. Draco Malfoy scared the hell out of me, but I wanted her too badly to wait and she had no complaints so I dealt with the fury of her family when we finally got home and I used all of the money I had saved up over the years to buy us a small house in the country. It's nothing big, but it's home. Lavinia and I decided a long time ago that we didn't want to use her family's money unless we absolutely had to and we've stayed true to that promise no matter how tempting. All through college she worked at her Uncle, Fred Weasley's, shop, so she had money saved up as well that helped us get through the first year after my savings ran out.

So now I have a great job, a beautiful wife, three kids with another on the way, and a pretty house in the country with a literal white picket fence.

My life is so unbelievably ordinary now.

I absolutely _love_ it.

I look up the stair case again, remembering the first time Lavinia and I actually had sex in this very same house and how sweet and innocent she looked that night. If I knew then what I know now…

I shake my head and put my hands in my pockets as I turn on my heels so I can walk towards the kitchens to get the twins. I think about my sensitive wife and how much she fascinates me and how grateful I am let she's mine.

And it's all completely _normal._

I smile as I walk because I've never been normal before and I'm pretty sure I like the feeling.

Normal Byron Flint. Hm. What a funny thought.

_**Emma**_

"These brownies are very good," I say as I take my third from the tray and I bite into it as my Grandpa gives me an amused look. "I'm very hungry," I admit shyly as I dust the crumbs from my lips and dress.

I know I need to lose weight for Hogwarts. I want to look like the models in the magazines… I want to look like Aunt Evie… but brownies are just so_ good_.

"Do you want a sandwich or something, sweetheart?" Grandpa asks as he wipes off my little cousin's mouth with a napkin. "I could have someone make you a proper meal if you're hungry."

"No, this is fine," I say as I swallow it all down and I reach for my glass of milk. "This day is just taking forever," I admit and Grandma laughs as she comes up behind me and massages my shoulders affectionately.

"I agree," she says against my curls as rubs my muscles. It feels really good and I close my eyes for a moment. She stops and I open my eyes to watch Grandpa Malfoy help Silas and Sebastian with their snacks as I finish off my milk. "But the reception is going to be a lot of fun, Em. You'll have to get your Grandpa to dance," she whispers as she bends down to my ear. "He is very good on the dance floor."

Grandpa spares her an irritated glance that I laugh at and I stand up from the stool so I can face her. "Dad taught me how to dance last night," I tell her as I take her hand and show her one of spins he showed me. She laughs. "How to keep time and all that," I say and she smiles.

"That was very good of your father," she says and I nod as I remember it.

Daddy and I were in the living room of our house when I disappeared into my room to try on my bride's maid dress for the fifteenth time. I just loved the way the smooth material felt against my skin and I loved how old it made me feel. When Dad saw me in it again, he rolled his eyes and turned up the radio so he could listen to the Quidditch match.

I'm nervous to go to Hogwarts. I've only had a private tutor and all my other activities always included girls my age. I've never been around boys… besides my silly cousins but they're too young to count. I stood in the door way as I watched Dad listen intently to the game and I heard him cuss when his despised team made a goal.

"Daddy," I said to get his attention because I knew he could get very deep into sports matches.

"What?" he asks distractedly as I walked into the room with my hands at my sides. "You look pretty in the dress, darling. You know that." That was his automatic response because I was constantly trying it on. "Don't get it dirty."

"Will there be dancing at the wedding?" I asked as I picked up the skirt of the dress and swished it around.

"There is always dancing, Em," he said with his brows furrowed as he put his elbows on his knees. His team was losing and he wasn't happy about it.

"What kind of dancing?" I asked. I knew I was changing. I was changing into a real girl and I needed to know these things and he was the only one who could tell me.

"Just dancing," he snapped as he turned up the radio again, hoping I would stop talking.

It had always been just my Dad and I. I know my Mom died not long after I was born and my father has rarely ever brought another woman home. I've only met two of his dates in my life. One was named Janet and she smelled odd, like she had walked through one of those over powering perfume stores and didn't bathe afterwards, and the other was named Clara. She was around for a while and I nearly thought my father loved her until he caught her pulling money from his wallet one day. It wasn't pretty. That's when my father sat me down and explained to me how I had to choose my friends wisely because I'd run into many fake people because we had so much money to our name. He said the sad thing about the whole Clara incident was that he would have given her the money if she just asked, but the worst thing you can do to a person is betray them.

I know everything about my mother. I know what she looked like because my father made sure I saw the pictures and I know how she was because he always brings around the my mother's remainging family members. My Mom is all they ever talk about when I'm there. I wish I knew her now. Even though I have my grandma Malfoy and two wonderful aunts on my father's side… it would be nice to have a Mom. Although, I'm torn when it comes to my father. I want him to happy and I want a mother, but I don't want to share him with anyone. He's my Dad and I don't want a girl to come between us. I've been his only love for a long time now and I don't want that to change.

"Emma, why are you staring at me?" he had said. I didn't even realize I was and I walked further into the room until I was standing right by the radio that was shouting out the score of the game.

"When you dance with a boy," I said as I put my hands out to demonstrate the whole dancing thing. "Are they supposed to put both hands on your waist?" I asked and he raised an eyebrow as I began dancing with my ghost boy. "Or do you do the hand thing? Do I put my hands on their shoulders?"

He clicked off the radio and I stopped pretend dancing because I thought he was mad at me for ruining the game, but instead he turned the channel to music and he stood up and walked over to me. "A gentleman does the hand thing," he said as he took my right hand in his and then placed my left hand on his shoulder. He's tall, so I could barely reach it. "Unless you're doing a specific dance," he said as he looked down at me behind his glasses. "Which no one but your grandparents do anymore," he added with a smirk. "Then you just move your feet and keep time with the music."

He gently placed his hand on my waist and started moving us with the music playing on the radio. Swaying us back and forth, stepping this way and that way. I stepped on his toes a lot, but he didn't seem to mind. Eventually he told me to put my feet on his and when I told him I would break his toes, he gave me a firm look until I gave in and did it. It was like riding a fair ride and I loved it. I found that I liked dancing and I sighed as I placed my head on his chest. I could hear his heartbeat against my ear through his thin t-shirt.

"You can do that with me," he said and his voice rumbled in his chest. "But when you go to Hogwarts you have to stay at least arms width away from the boy you're dancing with, okay?" he said and when I looked at him, he smirked. "Ready for something fancy?" he said and I nodded my head with a smile as he held on to my hand and spun me around, making me step off his feet. "Not done yet," he said and I laughed because it was fun. He held me out by the hand and had me spin in where he dipped me down and spun me back out. I laughed again as he pulled me back into the dancing position to rock us back and forth. "Cool, huh?"

"Very cool," I agreed and he laughed.

Then the song changed on the radio to something faster paced and he smirked as he went over and turned it up. "This is my song," he said and then he started dancing.

Oh, it was horrible.

"Dad," I scolded. "I hope you're not going to do that tomorrow," I said as I went over to the windows to pull the blinds down. "What if the neighbors see you?"

"What?" he said as he kept on dancing in the worst way possible. I think he was even snapping his fingers. It was so cringe worthy.

"You're so embarrassing," I told him and he smirked as he took my hand and tried to get me to do that stupid dance.

"Come on, Em-bear. You know you like this song too."

"Oh…" After a few moments of stubbornness, I finally gave in. I did like the song. I started dancing like he was and he laughed before pulling me towards him and doing that fancy spin again.

"I see you're going to be ready for the reception," Grandma laughed, pulling me out of the memory and I nodded my head with a big grin on my face.

"Of course," I said and then I dusted the lingering brownie crumbs off my dress. "I should get back upstairs to make sure Aunt Evie doesn't need any help."

"Alright, see you later," Grandma said and I waved at them as I left the kitchen.

On the way down the hall I passed Uncle Byron and I stopped to stare at him and blushed when his eyes looked into mine as he went by. I think Aunt Lavinia is the luckiest girl in the world to be married to him. Uncle Byron is the best looking man I had ever seen and every time I see him it literally takes my breath away. I bet he was really good looking when he was younger.

I sigh wistfully before picking up my skirt and running up the stairs two at a time. When I get to the top, I'm winded and I take a moment to catch my breath before walking towards the bride's room, where Aunt Evie has been getting ready for the past three hours. On the way there, I pass my grandparents room, and the door is slightly a jar so I approach it slowly and kick it open. I look around to make sure no one's in here and then I smile as I shut the door behind me.

We're never allowed in my grandparent's room and I've only seen it a few times when I was staying over because was too afraid to sleep in my own bed so they let me sleep with them. It really is a great big grand suite with couches, tables, a vanity, a wardrobe, two closets, a large bathroom… and of course… that huge bed. I kick off my shoes as I run over to it. I think this is the biggest bed in the world, and the softest. I stand up and start jumping up and down on it because it's just so fun and no one is here to scold me for it. The pillows that had been so meticulously put on start to become disarrayed with each jump and the covers bunch up as I giggle. I make a game out of jumping up to reach the canopy and once I've touch it I fall land on my back to stare up at it with a silly grin on my face.

I'm starting to sweat, so I wipe my forehead with the back of my hand and I sit up. I should take advantage of this opportunity. I walk towards my grandma's vanity and I run my fingers over her brushes and combs. My Grandma is such a dignified lady and she's so beautiful. It's no wonder my Grandfather has loved her all these years. I look at my reflection in the mirror and frown.

Tomorrow I am going on a diet.

I walk over to their closet and I turn on the light. I love all the dresses and skirts my Grandma wears. She wears clothes that characters from a romance book would wear. They just don't look right on me yet and I sigh as I run my fingers over their smooth fabric. I go over to my Grandpa's side and do the same. His clothes always smell so nice and as I run my fingers down one of his softer sweaters, I see something on the wall behind it that makes me pause.

Hm.

I push his clothes to side and move a large shoe trunk to reveal the wall to me. There are very faded drawings there, and I get down on my knees so I can see them better. It looks like time has all but ruined them, but I can faintly see the black outlines and red paint looking stuff. Dad, is written under one of the pictures. Mom, Charlie, Bill, Fred, George, Ron… I can make out all of the names and I sit back on my heels as I purse my lips. What was this?

I frown at them before looking down and seeing a small black book that had been hidden under the shoe chest and I look at it for a few moments before flipping it open and running through the pages. _Bellatrix Lestrange._ Is written on one of the pages to show ownership and I sigh as I throw it over my shoulder.

Boring.

"What are you doing?" I jump and turn around to see Grandma staring at me from the doorway with her hand on her hip.

"Just… looking," I say as I stand up and smooth out my dress.

"Right," she says with a good natured head shake and then she puts her hand on my shoulder and guides me out of the closet as she turns off the light. "Let's get you back to the girls," she says and she sends a sad look to her messy bed. I feel a bit guilty.

"Sorry about that," I mutter as we pass her vanity.

"Sometimes things are just too tempting," she nods in understanding and when we stop in front of her vanity mirror she picks up a silver necklace that has a small star shaped charm on it. "Do you want to wear this today?" she asks curiously as she moves behind me and puts it around my neck.

"Yeah, sure," I say excitedly. I love jewelry and I've always been annoyed that Daddy won't let me get my ears pierced until I'm sixteen. She clips it in place and I smirk at my reflection as the necklace rests just above the cut of my dress. "Thank you," I tell her truthfully. "This is perfect."

"You can have it," she says and I grin again as we start walking out of her bedroom. She makes sure to close it after we step out and I hide a pleased smile when she locks it. That was definitely a once in a lifetime opportunity.

As we walk towards the bride's room we pass by a wall of photographs that my father had taken. He still works at the family company and five years ago he was made vice president over the smaller branch in Italy. We still live in England, he just floos there every morning and comes home the same way every night. His hobby is taking pictures with the muggle camera Grandma gave him once.

He's really good at it and he's even had a few shows in some Galleries. He claims it's just something he does for fun, but I know he likes it more than his real job. Most of the pictures on this wall are photo's he had taken of me when I was a baby, right after my Mother was murdered. I feel sorry for my father for that reason. I never really got to know her… but Daddy loved her and it still hurts him now.

"Here you go, Em," she says as she kisses my cheek and opens the door to the bride's room. "Be good, alright?"

"Alright," I say with an eye roll as I go inside and shut the door behind me. The room is a mess and dizzy with frantic women running all over the place.

I sit down and stare at Aunt Evie, who I love dearly, walk around and demand things from people as they scurry about. She's a dancer now with the Magical London Academy of Dance and she is so perfect. I want to be just like her when I grow up. Aunt Lavinia sighs as she watches her sister stomp around the room and she looks at me and we share a smile. She looks more like my Dad. More so than Evie or Uncle Cassius and I'm partial to her for that reason because that means she looks like me.

I can't decide who's my favorite.

A crash of thunder sounds and it makes everyone in the room jump as we all look towards the window.

Aunt Evelyn makes a squealing noise before stomping towards the window and I sit back in my seat ready to watch her explode. It will probably be the highlight of my day. Aunt Evie can throw a fit like it's no one's business and if I watch and learn carefully, I might be able to convince my Daddy to finally let me get my ears pierced.

I find that my Malfoy side of the family always finds ways of getting what they want. It's just a matter of tactics. Aunt Evie whines until you give in, Uncle Cassius asks so nicely you can't help but do what he wants, Aunt Lavinia is so sweet that you end up doing more than she wanted just because her smile is so beautiful, and my Dad… well, he just does whatever he wants anyways, so there's really no reason to ask.

I'm trying to decide what kind of Malfoy I want to be.

_**Daniella.**_

"It's probably a sign," Evelyn says as she takes off her dress again, leaving her in the white corset, lacy bra, and garter set she had on underneath. She's so skinny and I send a look at my own body, dejected for a moment that I never lost the baby weight after I had Julian. "Why does it have to rain on my wedding day?" she pouts. She's been complaining about it for the past hour and sh lookse over her shoulder at her sister who walked in a few minutes ago. "Lavinia! Where have you been? It's going to rain on my wedding day!"

When Lavinia sees that she's no longer in her dress she frowns. "What are you doing?" she asks as she walks further in with her hand resting on her back to deaden the pressure of the baby. I feel sorry for her, I really do. Her babies have always been so big and even the twins were huge considering they shared a womb. "Evelyn, you have to start getting ready. People are starting to show up. There are already fifty people outside. "

"Maybe I should cancel," she says worriedly as she walks over to the window and stares at the overcast sky. Thunder rattles the windows and it really starts to rain in earnest. "I think this is an omen." She glances at Emma, who idolizes the very ground she walks on. "What do you think, Em? Should I cancel?"

"Oh, no," Gavin's daughter says. She looks just like Gavin, just in a more feminine way of course. She's a cute girl, I can admit that. Gavin has always had that look that could go either way. "Everyone would be so disappointed."

"Put the dress back on," Lavinia says tiredly as she throws the dress at her little sister. I watch them as they bicker and I smile. Both of the Malfoy daughters are beautiful girls but in totally different ways. "It's not an omen. It's England and it rains."

I like to think of it this way: Evelyn is the modern version of pretty, with her thin tall model like body and sharp features to offset her large slate eyes. Everything she wears looks good. Short skirts, baggy pants, low tops. Ugh, I hate her. Lavinia on the other hand… I imagine she would be pretty no matter what time frame you put her in. They would think she was beautiful in ancient Greece just like they would think she was pretty in the old American west. She just has that look about her.

"Put it on," she snaps again as she helps her little sister put the dress on. It's very tight fitting around the bodice and hips and then it starts to puff out towards the floor. She kind of looks like a mermaid covered in vanilla frosting. "If I go into premature labor because of this. I will kill you."

"If you go into labor," Evelyn starts as the make-up artist comes back with a lipstick brush to fix her makeup that was smudged in the dress debacle. "Then I am definitely canceling."

"You're just nervous, Evelyn," Lavinia says gently, cooling her temper as she situates the dress so the folds lay right as a hair person comes over to tame the mass of curls on top of Evelyn's head. "Everything is going to be perfect."

"That's easy for you to say," she says seriously as she turns towards the mirror to check herself out. I sigh and put my leg over the arm of the chair as the silk chiffon of the blue bride's maid dress wrinkles with the movement. I am too bloody old to be a bride's maid. "You just went and got hitched. There are going to be five hundred people here today and you had what….four people at your wedding?"

"That's your own fault," Lavinia states as Evelyn tilts her body from side to side as she looks into the mirror. "You wanted a big wedding."

"Well, of course I had to," she states in a haughty voice. "You broke Daddy's heart when you just went off and married Byron without telling anyone. I had to make up for your selfishness." Lavinia steps back and furrows her brows, she looks guilty and I suspect this has always been a sore spot with in the family. "Oh, I didn't mean that, Liv," Evelyn says softly as she turns towards her sister and takes her hands in her own. "You're right. I am just so very nervous." She smiles, showing her perfect Malfoy teeth. Everything about this family is perfect. "I'm actually getting married today!"

"I know," Lavinia says with a smile as she studies her sister's face. "Oh, you make me feel old."

"I need my tiara now," she says as she looks over her shoulder at her girlfriends from Hogwarts who have been all together unhelpful during this whole thing. "Will one of you be a dear and get it for me?"

"Uh," the one with the gap tooth smile starts out uncomfortably as they search around the room. "I don't see it, Evie."

She frowns. "Well, it has to be here somewhere," she says as she bats the make-up people away and she goes over to the couch I'm sitting on and looks under a cushion. "Everyone look for my veil. If I can't find it… I'm canceling."

I roll my eyes and then my eyes catch Lavinia's as she gives me a tired look. I smile and shake my head at Evelyn's silliness and she does the same before I stand up and help to bloody look for the thing.

"I think I left it at my flat," Evelyn says after half an hour of us tearing the room apart. "Oh, I did! I left it on the table."

"Why was it at your flat?" Lavinia asks as a slight sheen of sweat gathers on her forehead. She looks completely exhausted. "What were you doing with it at your flat? It was supposed to stay here."

"I just… will you just go and get it?" she asks with a pout and Lavinia makes a face. "I can only trust you."

"Oh, fine!" Lavinia snaps as she starts walking out of the room. I feel sorry for her, so I stand as well.

"I'll go with you, Lavinia," I say and she gives me a thankful look as we enter the hallway. "Evelyn is being quite the bridezilla isn't she?" I say to make conversation and Lavinia nods her head.

"I know it's because she's nervous but I just want to smack her. She knows I can't Apparate in my condition," she says as she looks down at her stomach. "I have to floo and it's so hard to get soot all the way out with a spell. I won't have time to shower and get ready all over again."

"I could just go," I tell her seriously and she shakes her head.

"We'll need both of us, I think," she states seriously. "You know how messy she is. It will probably take us hours to find that stupid veil."

"Do you mind if I check on Julian first?" I ask carefully. That was my motive in leaving that room actually. "Make sure Cassius is keeping an eye on them."

"That's a good idea," she says as she nods her head and we start walking towards the groom suit that's on the other side of the Manor hall. Lavinia is my closetest friend in the family, because Cassius and Byron are best mates we were forced to sit through a lot of double dates together and we became friends by default. I like her a lot, actually. She reminds me of her brother and we had to endure a lot of our husband's bromance together. I gently knock on the door and when no one answers I push it open. "I hope you're all dressed," I announce as I step inside with my eyes closed just in case one of them isn't.

I hear giggling and I crack my eyes open to see Cassius. He has Julian in the air, spinning him around like a helicopter as Lavinia's boy watches from the arm chair. The other groomsmen that are in wedding are all sitting around and talking in varying stages of getting dressed. I put my hands on my hips as Lavinia steps inside and goes over to Thatcher.

"It's nice to know you boys are taking your time as well," I say to the room and Cassius looks over at me and smiles. "Where's the groom?" I ask as I go over to them. He kisses my cheek as he lets our son rest against his hip.

"God knows," he mutters as I take Julian and tame down his hair. It's red just like Ginny's, Weasley red, and he has silver eyes like his father. I'm afraid the only thing he got from me is his mouthy attitude. "He's been gone for like an hour."

"Has anyone bothered to look for him?" I ask and Cassius shrugs his shoulders. I sigh and roll my eyes. "Honestly, what have you guys been doing in here?" I ask as I let my eyes sweep the room. The groomsmen are still just lounging around and Lavinia is sitting beside her son, speaking to him in a soft voice as he shows her a silver necklace he's wearing.

"I've been playing with my boy and nephew," he says as he pinches Julian's cheek.

"Hey!" Julian bats his hand away and smirks. "Fight?" he says and Cassius laughs as he pulls him away from me to set him on the ground.

Fight.

Honestly, I hate it when they do this.

Cassius gets down on his knees and lets Julian attack him and they roll around on the ground like maniacs. They've been doing this since he was a toddler, just pretend fighting, and we wonder why he hits people when he doesn't get his way.

"So, I take it you guys are doing okay in here?" I say over the commotion of my son tackling his father and trying to make him stay down.

"Yeah, we're fine," he says in a strained voice as he wrestles. "Come on, Thatch," he says and Thatcher perks his head up towards his uncles voice as Lavinia puts her hand on his hair. "I need a team mate. Julian is too strong."

Thatcher looks at his Mom. Lavinia nods his head and he smiles as he stands up to jump into the fake wrestling match. "Glasses, Thatch," Lavinia says and Thatcher stops mid step to look over his shoulder. She stands up and walks towards him. "You broke them last time, remember?"

"Oh, right," he says as he slips them off and folds them. He hands them to her before jumping in with my son to beat on my husband. I roll my eyes again as Lavinia puts Thatch's glasses on the table.

"I'm leaving them right here," she says over the noise. "Don't forget."

"Okay!" he says as he holds Cassius' arm down so Julian can tickle him.

"Hey! You're supposed to be on my team."

We head towards the door way and I look over my shoulder to see Cassius get the upper hand and pin both boys to the ground as they laugh. I sigh sadly. Cassius deserves a big family with lots of kids but that's something I can't give him anymore. After I had Julian, I went back to being an Auror. A curse to the stomach stopped any chance of us having more kids and I know it hurt him. I'm on a desk job at the ministry and I know he wants to adopt. He would love any child as his own, but I just can't do that right now. I still have that little hope that by some miracle we'll be able to conceive and have another child of our own, even though I know there's little to no possibility of that. It's still good to have hope. I look over at Lavinia as we walk towards the stairway. She keeps one hand on her stomach as we walk and I can feel envy wash over me. She's getting ready to have her fourth and I'm still praying for a second.

Maybe we're only meant to have one. Of course, Cass and I have had such a rocky relationship from the get go. There were a lot of trust issues involved in the beginning, post-hogwarts, days because of everything that went down with Bellatrix Lestrange and the Dark Lord that that I didn't think we were going to make it. I always knew he was too good for me. When I was at Hogwarts I had one goal, and that was to get a rich husband. My family was pureblooded, but we never had much money. I knew it could buy happiness after seeing my richer classmates have grand parties and gifts given to them by their wealthy parents.

That's when Gavin came.

I liked Gavin of course, but not for the right reasons. He was everything a snobby rich kid should be and I was determined to put up with him for my own benefit no matter how shitty he was to me. After that fell through I set my sights on Cassius, he was the oldest one anyways and since I was aiming high, I might as well aim as high as I could. The Malfoy's were the richest family in the country and I wanted so badly to be a part of it no matter what. I didn't expect Cassius to be so sweet or kind.

I had known that he wasn't like he little brother, he was quiet in classes and he rarely ever got in fights, but I just thought there was an underlining cruelty in all Malfoys, so I was prepared. It threw me for a loop how nice he was to me, and it really fucked me up when he started to like me back. I couldn't do it anymore. I panicked because he was a real genuine person and I knew I didn't deserve it. So I fled and let him go. I went straight into Auror training as soon as I graduated. My outlook on life had changed and I wanted to be self sufficient and independent.

The whole Dark Lord/Lestrange come back was my first big job and it was all undercover. I thought I was going to get some kind of metal for my work, that was until I found out Cassius was involved. I only knew after the fact but after he came back, and the Dark Lord missed his chance to go in the first time, they were thinking of killing him and just using Byron Flint for the body.

They knew Byron was unstable, that's why they initially ruled him out because his mind had been so messed up that it wouldn't hold the spell or the potions they needed to give to prep the body, but they didn't know what had happened to Cassius when he 'died' and they weren't sure what to do with it. In fact, I was sent on one of the missions with a few others to kill him off just in case he found anything out while he was 'dead.' Cassius never actually thought his life was in danger, he was going to St. Mungo's every day and he was going over to Byron's like nothing was wrong… he never knew people were watching him and he never realized how vulnerable he was. I panicked. I was heartbroken when I thought he died, I didn't know their plan then because I wasn't that far in and I thought it was legit, so I knew I couldn't do it again.

I felt like I had missed the biggest opportunity of my life the first time that he died. I couldn't let that pain happen again.

I had convinced Dr. Bailey that the spell could work again, that they could use Cassius because he was the better option. Everyone liked Cassius, he was a world known figure by that time and he was the heir, so if something happened to the other siblings, he would have all the money in the will. That was a motivator too. The Malfoy vaults are always tempting and the Dark Lord would need funds to start out, knowing Draco was no longer at his disposal.

He agreed and sent into motion the new plan to steal the statue back and re-perform the spell once everything was in place. It wasn't supposed to go as far as it did, but I was relieved that he survived. We dated on and off for a year after that. We fought a lot and shagged a lot and some where in-between he fell in love with me. I had always loved him, so it didn't really matter, I was just pleased when he admitted he felt the same.

"I hate flooing," Lavinia says when we reach the main floo line. She sighs as she takes a handful of floo powder from the pot and she looks at me. "It had better be on the table or I'm going to kill her," she says and I smile as I take the powder as well.

"I'd help," I admit and I let her go first before flooing to Evelyn's pent house apartment.

I know there's a difference because messy and disorganized. I can't say I classify Evelyn as messy per say, but she is fucking disorganized to the point of extreme. The flat is a wreck, with mail and wedding papers and magazines all over the living room and boxes of things she hasn't even unpacked even though she moved in here a year ago.

"I can't believe he lets the place stay like this," Lavinia says with a sighs as she edges around the music collection that's lying on the ground by the coffee table. "He seems like such a need freak."

"She lives her alone, doesn't she?" I question as Lavinia moves things around the coffee table. No veil. "I thought her fiancée lived somewhere else."

Lavinia spares me a little glance before walking towards the little dining room. "She lives with him," she answers as she moves boxes full of plastic cups off the table top. "She told Mom and Dad he had his own place because Dad wouldn't have liked it if they lived together before marriage."

"Oh, that makes sense," I say as I help her look around for the veil.

It's not on the dining room table. It's not on the counter in the kitchen…

"Where in the hell is it?" Lavinia snaps. "She could have been more specific," she says as she walks up the stairs to the bedroom.

I pick the spare room to look for it as she kicks things around in the bed room. I find nothing in here and then I hear her say my name in a panicked kind of way.

"What is it?" I ask I run into the bed room. "Did you see a mouse?" In all honestly it was very likely because the place was such a disaster. When you go from having house-elves to nothing I guess it can really fuck some people up.

She stays ridged and she inhales deeply as she stares at the wall.

"Lavinia what is it?" I ask as I put my hand on her arm.

"I need to go to St. Mungo's," she whispers.

"What? Why?" I ask as she inhales again through her nostrils and closes her eyes. I look down at her stomach. "Oh." Is all I can find in me to say.

"I need to get Byron," she says as she closes her eyes and clenches her fists.

"Okay, well, let's get to the fireplace. We can get Byron after we're at St. Mungo's," I tell her going straight into get shit done mode. I put my hand on her arm and help her walk down the stairs. We have to pause a few times until we reach the fireplace because she gets painful contractions that have her crushing my fingers in a death grip.

"This is all Evelyn's fault," she says as tears start to sting her eyes. I hand her some floo powder as she wipes them away. "She's had me so stressed out."

"It's going to be okay," I say seriously as I push her into the grate.

"It's going to be a boy," she says as she looks at me before throwing the powder down. "Did you know that?" she asks and I shake my head as I smile sadly at her. "I love little boys," she admits before disappearing.

I pull out the small golden compact I had hidden in my bra and I click it open so I'm looking at my own reflection. Two way mirrors. An old Auror must have. "Cassius," I say into the mirror. He doesn't answer of course, he never bloody answers. "Cassius!"

"What?" he comes into focus and he looks irritated. "You know I hate carrying this around," he says in annoyance. I can hear the boys in the background playing as I stare at my husband through the little mirror. When he sees the look on my face, he lets his annoyed look drop. "What is it?"

"You need to get Byron and have him go to St. Mungos," I say sharply and he furrows his browns, turning a frown on his handsome face. He's so good looking. It's almost unfair.

"St. Mungos?" he says as he uses one hand to smooth down his hair, probably messy from the 'fight' with the children. "Why?"

"Lavinia."

"Lavinia?" he looks confused again and then realization passes over his face. "Oh."

Oh. That was my first reaction too.

"I'll get him," he says and then he closes his mirror as I do the same. Before I throw powder into the fireplace I have to wonder what will happen now.

Could the day handle a baby _and_ a wedding?

Before I go, I send a glance around the room. There, by the fireplace is a white veil connected to a diamond tiara. I sigh before flooing away, leaving the veil on the floor.

What terrible timing for both parties.

_**Jeremiah **_

I wait until all the bride's maids leave the suit before sneaking into the room and closing the door. Mostly all of the guests are outside now, protected from the rain by a magical canopy that Mr. Malfoy had placed there for the event. There are so many people here, it's almost panic inducing.

I find Evelyn in front of the mirror, of course, checking out her body from all angles in the white wedding dress she's wearing. She looks beautiful, almost painfully so, and it makes my heart skip to see her.

"Hey," I whisper and she turns around with a surprised 'O' curving her lips. When she sees that it's me, she smiles and puts her hands on her hips.

"Hey, you're not supposed to see me," she says as she walks over and pulls me to her for a tight hug.

"You look amazing," I tell her as I pull her back so I can check her out. Breathtaking. "I can't believe how beautiful you look today."

She smiles and starts to straighten my tie. "You look okay too," she says and when I give her a look she giggles. "You look very handsome," she admits honestly as she kisses my cheek. I close my eyes and open them when she pulls back and walks back over to the mirror. "Are there a lot of people here?" she asks nervously as she looks at herself again.

"Tons," I answer honestly and she gives me a shy look before going over to the window to double check. She rarely ever gives me shy looks like that, so I know she has to be nervous. "Hey, today is going to be great, alright?" I say as I walk closer to her and put my arms around her from behind so she can lean into my chest. I put my chin in her shoulder as we look outside at the clouds. "And you can tell your children that it literally rained on your wedding day."

She smiles and looks at me over her shoulder. "I sent my sister to get my veil," she whispers. "I can't get married without it. It was my grandmothers," she admits. "I need it."

"Does that count as your something old or something borrowed?" I ask as she turns in my arms and looks up at me. Gosh, she is so pretty.

"Both, I guess," she says with a shrug.

I smirk at her. "What about something blue?"

She pushes me back and hikes up the skirt of her dress with a sly smirk on her face as she shows me the lacy blue garter. I feel my mouth run dry to see her legs so exposed to me and I stiffen my spine as I try to make my reaction less obvious. I take a step away from her, just because being close to her is always hard.

"If… If I told you something…" I start as I move over to the side table and I pick up a random bracelet laying there. "If I told you something, would you listen?"

God, I was an idiot. She gave me a puzzled look and tilted her head to the side before laughing at me. I didn't mean to say it like that. It just bloody came out.

"I don't think I'd have much choice in the matter, really. If you decided to say something to me, I'm pretty much forced to listen."

I build up all the courage I have left in my body. This is my only chance to say this so I might as well say it now. I look at her. Her slate eyes look a bit confused as she stares at me and I look at her chin because I'm a coward. I don't want to ruin her big day, but she has to know. I have to tell her.

"I love you," I say for the first time ever and she blinks. "I love you so much," I admit as I take a step closer to her. My greatest fear becomes realized when she takes a step back. It hurts my heart to see it and I inhale before continuing. "I love you and I have always loved you and I was too frightened to admit it because I knew you could never love me. I just… well… I love you," I finished with.

It wasn't exactly how I had imagined it going in my mind… but I think by the third 'I love you' I may have gotten my point across. She stared at me for a long time. I was beginning to get nervous really. The least she could do is let me down easy.

"God damnit, Jeremiah," she says as she throws down the white glove she was in the process of putting on. I widen my eyes as she glares at me. "Why today!" she stomps her foot. "Why did you have to tell me today?"

"I'm sorry," I say defensively as I put my hands up. "I just needed to tell you before you married _him_," I say in distaste.

"Why didn't you ever tell me… or at least mention something before my bloody wedding day."

I was actually starting to get upset with the way she was speaking to me. I just bared my soul to her and she's all pissed about the timing.

"Hey, you listen here…" I start with a finger pointed in her direction. The fiery glare she gives me for the movement makes me swallow hard and I lower my hand. "I was too much a coward," I say softly, my angery gone because I'm such a push over when it comes to her. "Things never happen the way you want them to."

Like this conversation right now, for instance.

She walks over to one of the large chairs and falls down on it with a huff. I feel awkward so I just stare at her from my spot. "Well," she says after a few moments of silence as she brings her hand up her head. "What am I supposed to do now? I can't marry both of you."

Hope leaps in my heart. "You love me too?" I ask cautiously. I might cry if she says no.

"Of course I love you," she says dismissively and I smile.

She doesn't look too pleased by it. She's biting her perfectly manicured fingernails and glaring off into space. Um, well, that's not what I was expecting when she finally admitted she loved me too. "Just to clarify," I say with my hands out and her eyes snap to mine. I swallow again. "You love like _love me_ love me, right? Not just as a friend?"

She rolls her eyes and crosses her arms. "Yes, I love you love you," she narrows her eyes again. "What do I do now?" she throws her head back against the edge of the couch and closes her eyes with a tight jaw.

"Easy," I say with s stupid grin on my face as I prance over to her and fall on my knees so I can put my hands on her thighs. I'm so happy I might burst right now. Jesus, she might even let me have sex with her. I inhale an excited breath and smile when she opens her eyes. Who cares if she's glaring at me? She loves me too! "Don't marry him."

"It's not that easy," she says seriously as I stare at her pink lips.

"Sure it is," I say. "Listen," I take her hands. "I know there are a lot of people outside and I know that you feel obligated, but they will understand. You can't marry someone you don't love."

She furrows her brows again. "But I _do_ love him," she says seriously.

I frown.

What the hell?

"No," I shake my head and smile a little because she must be confused. "No. No, you said you loved me. Just now," I point to where I was standing to jog her memory. "You were there for it."

"So, I love both of you okay?" she says and I shake my head.

"You can't love two people."

"Why not?" she retorts. "Those people in Idaho… or Utah… whatever is do."

"Utah?" I say seriously. "What's a Utah?"

"Jay, this is literally the worst thing you could have done to me," she says and I let my hands drop from her as I sit back on my heels.

I didn't mean to hurt her or make her feel bad and it just guts me to see her so upset. I sigh and stand up, walking away from her. "Nevermind," I say as I swallow my pride and I slick back my hair with my fingers. I've cut off all of my curls now that I'm older and I leave it short and wavy tamed with _a lot_ of gel. "Just forget I said anything." I might cry. I'm such a loser. I rub my eyes to make them go away. "Let's get today over with and forget about this conversation."

I start walking to the door, but I stop when I feel soft hands on my shoulders. "Don't cry," she whispers.

Fucking Christ.

I wipe my eyes fiercely. "I'm not crying. I just have something in my eye," I say to save myself the embarrassment. "It's dusty in here and you know I have allergies," I say hotly and when I turn around I see that she's smiling a little in a sad kind of why.

The pity smile.

Hell-to the-no.

"I could just confound you of this conversation," I tell her with a frown. "That way it never happened." Yes, that's a good idea.

"Don't say that," she says as she leans up on her toes. She's going to kiss. Holy Hell she's going to kiss…. She goes for my ear and I sigh in disappointment. "Don't ever be sorry for telling me you love me."

The way her breath is against my ear sends a shiver down my spine and I start breathing heavier when she pulls back to stare at me. "I love you too, Jeremiah," she says. I snort and turn away, but she grabs my chin and forces me to look at her. "I'm serious."

She looks serious. Evelyn is rarely ever serious.

She leans up again, and I fear I'm going to get another ear whisper, so I don't let my hopes get too far up, but she actually does it. She lets her soft lips press against my own and I close my eyes with a pleased moan. I've never actually kissed her seriously like this before. I was going to test my luck. I wrap my hand around the wedding dress that she wore for another man and I slide my tongue against hers after she opens her mouth for me.

Electricity.

I can't believe I went so long without kissing her. This is the best thing I've ever done in my life. What was I thinking before? I deepen the kiss and tilt my head a little bit more as I push my body into her as she threads her arms around my neck. She tastes so good, like cinnamon toothpaste, and she smells like lavender. I clench my eyes shut even tighter when I feel her hips press into mine. Do not premature ejaculate. Do not pre mature ejaculate. I keep chanting that over and over again in my head. I'm getting way too turned on, so I try to think about something un-sexy… Quidditch scores… my Aunt Mildred…. Xavier opening the door and catching me snogging his bride to be…

Oh, wait… that one is actually happening.

"Step away from her," he says in that stupid French accent of his and Evelyn tenses and backs away from me with a bashful look on her face.

He comes storming over to us and I cringe. I won't back down from the fight that will most likely take place right now, but I know there's no way in hell I'm winning. I'm not good at fighting and Xavier is a scrappy Frenchman.

"Don't hit him!" I hear Evelyn say as I close my eyes and prepare for the blow. I crack one eye open when none come and sigh in relief when I see Evie pulling him back. "Please, don't hit him," she says and he turns his angry French attention on her.

"What is dze meaning of dzis," he says glaring at me as she tugs him back by his lapels.

"Well, you see," she says calmly as he glances at her. "He loves me."

"Of course he does. He has always loved you, Evie," he says. Did I mention I hate the way he speaks? I can't understand a damn word he says.

Then they start talking in French.

I have no bloody idea what's being said, but it's a heated argument that boiled down to Evelyn mentioning something about Utah again. He scoffed at her and she narrowed her eyes.

"I can't help it," she says in English and I was pleased that I could understand again. "I love you both and I can't make up my mind. I don't know what I want!"

"That's a first," I chime in and they both send me irritated glares that I raise my eyebrows at.

He looks at me in disgust and then back at her. "I will not let you play widz me," he says seriously before walking towards the door. "Do not make a joke."

He leaves the room and she chases after him with her dress hiked up so she doesn't trip. I chase behind her and I can't help but feel this has been my life for the past ten years.

"Don't go," she says when they reach the hallway. "Let's talk about this."

"Dzere is nothing to talk about," he says. When he gets to the middle of the stairs he stops and turns around to stare up at her. "You do not love me. Dzis was supposed to be our wedding day, Evie," he sounds hurt. It looks like he may cry… I want him to cry so badly so I don't look like the only wimp. "You have broken my heart."

She whimpers a little and then takes off after him when he starts walking a bit. "This isn't fair," she says angrily as she takes off her diamond bracelet and throws it at his back like a child throwing a tantrum. "I can't help the way I feel. Jay understands."

"No, I don't," I say seriously, and she looks at me over her shoulder, like she was surprised that I was following her and even more surprised that I didn't agree with her.

By looking back at me, she wasn't looking at the stairs and she tripped on the corner of her dress. I saw it happening in slow motion and I didn't move as she started to fall. It wasn't that far of a tumble, we were already towards the bottom of the stairs, but it was enough of a fall to hear a disgusting snapping noise and her scream as she grabbed her ankle.

Xavier looked panicked and he kneeled down and I ran down the steps until I was beside her. Her face was red and real tears were leaking from her eyes. Evelyn barely ever cries unless it's serious, so I knew this was bad.

"I think it's broken," she whispers as Xavier pushes back her dress to get a better look at her ankle. I make a face when I see it. It's already swollen. "Can't I just… Can't I just marry you both?" she says.

"No!" we both say and then we share a look before Xavier scoots towards her middle and picks her up bridal style… Ha. Bridal style on the day that was supposed to be their wedding. It's almost funny.

"Hey," I say when I realize he's walking away with her. "Where are you going?"

I get up to follow as he shoots me an annoyed look. "I am taking her to a healer. She is a dancer, you idiot. It needs to be healed right away."

"French Frog," I mutter angrily because he called me an idiot and I follow them all the way to the fireplace. "I'm going with you," I announce. I didn't want him to have any alone time with her to make her change her mind about loving me.

"Non," he mutters hatefully and I glare at him as he tells her to grab the floo powder.

"I—"

"Jay," Evelyn says sweetly and I stare at her tear stained voice as she looks at me. "Will you please go tell my parents what happened?"

"That you love me and the weddings off?" I say and Xavier gives me the death stare. Oh. "About the ankle," I say and she nods her head. "Alright." I suppose. "I'll meet you there."

They leave with the green flames and I turn around to go find her parents. Draco Malfoy scares the living day lights out of me so I know this isn't going to be fun. I run out back to where all of the guests are all ready seated on white wooden chairs. Rows and Rows of people all here for a wedding that should never take a place. I sigh and start walking towards the front.

Every one stares at me.

Mr. Malfoy is towards the front, speaking to Gavin Malfoy about something and he asks the gentlemen beside him for the time as he taps his foot. The wedding was supposed to start an hour ago and I'm sure he's pissed because he was supposed to walk her down the aisle. When I approach, I tap him on the shoulder and he gives me an odd look with an eyebrow raised.

"What?" he snaps and when he realizes who I am he narrows his eyes. "If you're here to tell me that my daughter has canceled this wedding, I will punch you in the face."

"Draco," Mrs. Malfoy whispers as she stands beside him. "I know you're tired but don't act like a child."

He lets the scolding roll right off his back as he continues to glare and I swallow the lump in my throat.

"Um, well, it's an interesting sorry—"

"Byron!" Everyone looks around to see where that panicked voice is coming from and I'm almost relieved that cut me off because I didn't want to get punched in the face by Evelyn's father. I know for a fact not many men lived to tell that tale. "Byron! Please come to St. Mungo's!" The woman makes a painful yelling sound. I know that voice. That's Lavinia Malfoy. Everyone looks around again until they spot Byron Flint sitting in one of the chairs, with two of his kids sitting beside him. He looks horrified as he looks down at his watch that's glowing and yelling at him. "Byron, please, the baby's coming."

Over five hundred people are staring at him as he stands up and he looks at Mrs. Malfoy and then back to his two boys as they get up to follow him. Something passed between them, because Evelyn's Mom goes over and takes the boy's hands to keep them with her as they try to follow their father.

"I have to go," is all Byron says as he turns on his heels and starts running down the aisle as five hundred guests watch him.

Then five hundred people look at us.

"Fuck," I hear Mr. Malfoy say and then he glances at me. "Tell Evelyn that we might have to postpone."

"Um, well," I say and he narrows his eyes at my mumbling. "Evelyn-fell-down-the-stairs-and-broke-her-ankle-so-now-she's-at-st-mungos-and-the-wedding-is-probably-off-." I said that all in one breath and without pausing and he lifted his brow.

"What did you just say?" he says dryly and I swallow again.

"Evelyn fell down the stairs and broke her ankle," Gavin answers for me as he stands up and puts a hand inside of his waist coat. "She's at St. Mungo's too so the wedding is off."

I'm grateful he did that. I watch as Gavin walks over to the marriage wizard and he pushes him aside so he can use the microphone. "Excuse me everyone," he says to all the people in crowd. The microphone whines at him and everyone covers their ears as he taps on it. "I apologize for the inconvenience, but it looks like there won't be a wedding today." A few people make awing noises like they were sad about the outcome but he shakes his head. "Now, before you all leave and tell the papers all about it, let's go inside and celebrate. We have a great dinner ready and lots of alcohol that will make us all good dancers by the end of the night."

He gets cheered for that as Mr. Malfoy pinches the bridge of his nose.

"And," he finishes as he puts up his finger to point at the crowd. "I want every single one of you to tell my daughter how pretty she looks today. Understood?"

They all say yes and before he can dismiss them to the ball room, Cassius' little red headed boy and Lavinia's oldest son come running towards us with their hands up. "Wait!" they say like maniacs. "Wait!"

"What is going on?" Mr. Malfoy growls as the two little boys stop to catch their breath with their hands on their knees.

"Dad. Said. To. Find. You. And. Uncle…" Julian says between breaths and Mr. Malfoy cuts him off.

"Catch your breath first," he snaps and the boys nod their heads.

Cassius comes behind them next, looking flushed, but not nearly as out of breath. He sends a look to the crowd. They're all staring at him like this was an interesting play unfolding in front of their eyes. "Hey," he says gently when he's close enough to his father. "I need to find Byron."

"Is this about the whole 'having the baby' thing?" Gavin says into the microphone and Cassius flinches before looking at his brother and giving him the 'wft' look. "If that's the case, then you're too late, mate. Always arriving a second too late to the party."

A few people laugh as Cassius furrows his brows. "What the hell is happening?" he asks as he looks at his family. Gavin shrugs his shoulders and Mr. and Mrs. Malfoy just stare at him.

"Alright people, everyone inside. Let's celebrate a Non-wedding and a birth," Gavin says as the people get up and form two single file lines to go inside. Gavin hops off the wedding stage thing and walks over to us with a pleased grin on his face. "Well," he says when he's close enough and he puts his arm around my shoulders. "Let's go get drunk."

"No one's getting drunk," Mrs. Malfoy says as she tries to control the crazy twins she's holding the hands of. "We have to go the hospital."

"Why?" Gavin asks seriously and he gets glared at.

"Both of your sister's are there," she says seriously.

"And what am I supposed to do with that?" he says with his hands up in defense. "Lavinia is probably going to be in labor a while and Evelyn is going to be healed in like an hour. Come get me if something important happens," he says as he starts walking off. "I promised my girl a dance," he says as he goes off to find his daughter with the other confused brides maids.

"I'm going to go to the hospital," Cassius says to his parents. "You know how nervous Byron gets…." He looks at his son and Thatcher. "Will you watch them?"

They nod and Cassius takes off as Mrs. Malfoys sighs.

"I need to go too. Make sure everything is okay." Ginny says seriously and Draco nods his head.

Then they both look at me.

"What?"

"Jeremiah, I'm really sorry to do this to you," Mrs. Malfoy says and I furrow my brows as she starts pushing the twin boys in my direction. "They're just such a handful and I can't bring them to St. Mungo's. I know you've watched them before."

"We won't be gone long," Draco says as he eyes me. "I just need to make sure they're okay before I come back."

I look at the two older boys as well. Four Malfoy children at the same time? I get handed one of the toddler twins and I shake my head. "I'm sorry. I need to—"

"It will only be a minute. Thank you, Jeremiah," Draco Malfoy cuts me off. "Please don't let them out of your sight. There are so many people here."

"But I need to…."

"You're a good man," he says before taking his wife's hand and they both start walking off.

Once they're out of sight I look down at the four children I had been practically forced to baby sit and I sigh loudly. So much for winning over my love today.

"Let's go to the play room," I say as I grab the other three year old's hand so I don't lose him. "Follow me." I can lock them in the play room. That way I don't have to worry about losing one.

I kind of feel like a pouting child as I walk them to the room. We pass by the ballroom where loud music is playing and I narrow my eyes. Not only am I missing out on being around Evelyn who I knows loves me now because of this, but I'm also missing out on the party. Fucking great. When we reach the play room, I put the twin that I'm holding down on his feet and lock the door as the four of them run off to play. There's a kids chair by the door and I slump in it grumpily with my knees up to my chin as I put my face in my hands and glare around me.

How terrible this is.

This is the worst day of my life.

"Jay," The redheaded one, Cassius' boy comes running over to me. "We're playing Aurors and we need a bad guy," he says and Lavinia's oldest son Thatcher nods his head as he pushes up his glasses.

"Let me guess," I say dryly as they blink at me. "You want me to be the bad guy." They both nod their heads and I shake mine. "Nope, I'm not playing," I say and you would think I told them that their parents didn't love them or something because they both looked so put out. After a few moments I sigh and stand up. "Alright then. But I need a cape. Bad guys always wear capes."

They find me a black cape that's comically small on me and a fake wand. I get to keep the twins in a dungeon under one of the play tables as Thatcher and Julian, the oh so noble Aurors, attempt to free them from my prison.

"You will never win!" I say, getting hardcore into my evil wizard part as I chase them around the room, shooting fake curses at them as they try to overpower me. "Give up now!"

"Never, you pee head," Julian Malfoy says and I pause for a moment, trying not to laugh.

"Pee head?" I say and then I start to chase him. "I'll show you who's the pee head."

I nearly catch him when I hear the door open and I look over my shoulder at Evelyn. She's smirking at me from the doorway and then she crosses her arms are she leans against the frame. I see she's changed out of her wedding dress and is wearing a more modest, shorter dress that she was probably going to wear for the reception.

"Hey," I say as all the boys run after her to give her hugs. The twins escape their table dungeon and run over as well. I quickly take off the cape, hoping she doesn't see it. "All better?"

"All better," she confirms as she hugs and kisses each of her nephews.

"Jay is mean," one of the toddlers who I think is named Silas, says as he turns into her arms. "He is a bad wizard."

"We were playing Aurors," Cass' kid explains to her. "He was the bad wizard."

"A bad wizard, indeed," she says and when she looks at me she smiles.

I notice Xavier isn't with her and she stands up straight as I approach.

I may have a chance after all.

I was wrong… this isn't the worst day of my life and when Evelyn smiles at me again and starts playing with her nephews I'm quite sure it may turn out to be the opposite.

Maybe she'll let me kiss her again….

She looks at me and smiles.

I smile back.


End file.
